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Things to do

Things to do

All entertainment, attractions, events, museums & historic sites in Zahara de los Atunes

Zahara de los Atunes has more to offer than its beautiful beaches and fantastic sea food and tuna. History in Zahara goes back a long way in time and left its marks on this village.

The first time the name Zahara had been mentioned in the books was in 1444.

The Palacio Jadraza in Zahara de los Atunes

In the 15th century the Duque of Medina-Sidonia, which had the royal privilege of tuna fishing, built this castle in Zahara de los Atunes to protect the fishermen and their catches from pirates who were plenty in the Strait of Gibraltar. Many merchants had to pass into or out of the Mediterranean Sea in this area.

The castle fulfilled three different tasks: the protection of the fishermen and tuna, residencial palace of the Duques of Medina-Sidonia during the tuna catching season, and the so called "Chanca" where the caught tuna had been sliced, salted and preserved.

This is the only castle with these characteristics in the world. In 1949 it had been declared a national monument of cultural interest and is therefore under a prevention order.

Miguel de Cervantes, the famous Spanish author of Don Quichote, spend some time being accommodated in the Castle of Zahara and even mentioned it in his novel "La Ilustre Fregona".

The church Iglesia de Ntra. Señora del Carmen in Zahara de los Atunes

This church has been built in the 17th century in the street Gobernador Sanchez Gonzalez in honour of the patron saint of Zahara de los Atunes - La Señora del Carmen.

Formerly, the church was situated inside the Palacio where in times of the Duque the "saladero" (salting room) used to be.

Inside the church the visitor will be fascinated by the beauty of the decoration and the architecture. We recommend to have this church on the list of sights to visit in your Zahara holidays.

The watch towers Torre del Tajo, Caños de Meca and Trafalgar

These towers have been built in the 16th and 17th century in order to protect the coast from Zahara until Caños de Meca from the mostly turkish and berber pirates who were hunting for the treasures of the almadraba - the royal tuna catching network.

The Torre del Tajo is situated in the natural park of La Breña, on the shore line close to Barbate.

Further up the coast, in Caños de Meca, their watch tower is right infront of the little village.

You can not miss the watch tower of Trafalgar on the right end side of the Caños bay. It serves today as the light house.

The lighthouse Faro Camarinal in Atlanterra

This old lighthouse is situated 2km from Atlanterra in direction Bolonia. It used to serve as a watch tower long ago, and later on it even was used by the military to store weapons to defeat the waters and the coast of this region against the moors.

The views from this point are spectacular, surrounded by white beaches, pine trees and hills along the coast.

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