Conil de la Frontera is one of the most charming towns in the province of Cadiz. Discover in this post the most beautiful places you should visit in a day.
What you will find here
A VILLAGE ON THE SEAFRONT
This spring we travelled to Conil de la Frontera to discover its charms and shoot a short video that you have probably seen above 👆. The truth is that we already knew the picturesque town, as we had been passing through, but we didn’t know what to see in Conil and its surroundings.
Wrecked boat in the mouth of the Salado river.
OUR VISIT TO CONIL. AND NOW YOURS
During one day we had time to visit and film in all the places you have seen in the video. We started around 10 am in Conil centre, then we went to the Rio Salado and finally we used the car to get to the port. Don’t worry about the location of each site. At the end of the article you will find our usual map to help you organise your visit.
We are going to organise the post following the chronological order of the video, so… here we go.
TORRE DE GUZMÁN
This tower was the main element of the fortress that defended Conil de la Frontera. For years Conil was the border between the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Granada. Moreover, its proximity to Africa exposed it to pirate attacks. You can access its roof free of charge. From there you can enjoy a 360-degree view between the battlements. Although the official website says it is only open in the mornings, it is also open in the afternoons at weekends.
Torre de Guzmán which was part of the fortress of Conil.
STREETS OF CONIL
The white streets and cobblestone paving. This is the constant throughout most of the town centre. There are some noble houses in the main streets and squares, but humble dwellings with a central courtyard where greenery and its colours are the main decorative element predominate. The new buildings do not clash with the old ones. The little traffic and pedestrian streets are a delight for strolling.
White walls, bougainvillea and cobblestones.
CHURCH OF SANTA CATALINA DE CONIL
Both from the square to the north and from the cemetery to the south, you can take some very aesthetic high key photos. Work on the church began in the 15th century in a Mudejar style, but little remains of that temple. In the 17th century it was remodelled to its present appearance. Although we were unable to visit it because it was closed, we thought it was a beautiful place. On the way back to the car park, we went around it through a small tunnel. If there are no cars parked there you can also take nice pictures.
Iglesia de Santa Catalina de Conil in the main square of the village.
ANTIGUA ALMADRABA DE CONIL
What we really want to explain is the Chanca. The almadraba is the fishing gear (which we will explain in another post later on) and the chanca is the working area on land. Its construction began in the 18th century and was used as a salting factory and a warehouse for boats, fishing tools, salt, wood, etc. Its high walls give the impression of a fortress on the outside.
The almadraba of Conil together with that of Zahara are the oldest on the Atlantic coast of Andalusia. They became famous even outside Spain. Since Phoenician times this place has been used for fishing. In one of the modules of the almadraba there is an Interpretation Centre where they will tell you the history of this traditional fishing art.
Cemetery and old Chanca de la almadraba de Conil.
Flake of the almadrava of Conil in the 80’s.
THE SALT RIVER
And then it was time to go out and get to know the surroundings of Conil. To the south is the Salado river and its mouth. We cross the bridge at high tide and set out to walk along the left bank. We then discovered the shallow depths and began to walk through the water. This was perhaps the most beautiful moment of our visit. We spent some time collecting some shells, taking photos and watching the tide start to go out.
Bridge over the Salado River at its mouth on the beach.
PATH TO TRAFALGAR
At the same bridge that crosses the Salado river begins a signposted path that leads to the Trafalgar lighthouse. This path crosses El Palmar and Zahora to the historic cape of Trafalgar. We did only a short stretch where we saw a few Retinta cows. These animals have excellent living conditions. In the Barbarte area you can even see them on the beach, as they live in large pasture areas that reach the sea. From here we took the car to the fishing port area of Conil.
Red cow on the path to Trafalgar.
CEMENTERIO DE ANCLAS Y RÍO ROCHE
Said like that, it sounds very romantic. But the place deserves it. Next to the river Roche and the port of Conil, there is a place where the anchors pile up. Most of them are the anchors of the almadraba of Conil. Around 700 anchors are used in the installation of this craft. When they reach the end of their life they are piled up on the banks of the river Roche next to some boats. It is a natural setting, very green and with a dam that backwaters the river. There are also some nice paths to walk along the water. At sunset it is a fantastic place to take photos.
Cemetery of anchors of the almadraba next to the port of Conil.
PORT OF CONIL AND LIGHTHOUSE OF ROCHE
The port of Conil is located at the mouth of the river. This is where the barges and tools of the almadraba are kept. From its breakwaters there are fantastic views of the Aceite cove and the town of Conil. To conclude our trip we climb up to the tower and lighthouse of Roche. We enjoyed the last rays of sunshine while contemplating the Trafalgar lighthouse in the distance.
Views of the port of Conil from the lighthouse of Roche.
Where are we going to eat?
On our trip we tried two establishments that we liked. But we have to say that there were many bars and restaurants in Conil that looked very good. The atún in its different variations, the tortillitas de camarones, the chocos, the ortiguillas and the ternera de retinto are some of its star delicacies. It is undoubtedly a destination for foodies, but this is a subject for another post.
The two bars where we ate (El Resbalón and Media Luna) do not have an excellent rating on Tripadvisor. Although we have to say that we ate well and were treated “de lujo” in both, as they say in Cádiz.
Bluefin tuna tartar from the restaurant Media Luna.
At El Resbalón you will have a good time browsing among its seafaring decoration.
Looking for accommodation in Conil de la Frontera?
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And if you go to Cadiz….
Be sure to see the Bay of Cadiz on the Vaporcito 🎬. With the current catamaran you can sail to Puerto de Santa María for a very reasonable price.
Would you add any more places to the list? Tell us in the comments
MAP OF CONIL
And here is the map so that you can find these fantastic places in Conil de la Frontera in one day.
