Algeciras, in the province of Cadiz (Andalucia), is 120 kilometers from the provincial capital of Cádiz. It is a coastal city with an area of 83km² and has a population of 105,000.
Located between the popular destinations of Gibraltar and Tarifa there are lots of things to do. Tarifa and the surrounding area are known for some of the best beaches in the country like Estepona and Marbella. Tarifa in particular is famous for its windsurfing and kitesurfing schools. Also very close is the “Parque Natural de los Alcornocales” a beautiful forest park spanning 1,600Km2 home to a variety of rare species and a great destination for photographers and with lots of potential for hiking and other outdoor activities.
The city itself is home to numerous Roman and Arabic Archaeological sites, such as the Roman Kilns of Rinconcillo and the Murallas Merinies Archaeological Park. In the centre of town you will find the picturesque San Isidro, the old town, build in the typical Andalusian style with narrow streets and white washed houses decked with flowers. There is a lively nightlife with a good choice of bars and night clubs filled with friendly locals.
The city is well served by infrastructure a motorway connects it to Cadiz and Malaga. The inland towns like Ronda are easily reachable by road also. It is connected by rail directly to Madrid and on to the French border.There are also direct trains from Algeciras to other important regional cities like Granada and Cordoba. The local bus station has services to nearly every provincial capital in Andalucía. The nearest international airports are Malaga and Jerez. Also there is the Airport in Gibraltar which has flights to the UK. The economic heart of Algeciras is the port, one of the biggest and most important in Europe, which also serves as the jumping off point for many travellers going to Morocco and the ports of Ceuta and Tanger are only a short trip by ferry.
Like other coastal regions of Cadiz, the food in Algeciras is based around thousands of years of seafaring tradition. There is multitude of high quality seafood and fish dishes on offer. On the street you can by crab, claws and shrimp. Some of the best know local dishes are “los Fideos con Coquinas” clams with noodles and “el Mero en Amarillo” Flounder in a garlic and saffron sauce. Of course there is also plenty of tapas to be found everywhere in bars around the city.
