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Introduction to Algeciras |
A city with clear marine vocations and traditions. However, present day Algeciras is also a cosmopolitan, modern town, due in a large degree to it being an obligatory point of call for those arriving and departing from the Strait, its strategic importance and its extensive port complex.
While in the town, one can enjoy large public parks such as the Parque de María Cristina and the Parque de las Acacias.
Within the Los Alcornocales Natural Park, one can explore one of the numerous "canutos" on offer. Time should also be taken to observe the large number and variety of birds which cross the Strait every year from the Algeciras Mountain Ranges of the coastal strip, which runs from Punta Carnero to the Ensenada del Tolmo.
Beaches represent one of Algeciras’ principal tourist attractions, among which we should highlight that at Rinconcillo, situated along the interior of the Bay at 3km from the urban centre extending to the mouth of the Palmones River; and the San García and Getares Beaches, with 3 km of white, fine sand located at 4km from the city in the direction of the Punta Carnero Lighthouse.
Another interesting activity is a visit to the Ensenada de Getares, offering high quality landscapes, comprised of attractive cliffs and a splendid beach, formed of the tributaries of the Picaro River and the Marchenilla and Del Lobo Brooks, which also form a small marsh area where they come into contact with the beach.
This area offers great biological wealth, among the rocks we can observe sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus), cotton spinners (Holothuria forskali), actinias (Actinia echina), anemones (Anemonia sulcata) and limpets (Patella caerulea and Patella aspera). From the cliffs we can make out scoters (Melanitta nigra) and gannets (Sula bassana); while the pastures which surround the brooks offer elm-leaf blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius), oleander (Nerium oleander) and willow (Salix atrocinerea) in addition to nightingales (Luscinia megarhynchos) and warblers (Cettia cetti).