Travel Eye on Punta Umbria (Costa de la luz, Spain)

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Overview:

This little fishing port only started to grow as a holiday resort in the 1960s. The maze of narrow streets at the South tip of the point on which it stands are the oldest areas and include a few remaining British-built houses created by the British RioTinto mining company in the 19th century for the rest and recuperation of its employees involved in mining copper and other minerals in the North of the province.

The buildings get more modern and higher rise towards the back of the town, culminating in the last available area for future development before reaching the protected nature areas beyond. Stretching for around 1¾ mls from the point and measuring ¾ ml at its widest point, this charming little town has a bright and pleasant atmosphere and is clean and tidy, unlike so many other 60s Spanish resorts which are now looking decidedly shabby.

The beach is the main attraction, but with 3 marinas on the river side of town, pleasure boating is now much more popular than its former focus on commercial fishing. The climate here is much more bearable than the searing heat of the Mediterranean Costas and can be compared to that of the Algarve. Refreshing Atlantic breezes keep temperatures in check. The area is favoured by Spanish tourists from Madrid, and also holiday go-ers from the North of the country.

The majority of the summer season is dominated by Germans and is gradually becoming more popular with the British. Portuguese and other Europeans make up the balance. The area is most popular amongst couples and families seeking an escape from Spain's louder resorts. A local bus service runs round the town. The modern bus station in the centre of the resort serves Cartaya, Huelva and Seville. The area also has metered taxis which provides an easy, instant way of getting around. There is a 2-hourly ferry across the river to Huelva.

Locality:

Punta Umbria is situated on the North West Atlantic coast of Andalucia in the province of Huelva (72 miles West of Seville and its airport; 60 miles East of Faro and its airport, 13 miles South West of the provincial capital of Huelva). Punta Umbria occupies a narrow, 2-mile-long triangle of flat land at the mouth of the river Odiel, on its West bank. The Enebrales pine forest to the west, is a preserved nature site. Just to the North are the Odiel salt marshes, again a preserved natural site.

Entertainment/Attractions/Things to do:

The area boasts 8 miles of wide, uninterrupted beach of fine golden sand which stretches right from the town to the next village of El Portil. The parts by the town have blue-flag status and offer sunbeds, sun umbrellas, showers, "chiringuitos" (beach bar/restaurants) and various water sports including sailing, windsurfing, pedalloes, diving and water-skiing. There is a large selection of shops both local and tourist orientated.

At Avenida de Andalucia there is a daily food market and a weekly flea market that is also popular among tourists. For the more sophisticated shopper, Huelva would be more suitable. During the daytime there is plenty of beach-based activities and water sports. For thos after Spanish culture there are museums, a 17th-century defensive tower near the South tip and Roman ruins in the Northern area. There are Victorian British beach chalets near the South end, golf at Nueva Portil, hiking and rambling, horse riding, angling or deep-sea fishing; mountain biking through the woods.

Night time offers a lot of bars and cafes, especially along the 2 main streets featuring around half a dozen discos and a cinema. There are more than enough restaurants including Chinese and Italian but mainly offering excellent local dishes with fish a speciality. Lots of cafes and cake shops offer the locally made ice cream giving a sense of originality to the area.

There are also a wide variety of half day and full day excursions in the local area including choice of 3 local nature sites in the Enebrales pine forest, the salt marshes of Odiel and the lagoon at El Portil. Huelva boasts lots of historical sites such as the monastery and replicas of Christopher Columbus' ships at nearby La Rabida.