The most relaxing beaches in Spain

Take a leaf out of the Spanish holiday maker’s book and stay away from the typical over-populated and overdeveloped coastal areas. Our coastline has so many empty beaches that you will feel like you are on your own private beach, even during the busier summer months. The West Coast has over a 100km of some of the most impressive beaches in Europe and many of them have won the 'Blue Ribbon Award' which is only given to the most prestigious beaches in the world.

Culture and Travel

The West Coast of Andalucia sits on the border with Portugal and many people who live in the area often say that owning a property in this region gives you the “best of both worlds”. There is no border control so you are free to come and go as you please without having the hassle of passport worries etc.

Seville is only 1 hour from the West Coast and is one of the most enchanting cities in the whole of Spain if not Europe. It is a must see for anyone who has not yet had the opportunity to do so as it is steeped in history, tradition and culture whilst maintaining a very modern feel to it.

Some of the Spanish literary greats like 'Lorca' and 'Machado' were inspired by this city's breathtaking mix between the Romanic, Moorish, Gothic and Spanish style architecture. The story of the famous 'Don Juan', the Spanish/Latin lover comes from here and you will find his statue in one of the big squares.

It is also the home of Spanish gastronomy and rumour has it that the 'tapas' culture began here. It is one of the birthplaces of 'Flamenco' and you can see some great nightly shows in the different 'Tablaos' but stay away from the tourist traps as they can be overpriced.

If you are looking for nightlife, Seville comes alive in the late evening and is famous for its outdoor eating and drinking culture.

Huelva is the capital and also the name of the province in the West Coast and lies on the coast approximately 35km from Portugal. The new airport which was recently approved for construction in 2011 will be situated approximately 10km outside this city.

It has a population of approximately 150,000 and is a very famous city in Spain due to the fact that it is where Christopher Columbus lived and set sail from on his voyage to discover the new world in 1492. Nowadays he proudly stands (in statue form) on the port looking out towards America. You can also visit replicas of the renowned ships used during the voyage, the 'Nina', 'Pinta', and 'Santa Maria'.

Outdoor Activities

Golf is one of the most sought after sports on the West Coast of Andalucia. With a half dozen courses to choose from in a 30km radius you will be spoilt for choice. For further details see our golf section.

There is a strong sailing tradition in the West Coast of Andalucia and the biggest marina in the area is situated in Ayamonte on the Portuguese border. You can rent a Bareboat or take a skippered venture around some of the most exciting coastline of Spain and Portugal. The perfect weather and ideal sailing conditions makes for an exciting experience every time. Also, for the less experienced there are sailing schools that open in the summer months where one can learn the tricks of the trade.

Kite Surfing and Jet Ski-ing have become popular in recent years and there are many reasonably priced English speaking schools in the area which open almost all year round.

For Mountain Biking fans, there are many off road tracks in the 'Sierra' (mountainous region). A quick trip of 30-45mins brings you to another famous part of the West of Andalucia where the scenery completely changes and the natural beauty of the mountains comes to the forefront. Here you can wander off on tracks and not see another human being for the entire day.

Many people who live on the coast take trips to the Sierra on the weekends to enjoy the outdoors and to taste the local food from the picturesque villages that can be found throughout the area. West Coast Properties can advise on the best routes for this activity.

Horse riding activities are also a must considering that Andalucia has one of the biggest horsing traditions in Europe. A trip to 'El Rocio' is a must as it is known as the 'International village of the horse'. An enchanting 'western style' sandy road, town where each house has its own stable and annually hosts the pilgrimage festival where people come from all over Spain on horseback to join in on the celebrations where there is no shortage of great food and drink.

The National Park in 'Doñana' has areas which the public can use and organises weekly all inclusive horse-riding trips so you can spend hours riding on its beaches and surrounding areas without seeing another soul. The local horses are very easy to ride and are said to be very obedient.

Gastronomy

The Spanish are very proud of their culinary delights and eating is and always has been an important ritual for them. They normally have lunch at 14:00 and dinner at 22:00 which can be surprising at first but one soon gets accustomed to it.

Andalucia is renowned all over Spain for having some of the best quality food. Eating out is also very inexpensive when compared to back home.

The fresh sea-food on the coast is superb and the variety is endless. The range of 'tapas' will also impress as sometimes a little corner restaurant can have up to a 100 different types of food. Also, if you like to buy your meat and fish fresh and not from the supermarket there are street markets everywhere. Don't forget to drink your wine as it is almost always, great quality and very cheap.

The province of Huelva is home to the famous 'Jamon Serrano' (Cured Spanish Ham). A leg of this type of ham can cost anywhere between 15-1000 euros. The best quality kind has an extraordinary breeding and elaboration process that can take years. 'Ham' for the locals is as important as wine is for people that come from the centre of Spain.

Festivals

If you like to party and want to get involved in the Spanish culture, the West Coast will not disappoint. Each town has a weeklong festival at different times of the year called the 'Feria'. These are century old festivals where everybody gets together, the young and the old, the ladies get dressed up in flamenco style dresses and everyone celebrates and dances 'Sevillanas' (traditional dancing style) in big tents where the drink flows like as if it was going out of fashion. The most famous 'Feria' is in Seville where literally thousands of people celebrate for the entire week, some without even stopping. It has to be seen to be believed.

Donaña National Park 

If you're a wildlife or nature lover a visit to this park is a must. 'Doñana' is the biggest reserve park in the whole of Europe (75,000 ha) and is situated in the Huelva and Cadiz province. There are two daily trips which one can take through the park to view the wildlife but don't forget to book in advance as there is often a waiting list.

The wetlands park is home to over a hundred species of birds, the most renowned being the Andalucian Eagle. There are many more species that are unique to the area including the Spanish Lynx which up until recently was in danger of extinction.