Chiclana de la Frontera is a genuine Andalucian town – not just a seasonal holiday hotspot. It has a “big city” feel to it unlike many popular sun destinations in Andalucia.

Just 10 minuets drive away and you’re on La Barossa beach; one of the best on the Costa de la Luz, with excellent facilities. This is where you’ll find Novo Sancti Petri, an upmarket and very cosmopolitan holiday resort – ideal for families.

Chiclana is located inland on the Costa de la Luz, just south of the historic capital – Cadiz. It’s around 6kms inland from the Atlantic coast.

The surrounding landscape is very flat and incredibly green, despite the intense sunshine it receives. It’s mostly made up of lush pinewood forests and marshlands.

On Chiclana’s Atlantic coast you’ll find some of the best beaches in Spain – endless stretches of fine golden sand with crystal clear clean blue waters. Apart from La Barossa itself, there’s El Palmar, Conil beach and Caños de Meca just a few kms south.

The Costa de la Luz is one of the brightest parts of Spain. Chiclana gets a dazzling 3,400 hours of sunshine every year. It has an ideal climate with a yearly average of 20C. Initially Chiclana was a solely a Spanish tourist spot but now attracts visitors from all over Europe, Germany in particular. It’s got everything – the big city and stunning coastline and top-class facilities in nearby Novo Sancti Petri…

NOVO SANCTI PETRI
Located on La Barossa beach, this pristine tourist complex boasts some of the finest hotels in this part of Spain. It’s surrounded by a spectacular golf course, which was designed by none other than Sevie Ballesteros. Players get to enjoy superb sea views from almost every part of the course.

Apart from the many 5-star hotels, there are also plenty of apartments and townhouse complexes in Sancti Petri. Finding accommodation is normally quiet easy but beware of peak season! when hoards of sun-starved northern Europeans completely overwhelm the place.

Sancti Petri has plenty of shops, restaurants and bars etc., every thing you need, even clinic and of course, a few real estate agents (just in case you decide not to go back).

Peak season runs from around mid June to early September and it can be madness! For the rest of the year, Sancti Petri, is a very quiet, peaceful place. During the winter months, the beach is a deserted paradise. You can walk for literally miles in brilliant winter sunshine and not come across a soul.

Just up the road from Santci Petri, there’s a small abandoned fishing village, where apparently General Franco would take his family on holidays, back in his heyday. Derelict and crumbling, it’s now almost completely desolate but still has a curious charm and is well worth a visit.

Located just past the village, there’s the modern harbour. It’s a stark contrast from Franco’s old haunt with plenty of upmarket bars and restaurants and a mooring capacity for an impressive 700 boats. It also has a yacht club, as well as a windsurfing and sailing school.

If you’re looking for a mixture of old and new, space for the kids, great beaches and plenty of sunshine, Chiclana is well worth considering…