Stretching nearly
to Gibraltar, Algeciras has long been
an important port in Spain. It's a
popular crossroads for Moroccan
workers on the way to and from France,
Holland, and Belgium. Partly for this
reason, there's a strong Arab flavor
to the city; many signs are in Arabic,
and you'll find excellent tea shops
specializing in Moroccan mint teas.
It's not a pretty city, but it's an
almost fiercely individual one with a
unique and vibrant personality. The
restaurants here tend to be both
excellent and inexpensive, and many
have perfect views of the Rock of
Gibraltar. And if you stroll the
streets, you'll find a number of quiet
parks and plazas out of sight of the
bustling city.
The most attractive part of
Algeciras, however, is that there are
eight ferry crossings every day to
Tangier and Morocco -- Casablanca,
anyone? It's also the place to catch a
train to Ronda, traversing some of the
loveliest and most varied terrain in
Andalucia, going through the Pueblos
Blancos and the surrounding area.
No doubt due to its deep port and
its location, so close to Africa,
Algeciras was the first Spanish town
taken by the Moors in 711. It was
later retaken by Alfonso XI of Castile
in 1344, but destroyed by the Moors in
1368 and not rebuilt until 1760, 56
years after it had been refounded by
Spanish refugees from Gibraltar. As a
result, it doesn't have architecture
of the same antiquity as many of the
cities in Andalucia.
Nevertheless, Algeciras has class.
Kings, queens, and statesmen like
Churchill and Roosevelt have stayed at
its Hotel Reina Cristina. And though
visiting dignitaries today are more
likely to fly over than stay in
Algeciras, its tourist industry is
growing.
What to Do
Algeciras has 23 kilometers of
beach, and though some are given over
to industrial use, there are still
several very nice ones such as the
Rinconcillo, San Garcia, and Getares.
The Church of Nuestra Senora de la
Palma and the Capilla de Nuestra
Senora de Europa are nice to visit,
thought they aren't as venerable or
remarkable as many similar structures
in other Andalucian towns. You can
also hike through Los Alcornocales, an
extensive and beautiful nature reserve
nearby.
Like most Andalucian towns,
Algeciras has excellent festivals, and
holds them frequently. (In Andalucia,
more than 3000 fiestas are celebrated
each year!) The main festivals in
Algeciras are the Arrastre de Latas,
or Three Kings, the Fiesta de Los
Reyes, Las Adas, La Chorizada,
Carnival, and Tosantos (All Saints
Day).
The Arrastre de Latas is when the
children drag cans and pots through
the streets to banish the "Giant of
Botafuegos," who tries to cover the
sky with gray clouds, obscuring the
star from the Three Kings. The cloud
is banished so that the children here
might receive their gifts.Later, at
the Fiesta de Los Reyes, the Three
Kings bring Christmas gifts to the
children, scattering sweets.
During Carnival, you can celebrate
three days of music and fun with
Algeciras as the Goddess of the
Carnival and her Nymphs declare days
of pleasure. And on All Saints Day
(November 1), fiestas called Tosantos
celebrate the saints with harvest
fruits, nuts, and sugarcane.
Where To Stay
Besides the very nice Hotel Reina
Cristina, you can stay in a variety of
bed-and-breakfasts in Algeciras and
neighboring small villages. One
excellent choice is Monte de la Torre
in Los Barrios, an Edwardian house
with a thousand acres of cork oak
forest to roam, mature gardens to
enjoy, and the picturesque sight of
grazing Retinto, a long-horned red
cattle.
