With summer temperatures still lingering into the fall, a weekend trip was in order along La Costa de la Luz. Literally meaning the Coast of Light, it refers to the stretch of shoreline along Spain’s Atlantic that extends from Cádiz down to Tarifa. Beach-hopping here means getting your fill of crystal blue waters in El Palmar, catching sight of some epic kitesurfing acrobatics in Tarifa, and discovering some quirky seaside finds, like the Roman ruins at Playa Bolonia. It was the perfect opportunity to take my Samsung NX mini on another Spanish adventure.
It must have been the last good-weather weekend in Andalucia because we came across at least four different couples taking wedding photos! Our first stop at El Palmar was like stepping onto the sands of Southern California, with its surf shop stacked shoreline, carefree dogs running along the beach from all directions, and plenty of waves to satisfy boogie boarders and surfers alike.
Walking a little further south we came across a junkyard treasure, what seemed to be an abandoned shipyard filled with old seashell encrusted anchors and piles of used tires. I felt like a kid on a scavenger hunt scrounging through the debris and snapping away at the old sunken boats.
Another great find awaited near Playa Bolonia: the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia, a village destroyed by an earthquake in the 6th century AD. The village used to be a thriving trade point, and was famous for its production of garum, a type of fish paste. Walking through the ruins you could imagine tuna being salted at one end while villagers took a dip in the thermal baths at the other end, all the while being able to enjoy the beautiful seaside only a couple hundred meters away.
Leaving history behind us we headed further south to the kitesurfing capital of Spain, Tarifa. If Chicago is “the Windy City” of the U.S. Tarifa is surely Spain’s version. One of my Spanish friends told me that the people of Tarifa are so used to the wind that they have withdrawls when they move abroad, exclaiming “I need to feel the wind on my face!”
That’s not the only thing to miss about Tarifa, which boasts the point where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. The city itself is a mix of trendy surf boutiques and a historic center with vibrant cafes, street art, and beach-inspired cocktail bars.
Overall our trip through the coast showed us that each beach had its own distinct personality, and I was glad to have my NX mini to capture some crisp shots of our weekend adventure!
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