Costa de la Luz Route 2026

Sunday

Light, magic and joy. In short, that is what is known as ‘La Tacita de Plata’ (The Silver Cup), one of the oldest cities in the West. An intricate city of narrow streets opening onto the Atlantic, where Baroque palaces and Indian buildings coexist harmoniously with the exceptional modern architecture of the Parador. From the Tavia Tower - with its pioneering camera obscura - you can see it in all its splendour, including the cathedral, an example of the city's colonial splendour. The urban beach of La Caleta is its open and infinite horizon. Escorted by the castles of Santa Catalina and San Sebastián, its promenade evokes the iconic image of the Malecón in Havana. A welcoming city, it is worth getting lost in its charming neighbourhoods and letting yourself be seduced by its unique way of life. Make a note in your diary for the carnival, its festival par excellence, when the streets are filled with comparsas, chirigotas and revelry, tapas and delicious delicacies such as seafood, fried fish and the exclusive almadraba tuna. You can cross the Bay of Cádiz on a wonderful boat trip to visit El Puerto de Santa María or go to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, located at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River opposite Doñana, where you can taste a good manzanilla sherry and, in summer, watch the famous horse races on the beach.

Monday

On the way to Huelva, you must make a mandatory stop in Jerez de la Frontera to visit one of its famous wineries and taste ‘the bottled sun of Andalusia’. Since the protection of the Doñana National Park requires a detour to Seville, if you have time, you can stop off in the historic capital of Seville, with its Giralda and Torre del Oro. Our destination is Mazagón, whose golden sandy beach runs parallel to a Quaternary cliff and stretches for 10 kilometres. In a paradisiacal setting of unparalleled beauty, within the Doñana Natural Area, is the Parador de Mazagón, facing the ocean and pristine beaches, in the middle of a lush pine forest from where you can visit the ornithological paradise of the Doñana National Park and the Hermitage of El Rocío. Around Moguer and Palos de la Frontera, there is a Colombina Route of Andalusian places that were important in the preparation and completion of Christopher Columbus' first voyage and the discovery of America. Among the essential visits are the Monastery of La Rábida and the Quay of the Caravels, where you can find replicas of the Pinta, the Niña and the Santa María, and the Pinzón Brothers House-Museum.

Tuesday

Heading west, we arrive at Ayamonte, the last stop on this route along the Costa de la Luz. A place to rest and relax, where you can enjoy the mouth of the Guadiana River and beaches such as Isla Canela and Punta del Moral, beautiful sandy areas where dunes characterise the landscape and surroundings. The Isla Cristina Natural Park is also worth mentioning. This is a group of marshes located between the municipalities of Ayamonte and Isla Cristina. You can take a river cruise on the Guadiana and, if you have time, visit the village of Sanlúcar del Guadiana, home to the world's first cross-border zip line, which connects to the Portuguese village of Alcoutim. By the way, the Algarve is just a stone's throw away. If you are one of those who was touched by ‘Platero y tú’, you should visit Moguer, where the Zenobia and Juan Ramón Jiménez House Museum is located. And don't forget that Jabugo ham and white prawns from Huelva are two ‘must-haves’ on this trip.