Coast of Light

(Local Name: Costa de la Luz) The Costa de la Luz is the stretch of the southern Atlantic coast of Spain between the mouth of the Río Guadiana on the Portuguese frontier and the promontory of Tarifa on the Straits of Gibraltar. Along this coastal region, almost perpetually bathed in the warm light of the sun, are a succession of spacious sandy beaches, well away from main roads and traffic routes. The coast of Huelva province in particular, with the extensive Playa de Castilla, is a bathers' paradise, bounded on the landward side by eucalyptus trees. Inland from the coast around Cádiz are olive-groves. Almost all the villages along the coast live by fishing, though tourism is increasingly becoming an important source of revenue. To date there is only one resort at Matalascañas; further development has been prevented by protests from environmentalists who see the unique reserve of Coto de Doñana as being under threat.