El Puerto de Santa Maria - El Puerto de Santa María - Costa de la Luz

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El Puerto on the Costa de la Luz, in the province of Cadiz, is located on a section of the Atlantic coast where the pinewoods, growing among marshes, reach right down to the sand of the beach. It's an ideal destination to enjoy the sun, the sea, outdoor sports and good food. More than 15 kilometres of beaches of fine, golden sand lie at El Puerto de Santa María. In this incredible natural landscape tourist complexes of the highest quality, like Developments like Vistahermosa, Puerto Sherry and Casino de Bahía de Cádiz, have been set up, provided with all the comforts any traveller could want.
The beach bars standing on Levante, Valdelagrana, Santa Catalina and Fuenterrabía beaches are an unbeatable option for tasting the area's rich seafood with views of the Atlantic. A sherry, with its own Denomination of Origin, can accompany any of the food. Quality leisure time can be enjoyed in the many restaurants in the area, and in swimming pools, on golf courses and at marinas.

Gastronomy at El Puerto

El Puerto is an excellent place for tasting the best of Cádiz cuisine. Food in the Bay of Cádiz is based on fish and shellfish from the Atlantic Ocean, which are accompanied by vegetables from the fields. Little shrimp omelettes, Rota-style red band bream and seafood soup are some of the recipes the traveller should not miss. Cuttlefish with potatoes, clams, marinated fish and mackerel with noodles complete the gourmet menu. The wine is from the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry y Manzanilla - Sanlúcar de Barrameda Denomination of Origin.

Some history of El Puerto de Santa María

According to the legend, this seafaring town, home of the poet Rafael Alberti, was founded by an Athenian leader. But it is not until the Muslim invasion that we have historical documentation of the settlement. This town in the province of Cádiz experienced its greatest splendour after its reconquest by Alfonso X (13th C.) and under the rule of the dukes of Medinaceli. During the following centuries, its relationship with the Atlantic Ocean and the maritime expeditions (including the Discovery of the New World) led it to be named Captain Generalcy of the Ocean Sea. Because of its wealth of monuments, the whole town has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest.
The Castle of San Marcos is one of the most outstanding buildings of the whole town. Built on the site of an old mosque, it preserves a Christian chapel in its Keep. In its layout you can find both Almohad and Gothic elements, the result of years of cultural coexistence. It is an archaeological site that has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest.
Among the religious buildings in El Puerto de Santa María, the Great Priory Church, whose original plan goes back to the 15th century, is outstanding. The main front, known as the Portada del Perdón, which preserves Gothic elements, like pinnacles, flying buttresses and gargoyles, is from this period, although the rest of the building is from a later date. For its part, the Puerta del Sol was designed in the 17th century, as witnessed by the grooved columns, floral decoration and medallions.
The urban development of the town centre between the 17th and 18th centuries resulted in a multitude of Baroque buildings, like the Casa de los Leones, one of the most representative. The construction of this palatial house was ordered by one of the many merchants who had come from the Cantabrian coast to do business in this port.
We will also find the Monastery of La Victoria, a former hospital and prison, also declared a Site of Cultural Interest. Its fortress-like appearance alternates features of flamboyant Gothic with those of the Renaissance style. Its splendid main front is worth a good look.
The churches of San Francisco, La Concepción and La Mayor de Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, as well as the convents of Las Capuchinas and El Espíritu Santo, are other good examples of Cádiz religious architecture. Your tour can end with the palace of Valdivieso or at the Bullring, one of the oldest in Spain.

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