While some destinations become fashionable during a few summers, others have been enchanting for decades by those looking to disconnect without giving up authenticity. This is Zahara de los Atunes, an old white town, bright and with the Atlantic wetting this corner of the Cádiz coast. It has become the refuge of artists and other well-known faces who prefer simplicity over luxury. Like walking along a beach that seems to never end, eating a good plate of bluefin tuna or watching a sunset without any further plan.
Among those who know this place best is Paz Padilla. The presenter and comedian has maintained a strong bond with Zahara de los Atunes for years, where she spends a good part of her free time. Its relationship with the town has helped draw attention to a destination that, despite its growing popularity, continues to preserve the seafaring essence that made it special long before appearing in photos on social networks.
@paz_padilla
What to see in Zahara de los Atunes
Although the beach is the main protagonist of the town, Zahara also invites you to stop and learn about its history. The most emblematic building is the Palacio de las Pilas, also known as Castillo de Zahara de los Atunes, a fortress ordered to be built by the dukes of Medina Sidonia in the 15th century that for centuries was the heart of the almadraba (the ancient fishing technique). Within its walls not only was the coast protected, but the tuna was also processed, turning this town into one of the most important fishing enclaves in the south of the peninsula.
Nearby is the church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, part of the old premises of the historic chanca. The walk continues through a network of white streets where small shops, terraces and squares remind us that Zahara is still a living town and not just a holiday destination.
Hesdes
However, the real monument is the landscape. Zahara de los Atunes beach extends for several kilometers of fine sand bathed by transparent waters that change color depending on the light of the day. Furthermore, even in high season it is easy to find space to enjoy the sea without feeling of crowding, a rarity that is increasingly difficult to find on the Spanish coast.
Where to eat delicious and cheap in Zahara de los Atunes
You come to Zahara to eat well. Wild bluefin tuna caught by almadraba (a complex labyrinth of fixed nets near the coast that intercepts tuna during their seasonal migration) is the star of many menus, but local cuisine goes much further and allows you to enjoy fresh fish and traditional recipes without having to make a large outlay.
Luis Miguel Ortiz
One of those essentials is Ramón Pipi, an institution among neighbors and visitors where fried foods, seafood stews and the fish of the day are the best letter of introduction. La Botica is also worth a stop, which combines traditional Cádiz cuisine with more modern offerings in a relaxed atmosphere and with an excellent quality-price ratio.
For those who prefer an informal meal after a morning at the beach, La Esquina de Catalina has earned a loyal clientele thanks to its tapas, montaditos and dishes made with local products.
And, of course, there is El Trompeta Beach, Paz Padilla and her daughter Anna Ferrer's beachfront beach bar. Located practically on the sand, it maintains the spirit with which it was born decades ago at the hands of Luis Padilla, brother of the comedian. It is a place where the focus falls on the sea, Cadiz cuisine and the casual atmosphere.
Pxhere
What to do around Zahara de los Atunes
One of the greatest attractions of visiting Zahara de los Atunes is that it allows you to discover some of the most spectacular landscapes in the province of Cádiz in journeys of just a few minutes.
Towards the north appears the Alemanes beach, a small jewel of golden sand and crystal clear waters protected by a natural environment that invites you to spend the entire morning there. Nearby stands the Camarinal lighthouse, one of those places from which the horizon seems to have no end and where, when the sky is clear, it is even possible to distinguish the African coast.
Manuel Acebedo
Heading towards Barbate, the La Breña and Marismas del Barbate Natural Park offers a completely different landscape. Trails between pine forests, cliffs that fall into the Atlantic and natural viewpoints make this protected space a perfect excursion to alternate beach and nature.
But if there is an essential getaway from Zahara, it is Bolonia beach. Its enormous dune, declared a natural monument, competes in beauty with the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia, one of the best preserved archaeological sites in Hispania. Being able to combine a swim on one of the most spectacular beaches in Andalusia with a walk through an ancient Roman city is one of those privileges that only this coast offers.
Annual
Zahara de los Atunes maintains that balance between nature, history and gastronomy that makes it a unique destination. A place where summer still has something of the summers of before and where it is easy to understand why Paz Padilla decided to turn this corner of the Atlantic into that refuge to which she always returns to disconnect.
Cover photo | @paz_padilla and M.Peinado
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