English | Inglés | English A thousand kilometres of wide beaches specialist centres where you can practise this fun sport. The Posidonia Barrier Reef, a real underwater treasure. with fine, golden sands, unspoilt coves, stun- calm waters along the Costa de Almería also offer the perfect Its rich seabeds and unspoilt beaches make the areas of /01. Sailing /02. Active setting for water skiing and jet skiing. Cabo de Gata-Níjar and Levante a perfect haven for scuba ning cliffs, marshlands, dunes, pine forests divers. The volcanic rock beds offer up strange formations and beautiful underwater landscapes await the sea coast What better way to discover Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park and dark caves that more experienced divers will enjoy A sea those who choose Andalusia as their holiday than sailing around its coastline in a kayak? A kayak allows exploring. As it is a marine reserve, it is necessary to get destination. As well as its coast, its many From the Costa de Almería to the Costa de la Luz, Andalusia’s If you’re looking to go surfing or windsurfing on the Andalusian you to reach parts of the coast that are inaccessible via land, a permit from the provincial government offices in Cabo coastline is a first-class destination for boating and water coast, all you’ll need is for the sea to provide you with some so that you can discover caves carved into the rock or enjoy de Gata-Níjar Natural Park or from any of the scuba diving of beaches rivers and quiet reservoirs with their still sports. You can sail through the Strait of Gibraltar and cross good waves. The provinces of Málaga, Almería and Cádiz are small deserted coves. clubs in the park. waters make it the ideal place for practising Cape Trafalgar, drop anchor in hidden coves with crystal the classic destinations for these sports. Five of Andalusia’s eight provinces have a coastline. water sports. clear waters or sail along the coast watching the mobile The Specialist Sailing Technification Centre (CETD) in El The beaches along the coast of Granada are separated Huelva is bathed in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean dunes in Doñana National Park. For those who love action in the water, the beaches at Puerto de Santa María offers the perfect training ground by crags and hills with varying degrees of steepness. and Granada, Almería and Málaga in those of the Ensenada de Valdevaqueros and Los Lances in Tarifa offer for skilled yachtsmen and women. In 2012, it organised This means there are a large number of cliffs and rocky warm Mediterranean, while both bodies of water This place of incomparable beauty is also To arrange an excursion or boat trip along the coastline, two of Europe's best windsurfing spots. Thanks to its the RS:X World Championship, which again brought a world areas that run down into the sea, making the waters off come together in Cádiz at the Strait of Gibraltar. Their a destination for all seasons thanks to its simply visit a seaport or one of Andalusia's tourist hubs, fantastic waves and easterly winds, Tarifa is also one of sailing championship back to Bahía de Cádiz, after hosting an the beaches at La Herradura, Motril, Castell de Ferro, beaches stand out for their environmental importance, the quality and warmth of their waters (many of them pleasant climate with hot, dry summers and and you could find yourself crossing the Bay of Cádiz in a the most popular places for kitesurfing, as well as a range Olympic classes championship in 2003. Marina del Este and Calahonda ideal places for scuba are awarded a Blue Flag for clean seas each year) and mild winters, not to mention its bright skies catamaran, enjoying an unforgettable sunset at Sancti Petri of other water and aerial sports: bodyboarding, flysurfing, diving. There is also the Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Nature never-ending sunshine. and marinas and castle in Chiclana, discovering the most untouched coastal wakeboarding, blokarting, etc. With its numerous water Park in La Herradura, whose waters contain valuable beds with more than 3,000 hours of sunlight areas such as those at Cabo de Gata-Níjar or accessing sports schools and businesses, the town has become a of posidonia. This nature park extends up as far as the year-round. Doñana onboard the Royal Ship Fernando, which departs small international hub for these activities. It’s also host to /03. Underwater Málaga coastal belt. The beaches in Nerja area are an Costa de Almería Nautical activities activities Nautical from Sanlúcar de Barrameda and crosses the Guadalquivir the largest number of championships for these sports. essential destination for scuba divers. The most striking characteristic of this Mediterranean treasures coastline is its contrasts. The most unspoilt of the The modern marinas dotted strategically river. whole