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Zahara de los Atunes, a fascinanting fishing village

This town has one of the longest almost virgin beaches in the province of Cadiz. This Autonomous Local Entity of Barbate has developed from a fishing village to a very popular tourist destination. Furthermore, its beach surroundings have been awarded the blue flag on several occasions. On the other hand, its palace of Las Pilas represents its tuna-trapping past. It is also an interesting place to stay due to its beautiful sea and several accommodation options.

Its beach

The main tourist attraction to see in Zahara de los Atunes is this huge beach. It is wide and golden, and stretches for many kilometres into the territory of the city of Tarifa. There, it becomes known as Atlanterra beach, due to the urbanisation built on it. Finally, it reaches the cape of La Plata and its lighthouse. This is a route that is practically untouched by mass tourism. Thus, it is similar to Palmar de Vejer and Caños de Meca, while it differs from Sancti Petri or Roche villages.

Zahara de los Atunes beach. | Wikimedia

The landscape which surrounded this beach is a flat between two mountain ranges: in the north ‘Retín’ mountain range and in the south ‘Plata’ mountain range. Its waters in this area are from the Atlantic Ocean. Its location in the ‘Parque del Estrecho’ (Estrecho Park) means that the winds are usually strong. This is one of the factors that has prevented its overexploitation by tourists. Nevertheless, it has all the services worthy of a first-class beach.

Besides, the beach of Zahara de los Atunes is the perfect destination to do water sports. For that reason, it is one of the best spots of the province of Cádiz that stands out for its active tourism, such as windsurf or kite surf. Furthermore, the perfect sandy area is excellent for hiking sessions.

Zahara de los atunes. | Shutterstock

Canillo/Pajares beach

The Cañillo/Pajares beach is located on the northern boundary of the Autonomous Local Entity. It is partly used as a training ground for the Spanish Navy. In fact, ‘Retín’ mountain range is largely owned by the Spanish Navy.

Cachón river. | Wikimedia

The accessible part of this beach is almost virgin, and the only way to reach it is by the mouth of the Cachón river. Due to the lack of services and the wind in the area, it is not very popular. For this reason, it is perfect to go with pets or to find a relaxed atmosphere. At the same time, it is advisable to be very cautious when swimming in its waters.

The Palace of Las Pilas

The main architectural feature to see in Zahara de los Atunes is its castle, also known as the ‘Palace of Las Pilas’, which was built in the 15th century. Its main functions were defensive, industrial and a ducal residence since it was the Duchy of Medina Sidonia. It was responsible for boosting tuna trap activity in the area. Tuna fishing, however, dates back to the Phoenician colonisation. Both they and the Romans took advantage of the abundance of their coasts to make garum, a popular fermented fish sauce.

This palace had three towers, although, just one remains today. The interior rooms were protected by a wall between 5 and 7 metres high. Its front doors were adapted for tuna fishing, two of them facing the sea. The outbuildings were used to store tools and boats, as well as to process and sell the fish. The great profitability of the business resulted in the establishment of a stable population around the ‘Palace of Las Pilas’ after the reforms of the 16th century.

The Palace of Las Pilas. | Wikimedia

On the other side, the defensive function of the castle had a key role of its development, since it helped to win lawsuits against the inhabitants of Vejer de la Frontera. The Duchy of Medina Sidonia justified the expansion of the area by the need to increase protection against the Barbary pirates. These Turkish corsairs ravaged the coasts of Cádiz for centuries. However, this fortification did its duty. It was an important part of the defensive structure of King Philip II and the Duke of Medina Sidonia in order to resist piracy.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen church

Until the last century, Zahara de los Atunes remained a small fishing village. The function of the palace of Las Pilas as a complex for curing and preserving fish, changed over time. The “salt vault” is the only part of the whole that has managed to preserve its entire structure. Unlike other parts, which ended up as a cinema or a disco, this room was converted into a church.

It was in 1906 when this changed. The archpriest of Vejer decided to renovate the space. Father Caro, as he was called, led the transformation. The resulting building has a simple structure with only one nave. Its barrel vault is supported by two arcades. The Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of the church, due to its close relationship with the seafaring world.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen church. | Shutterstock

Another interesting attraction to see in Zahara de los Atunes is its school. It was built in the 1920s by the first Count Barbate, Serafín Romeu Fagés. Although it is currently privately owned, the exterior can be visited. It has a simple appearance and thanks to this structure, the local population was helped to learn to read and write in the town.

‘Retín’ and ‘La Plata’ mountain range

The two most outstanding natural spaces to see in Zahara de los Atunes are two mountain ranges. Retín lies in the direction of Barbate and La Plata lies in the territory of Tarifa. As it is already mentioned, the first one mainly serves for the Spanish Navy. Its peculiar vegetation and orography, as well as its access to the Cañillo beach. Culturally, it has several archaeological remains.

Baelo Claudia in La Plata mountain range. | Wikimedia

On the other hand, ‘La Plata’ mountain range has numerous spots. For example, the ‘Cueva del Moro’ cave has cave paintings or the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia, which are also located here. From the pre-Roman period, the Silla del Papa (Pope’s Chair) stands out, which may have been used by the Carthaginians. A footpath starts in Zahara de los Atunes itself and takes visitors through this mountainous area. It is 10 kilometres long and allows one to see griffon vultures.