Zahara de los Atunes – Beach, Almadraba and History

Playa de Zahara de los Atunes stretches from the town of Zahara de los Atunes to Cabo de Plata.

The beach is considered semi-urban and is easy to reach on foot or by car. Its wide expanse is suitable for walking, running, cycling and horse riding. Several surf schools along the coast offer courses and equipment hire. Playa de Zahara de los Atunes also has facilities for sailing, windsurfing, diving and fishing. Playa del Carmen has been awarded the Blue Flag.

Paths and dunes

In the first section of the Zahara de los Atunes–Atlanterra path, wooden walkways cross a dune system. They enable its regeneration, protection and preservation. The path is a 4 km-long linear route of low difficulty. It begins at the beach access next to the castle; Zahara de los Atunes can be reached via the A-2231 from Barbate or via the A-2227 from the N-340.

An 850 m-long footpath runs parallel to the stream known as the “Cachón”.

Culture and history

The Fortaleza o Castillo de Zahara de los Atunes is protected as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) in the Monument category. It housed activities for processing and preserving tuna and was used to store fishing gear, boats and equipment from the Almadraba. The fortress influenced the urban structure of Zahara de los Atunes and is a fundamental reference point for its cultural identity.

The Almadrabas originated in an old, traditional fishing technique and shaped the history and identity of Zahara de los Atunes. The Torre Atalaya de la Almadraba served as a watchtower for the Zahara Almadraba; remains of its walls are preserved on the Peñón de Zahara.

The church of Zahara de los Atunes is located in the former Nave de la Sal of the 16th-century Casa-Chanca fortress. Some Casas Cañones have survived to this day as private homes on C/ Real, C/ Agustín Medina Chico and C/ Zapal.

The rock paintings in Zahara de los Atunes range from the Palaeolithic through the Bronze Age to the Iron Age and display both a semi-schematic and a schematic style. They were classified as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC) on 29 June 1985 and catalogued under code 01110350026. On Tuesday, 12 December 1893, the ship “GLADIATOR”, whose home port was Glasgow, ran aground in Zahara.

Gastronomy

The Ruta del Atún takes place in Zahara de los Atunes in May. Local restaurants compete with their own tuna creations for the award for the best tuna tapa. The Ruta del Retinto was created as an initiative of the traders’ association Asociación de Comerciantes de Zahara de los Atunes (ACOZA) to celebrate and promote the town’s culinary diversity. During the XI Ruta del Retinto, from 9 to 13 October, the participating establishments prepared tapas with Retinto beef.

Other destinations include Zahora and Los Caños De Meca.

Visitor information

The Oficina de Turismo de Zahara de los Atunes is located opposite the exit from Playa del Carmen at the end of Avenida José Matías Guerrero and provides information about activities, restaurants, beaches, hiking, accommodation, transport and culture.

For the higher-level travel overview: Barbate.