Is it hot as hell? Yes, the heat wave that is hitting Europe is not letting up and I think we have to start thinking that the summers here will be increasingly bloody. So, let's think about a good vacation in front of the sea!
For that we can choose to visit Whale Coast, a well-known Spanish tourist complex on the waters of the Atlantic. Chase away the heat for a while, while today we know what to do in Costa Ballena.
Whale Coast
Like we said, it's a resort on the Atlantic coast, north of Villa de Rota. It occupies about 400 hectares and is super popular not only in Andalusia but throughout Spain. The land on which the complex is built was once in the hands of the Orleans-Borbón family and was basically dedicated to agriculture. The origin of the name whale seems to come from a local legend according to which a whale used to be seen in the waters of the sea dispensing water to the sky.
In the 80s, the idea of a tourist center began to take shape that could take advantage of the so-called coastline of the Bahía de Cádiz Area – Gualdalquivir River. This is how the idea of the complex was born and the nearby Villa de Rota contributed 300 hectares while neighboring Chipiona another hundred. The result is the 400 hectares of land that the tourist complex has since occupied. The subsequent development could be done with the contribution of the European Economic Community.
Of course the original plan was sometimes modified but development began in the 90s: taking of land, payment of compensation, land transformation works and so on, so fast that in little more than four years thousands and thousands of houses had already been built. The 2008 crisis that unfortunate we all know stalled development for a good number of years until Once the crisis was overcome, the works returned.
The complex has known how to respect the lines of the coast, that is evident in the constructions of the first coastal line, there are semi virgin beaches with good access, many green areas, car parks, hotel offer, good prices if it is not high season and there are always events and parties. If we consider this as positive, we can also say that there are some issues that are not so good.
For example, there could be more hotels, a better or more extensive health system and something that would obviously be great, the presence of foreign tourism. But what does a tourist find when he steps on Costa Ballena?
The complex is basically second homes, hence the complaint about hotel beds. Only four hotels open all year, out of a total of just over 5200 private homes. Also there is a supermarket, a pharmacy and some bars that are not open all year round, perhaps on weekends, for example, and in some seasons, not all. There is also a golf course, the Whale Coast Ocean Golf Club.
This golf club is one of the best known and most important in Cádiz and has a 27-hole course and another 9-hole course. Both designed by José María Olazábal, with some great designs. In addition, it has a school, sauna, restaurant, sports equipment rental and shops.
Returning to Costa Ballena, the property has sports facilities such as the Soccer field or the Francisco Peña Palomeque Municipal Police. In addition, there is a parish, a bus station that connects well with the surrounding towns and even Seville and Jerez Airport.
Speaking of means of transportation, How do you get around in Costa Ballena? For walking, is what many people do since the distances are short. Calculate that the longest you can move within the complex is to do the path of the dunes and that implies little more than half an hour of walking nothing more. There are streets, paths and steps between the facilities of the complex. Or you can take the bus, but basically if you want to get out of the complex.
There is a bus that connects with Vila de Rota, half an hour round trip, every day. It also connects with Astaroth Marina and with convenient times to take the catamaran to Cádiz. Obviously, in the summer season there are more services of this bus, even on weekends there is a night service so you don't have to use the car. And yes, it works until dawn, in case you want to stay up late.
La bike It is another option, one of the healthiest and fastest if walking is not your thing. There are many bike-paths and special car parks throughout the complex, parks, squares, buildings, shops. The Vía Verde connects Costa Ballena Rota with Villa de Rota, Chipiona and Sanlúcar de Barrameda and the Bay of Cádiz. If you like to pedal, cycling to Villa de Rota is great.
Are there taxis in Costa Ballena? If it's about private taxis They work all day, all year round and are a little cheaper than taxis in general in Cádiz.
What to do in Costa Ballena
Well one option is ride a bike but it is not the only one, with such an Atlantic coastline at our disposal. Thus, the Broken Whale Coast beaches They are a must see. There are urban beaches and semi-virgin beaches. Even there are nudist beaches.
The coast is 2383 meters long, between the end of the municipality of Villa de Rota and the La Ballena stream, being delimited by the same complex. As we said at the beginning, here the distance between the coast and the first buildings has been respected. There are dunes, trees and many palm trees and everything helps precisely to shape a green and natural wall that protects the sand.
There is a boardwalk of almost three kilometers lined with gardens and palm trees and even a lake, at the north end. Going through it looking at the sea and feeling the breeze is wonderful and it only takes half an hour. Every now and then there is a descent so in summer people come and go all day from their summer houses to enjoy the sea and vice versa. What beaches are there? Well, many, you can go to the Peña del Águila access beach, or Nuevos Oasis or Pueblo Marino, for example.
In short, urban beaches They are Playa de la Costilla, Playa de los Galeones and Playa del Chorrillo – Rompidillo. The wild and semi-wild they are the Corrales, Punta Candor or Puntalillo and yes, also there is a nudist beach: It is in a curve between the Playa de Punta Candor and the Playa de los Corrales, next to the descent of the Arroyo Alcántara. It has pianres and dunes and it is advisable to go at high tide. You arrive by bus, on Line 3 or 4.
As you can see, the Costa Ballena Complex concentrates sun, beaches and sea.