What to do in Zahara de los Atunes

who wonder what to do in Zahara de los Atunes should know that it is a small town located in the Cadiz municipality of Barbate. Therefore, it is in full Costa de la Luz, guarantee of sun and good weather all year round.

But Zahara de los Atunes has much more to offer you. It owes its name to the fact that it was an old fishing village centered on the tuna trap. And, due to its coastal nature, it has wonderful beaches, places where you can take beautiful hiking trails, a magnificent hotel offer and various monuments of interest. If you want to know what to do in Zahara de los Atunes, we invite you to continue reading.

Enjoy the beach of Zahara de los Atunes

This town of the province of Cádiz It has more than a kilometer of coastline that extends to Cabo de Plata in Fair. This translates into a spectacular urban beach with white sands and crystal clear waters where, thanks to the winds, you can practice sports such as windsurf. Call of the Virgin of Mount Carmel, has all the services and beach bars so you can eat or drink something.

However, if you prefer quieter sandbanks, near the previous one you have others that already belong to the aforementioned Tarifa, but they are one step away. It is the case of the atlanterra beach, almost a kilometer long, but less exploited by mass tourism.

However, in our opinion, it is even more beautiful Canuelo beach, hidden among pine trees and only accessible on foot. Almost virgin, you will find it between the capes of Camarinal and Gracia. Finally, you have the cove of the germans, which combines sand and rocks and stands out for its strong wind. Likewise, from it you will observe unique chalets such as the so-called “UFO” or Entrerrocas. But, above all, on this beach you will enjoy bathing in the natural pools that form between the rocky promontories.

Hiking routes, another activity to do in Zahara de los Atunes

The natural wonders of this Cadiz town do not end at the coast. Very close to it start beautiful hiking trails that will fascinate you. This is the case of those who pass through the Breña and Marismas Natural Park, which starts at the nearest Barbate. For example, you can do the one that starts from the Hierbabuena beach and arrives, through cliffs, to the medieval towers of the Tajo and Meca.

Likewise, very beautiful are the routes that go from Caraminal to Bologna beach, which offers you extraordinary views and from Zahara to the town of Almarchal following the river Cachón. In addition, the latter continues with more difficulty to the mountains.

You can even do in Zahara archaeological routes. It is the case of the one that goes to the Moor's cave. However, you must bear in mind that this hole is not at the foot of the road, but you will have to climb a bit. And also that it is closed, although its cave paintings can be seen from the outside.

Even more interesting is the route that goes to the The site of the Pope's Chair, in the municipality of Tarifa. Of Punic origin, it is in the highest part of the Sierra de Plata, near the Bolonia cove. Therefore, it is an ascending route, but on the way you will also see remains of buildings and ancient tombs.

Likewise, access to the orca cave, near the so-called Urbanización de los Alemanes. It also has cave paintings that reproduce human beings and animals. But the most outstanding are the indentations made in the rock that seem to explain, already in the Palaeolithic, the tuna fishing cycle.

Discover the monuments of Zahara de los Atunes

Despite its small size, this town on the Costa de la Luz also offers you interesting monuments. The most important of them is perhaps the Pilas Palace, also called the castle of Zahara de los Atunes or Fortaleza de la Chanca.

It was built in the fifteenth century by order of the Duke of Medina Sidonia and it consists of three well-differentiated buildings: the palace of the dukes, the defensive castle and the so-called chanca, which was, precisely, the place where the fished tuna were cut into pieces. As a whole, the castle is a quadrangular structure of almost fifteen thousand square meters with walls and a walkway. It also has several gates and two main towers: Levante and Poniente. Since 2004, this construction is of cultural interest.

But it is not the only monument of interest in the town of Cadiz. In the same complex of the castle you can visit the church of Our Lady of Carmen, built in the XNUMXth century. It is a small temple with a single nave covered with a barrel vault supported by two semicircular arches. Its interior is decorated with ceramic bricks and ornamental motifs.

Equally interesting is the building of the old schools, built in 1920 by the teacher Manuel Sánchez. It has a garden, the classroom and the teacher's house and has an austere and functional aspect. But you also have other monuments near the town.

This is the case Camarinal lighthouse, in Fee. It is also known as the Cabo de Gracia lighthouse because it is located on top of it and has been declared a site of cultural interest. Originally it was a beacon tower defensive in nature, built in the XNUMXth century to protect the coast from pirate attacks. Already in the XX it was enabled as a lighthouse.

Finally, we advise you to visit the remains of the old Roman city of Claudia Baelo, which are close to the bolonia beach. It is an archaeological complex of great interest, since this coastal town from the XNUMXnd century BC came to elect its rulers and even minted its own currency.

It was created as a factory for seafood, but it continued to exist until approximately the XNUMXth century after Christ. Likewise, it was the port of departure and arrival for the boats that traveled the route to Tingis, the current Tangier.

As a curiosity, we will tell you that in this city the garum, which was a sauce that caused admiration in the Roma. Currently, you can visit the ruins and learn more about it in its interpretation Center. There are even dramatized visits.

But, above all, you will see an entire Roman city, with an important theater, temples dedicated to Jupiter, Minerva and Juno, the forum and the streets, although you will also see constructions of daily life such as houses, shops and even taverns.

Get to know the gastronomy of Zahara

Finally, we want to talk to you about another of the things to do in Zahara de los Atunes. We talk to you about knowing your delicious cuisine. Because an area is not fully discovered until its gastronomy is tasted. The town of Cadiz has numerous bars and restaurants where you can do it.

Among the numerous dishes that make it up, we want to highlight two to start with. One is the red tuna with onions, which is made with this typical almadraba fish from the area, usually with its ventresca or morrillo, and with a lot of onion. Finally, it is flavored with sherry wine and bay leaves.

As for the second course, it is the Shrimp omelete, common throughout the province of Cadiz. As its name suggests, the recipe contains this crustacean, wheat and chickpea flour, water, salt, onion and parsley. With all these ingredients, a dough is made that is then fried in abundant olive oil.

Along with these, you can also order a starter like the Seasoned carrots or dishes like tagarninas stewed with curdled egg or the fried, which is a kind of ratatouille. Also popular are pirinaca, a salad that has boiled potatoes and other vegetables, and the boiled soup, which is made with boiled bread, peppers, tomatoes, green asparagus and crumbs of cod or tuna.

Going back to fish, they are one of the star ingredients of gastronomy in Zahara. You can find any of them grilled, but they are very popular. the little fish and the roe, both fried, as well as the bienmesabe or marinated dogfish. And, as far as meats are concerned, the bay-style pork rinds, which are similar to shredded meat, pork stew or loin meatballs. Also with the remains of the cooked a type of sandwich is made that they call the pringá.

As for pastries, we advise you to try the pestinos, Sweet porridge made with sugar or honey Cadiz-style cakes, rice pudding flan or panizas. And, to water all these delicacies, you have the chamomile from Sanlúcar de Barrameda or the wines from the Land of Cádiz.

In conclusion, we have shown you what to do in Zahara de los Atunes. But the town of Cadiz also has numerous shops where you can buy typical products and even a craft market in summer inside the castle grounds. It also has a lively nightlife. And, if you want to visit the surroundings, we advise you to go to the beautiful town of Vejer de la Frontera, one of the white towns of Cádiz, or, a little further, to the monumental Chiclana de la Frontera. Don't you think visiting Zahara is a great plan?