Where is El Palmar?
Situated on the southern tip of Spain, on the Atlantic coast of Andalucia, El Palmar is around 200 kilometres southwest of Malaga.
What kind of place is El Palmar?
El Palmar is a rural village which is situated on the Costa de la Luz, the Coast of Light, an area which has attracted significantly less attention than the Costa del Sol, but which offers superb opportunities for laid-back beach holidays. In fact, the whole of this stretch of coast is just one long beach!
The whole of the area in which El Palmar lies has been subject to very strict property development regulations, which means no concrete jungles and a great deal of natural beauty.
What is there to do and see in El Palmar?
Famous for its long, wide golden beach and crystal waters, El Palmar has long been a mecca for surfers, especially in the winter months when the surf is high. Kitesurfers and windsurfers also make their way here to enjoy their sports.
For those just seeking a relaxing, sun-drenched holiday, El Palmar is an ideal spot, simply because of the sheer size of the beaches. Finding a spot to park your towel or sun lounger without being surrounded by thousands of like-minded others will present no problem at all. When you do find your spot, the view behind you will not be towards an area developed with hotels and apartments, but towards rolling sand dunes.
The village itself offers a range of amenities for the holidaymaker, including a number of bars and restaurants, butcher and fishmonger’s shops, a couple of general stores and a pharmacy.
It is worth noting that although the area does present a great attraction for surfers, the local authorities are very determined to protect the beaches at El Palmar and to keep them safe for its visitors. In 2008, they even went so far as to place a ban on beach bars to uphold this ideal.
What is there to do and see in the area generally?
Lying behind the glorious coastline are miles of green countryside with pine forests, farmland and huge fields of sunflowers, all waiting to be explored. The area is well-known for its bull breeding, and you can see dozens of these huge animals grazing happily in the surrounding fields.
A short drive from El Palmar will take you to a number of superb golf courses in the area, such as those at the Montenmedio Golf and Country Club, and the Sancti Petri Golf Club, the latter of which was designed by Severiano Ballesteros.
The neighbouring village of Conil de la Frontera, just five minutes along the road, offers the opportunity to experience some of the gastronomic delights of the town’s many tapas bars, fish restaurants and pizzerias. A little further north, meanwhile, in Chiclana de la Frontera, you will find many historic delights such as the 18th century hermitage of Santa Ana and the 13th century castle of Sancti Petri.