Islantilla, Costa De La Luz, Spain Travel Guide

Nestled upon the Costa De La Luz on the Gulf of Cadis is the little tourist complex known as Islantilla. Islantilla was built in the early 1990's between the towns of Lepe and Isla Cristina specifically for tourists to come enjoy the mild climate, beaches and the quiet beauty of the area. With its many fine hotels, restaurants, golf courses and water sports available, Islantilla is the perfect spot for couples and families alike to enjoy a holiday.

There are many fine hotels and apartments to rent in Islantilla, all with breathtaking views of the gulf and the fine sand beaches. Fine restaurants that offer local cuisine are housed in most of the hotels, some offering buffet style and others 'a la carte' dining. Because of the coastal area, much of the cuisine offered is freshly caught fish and shellfish. With its unique flavoring of spices and locally made olive oil, the dishes are deliciously unique to the area.

The main attraction of Islantilla is the crystal clear waters of the gulf and the golden sand beaches. The stretch of beach is so plentiful that it is not difficult to find a quiet spot to relax and enjoy the sun. Most of the beaches offer handicap accessibility and shower facilities and others offer those accommodations as well as umbrellas and hammocks. For a more isolated experience you can make your way to Nueva Umbria Beach, a long stretch of beach with the sea on one side and the Rio Piedras on the other. This beach is also a wonderful place to try your hand at fishing.

Water sports are plentiful on this coastal wonderland. You can take a catamaran ride out into the gulf, water ski, windsurf, kitesurf, or charter a fishing boat tour or leisure boat ride. Most of the hotels and apartments for rent offer swimming pools and tennis courts for sports enthusiast.

Islantilla is the golf enthusiast's paradise. Islantilla Golf Club boasts a 27 hole golf course separated into three 9 hole courses of varying degrees of complexity. From hilly terrain to blind spots to long par 4 shots, this course offers a variety of levels for the beginner to the most experienced golfer.

For the nature lover, a trip to the Doñana National Park is the perfect way to spend your day. The park covers 193 square miles of shifting sand dunes, marshes and pine forests and is home to over 100 species of birds as well as many other wildlife creatures. The rare Spanish lynx lives within the pine forest and imperial eagles soar overhead. Because this environment is so precious to the area, visitors are not allowed to walk the park freely. Bus tours are available through designated areas of the park for visitors to enjoy this land that was once the hunting grounds of the kings in the 16th century.

For the history lover, you can walk in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus at the Monastery of Santa Maria of La Ràbida. Within the walls of this Franciscan monastery is artwork which narrates the conception and beginning of Columbus' first discovery trip. A few kilometers down the road in the village of Palos de la Frontera you will find the starting point of Columbus' voyage in August of 1492. Here you can see the few remaining remnants of the original pier the ships cast off from. In Huelva at the Muelle de las Carabelas, you can explore actual replicas of Columbus' ships.

Visiting Islantilla is a wonderful mixture of sun, relaxing beaches, clear sea waters, interesting history and tasty cuisine. However you plan to spend your days in Islantilla, you are sure to enjoy every minute of your holiday.