province, with features such as Las Serenas Reef, For dedicated sports fans, Almería has hundreds of kilometres The crystal clear waters and rich seabed off the coast of along the Andalusian coast are one of the The Andalusian coast is full of narrow, rocky areas and the Almería-Cabo de Gata-Níjar area is a small natural Its proximity to Africa, the confluence of Mediterranean and of coastline with varying types of wind and conditions for beautiful seabeds that will delight scuba diving enthusiasts. Cádiz make it a very attractive place for scuba diving and paradise bathed in the waters of the Mediterranean. biggest draws for water sports enthusiasts. Atlantic waters and the large variety of habitats offered windsurfing and kitesurfing. The best places for these sports There are a large number of scuba diving centres that underwater fishing, where there is the opportunity to take While the west of Almería is characterised by being by its climate make Campo de Gibraltar one of the best include the beaches at El Poniente and Ensenada de San night trips and visit archaeological sites (shipwrecks) in the the most popular area for tourists, with beaches such Andalusia’s extensive transport networks organise trips to the most beautiful and interesting places as Roquetas de Mar, the eastern part of the province Specialist guide Specialist waters at Barbate, Los Caños and Tarifa. Sunken steamboats, and fantastic climate, ideal for sailing in all places in Europe for watching whales and dolphins. Here Miguel in El Ejido and Roquetas de Mar. The beaches in Cabo along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. is characterised by its diverse landscapes with wide beaches of fine sand and steep cliffs alongside fishing seasons, make it the ideal berthing destina- villages such as Mojácar. tion all year round. WHAT TO DO: Sailing, Water Skiing, Paddle Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Scuba Diving, Fishing. Costa de la Luz-Cádiz This coastline runs from the mouth of the Guadalquivir in Sanlúcar to Punta de Europa in Algeciras. Untouched or city beaches with a full range of services, small coves or sands stretching over several kilometres, quiet you can see different species of dolphins as well as de Gata Natural Park, such as San José, are also the perfect The underwater landscapes in the province of Almería ships, freighters, fishing boats, naval vessels and galleons family beaches with calm waters or beaches battered pilot whales, sperm whales, orcas and fin whales. These place for paddle surfing or stand up paddle surfing. have unique flora that attracts nature lovers from around from the 15th-20th centuries offer fascinating windows into by strong winds for windsurfers. All bathed in the clean waters of the Atlantic, with their unmistakable beautiful animals are easy to spot throughout the year the world. The posidonia beds along Almería’s coast are the past that are an irresistible treasure for scuba diving turquoise colour and bounded by fine, golden sand. along Málaga’s Costa del Sol and in the Gualchos-Castell Water skiing can be done both on the open sea and in characterised by their bright green colour that makes them enthusiasts. At La Caleta beach in Cádiz, the old La Palma Chipiona, Rota, El Puerto de Santa María, Puerto Real, de Ferro area on the Costa Tropical in the Granada region. standing water. Places like Almuñécar and Motril in Granada, almost one-of-a-kind. Out to sea off the coast of Roquetas Spa is now home to the Underwater Archaeology Centre, Chiclana, Conil, Barbate and Tarifa are the main towns Marbella in Málaga and Cabo de Gata in Almería have de Mar is one of Andalusia’s largest natural features: the which organises exhibitions and educational trips. in the area. WHAT TO DO: Sailing, Water Skiing, Paddle Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Scuba Diving, Whale and Dolphin Watching, Fishing. There is a strong tradition of kayaking in Cádiz, with different The Iznájar reservoir, also called Lake Andalusia, lies in the /04. Rivers and activities and events on reservoirs such as Guadalcacín and /05. Sport middle of the Genil river and reaches into the provinces of Andalusia is Zahara-El Gastor, and on Lake Arcos. For example, Cádiz Córdoba, Málaga and Granada. This 32-kilometre long body Costa de la Luz-Huelva reservoirs hosts an annual trip for tourists down the river Palmones, fishing of water with 100 kilometres of shoreline is the perfect This coast runs from the mouth of the river Guadiana, while the river beach at El Membrillo in Puente Genil place for fishing as well as a range of other water sports. on the border between Spain and Portugal, to the mouth of the river Guadalquivir separating the provinces of Andalusia has a large number of rivers and reservoirs that (Córdoba) is a popular meeting place for kayakers.