Puerto de Santa María

Across the bay from Cadiz is a town of white-washed walls surrounded by beaches, pinewood and marshes.

El Puerto de Santa Maria is set on the Costa de la Luz on the Atlantic Coast.

Its excellent climate attracts tourists from all over Europe giving rise to the development of luxurious complexes, with the inevitable marinas, restaurants, golf courses which complement the beautiful beaches in this area. Over 15km of fine, golden sand beaches can be accessed from El Puerto.

As a result of its extensive monuments, the whole town has been declared a site of cultural interest. The castle of San Marco, built on the site of the old mosque is one of the most outstanding buildings in the town. Within its layout as a result of cultural mix, elements of the Almohad and gothic periods are preserved.

Another interesting building with Gothic elements is the Great Priory Church dating from the 15th century.

Indeed the whole town centre has numerous Baroque buildings, an outstanding example of which is a palatial house called Casa de los Leones (House of Lions).

Take the time to look at the splendid façade of a fortress-like former hospital and prison called Monasterio de la Victoria. The churches of San Francisco, La Concepcion and La Mayor de Nuestra Señora de los Milagros are excellent examples of catholic religious architecture.