Costa de la Luz (Huelva) - Costa de la Luz, Spain

Punta umbria Cos...

Playa Punta umbr...

Hotels and apartments on the Costa della Luz of Huelva >>>

The part of the Costa de la Luz belonging to the province of Huelva lies next to Portugal's Algarve, between the rivers Guadiana and Guadalquiver. It offers long flat beaches of fine golden sand with dunes and mild Atlantic waters. Due to it's closeness to Huelva city, Seville city and Portugal it's mainly a popular holiday destination for people of the region, specially on weekends and during local holidays or so called "puentes".

The towns on Huelva's part of the Costa de la Luz from west to east:

• Isla Canela - Isla Cristina - La Antilla
• El Portil - Punta Umbría
• Mazagón - Matalascañas

On the frontier between Spain and Portugal and just east of the Guadiana is the town of Ayamonte which has a worthy heritage, most notably in its two fifeteenth century churches of Salvador and San Francisco. The best beaches are at Punta del Moral and Isla Canela. A really worthwhile trip is to take a boat trip up the Guadiana.

Isla Cristina is a village with a long seafaring tradition and delightful beaches surrounded by protected wetlands. There is also the Tourist Centre of Islantilla, shared with Lepe, which has a wonderful range of hotels and recreation facilities, most notably a lovingly maintained, 27 hole golf course.

Nearer to Huelva city are the beaches of Punta Umbria and El Portil. If the beauty of these beaches is captivating, no less so is the river which separates the town from the wetlands reserve of Odiel – the second most important habitat of its kind in Andalucia, after Doñana.

On the outskirts of Doñana National Park is Mazagón, which has an up-to-date sporting harbour with high standard services. Near by is Matalascañas, a popular national tourist centre with many hotels.

One cannot miss on this tour a visit to Doñana, designated as a national park by Spain in 1969 and recognised by UNESCO as of global importance because of its plant and ecosystem diversity. These include: salt marshes, reserves, shifting dunes and underground water lakes. There is a Visitor Centre at Acebuche, just one kilometre from Matalascañas, where one can learn all about the park and its surroundings as well as the 4x4 guided tours, bird hides and exhibitions.