A gastronomic tour of the Costa de la Luz
This elemental land of 'vivid, piercing' light has wonderful hiking and 'gastronomic riches'

Spain's Costa de la Luz, or Coast of Light, sweeps in a great arc from the Straits of Gibraltar up to the Portuguese border. It is an elemental land of "vivid, piercing" light, as its name suggests, but also "endless" dunes, "Wild West" horizons, and often relentless sea winds, says Lydia Bell in Condé Nast Traveller.
Inland, Moorish pueblos blancos "dust the hills like icing sugar", and vast wetlands, forested mountains and pristine river estuaries are protected in a series of glorious national parks. The hiking on offer is wonderful – and so too are the food and drink, from earthy meals prepared in village kitchens to Michelin-starred restaurants, all rooted in the region's distinctive produce.
There are gastronomic riches enough in the 60 miles between Cádiz and Tarifa, at Spain's southern tip – and among the best guides to them is the chef José Pizarro. Known in the UK for his seven restaurants and frequent appearances on the BBC's "Saturday Kitchen", Pizarro welcomes guests for three-night stays at his house, Iris Zahara, a "glassy modernist" villa perched on a sea cliff with fabulous views of the mountains of Morocco and the lights of Tangier, twinkling across the straits at night. There's cooking, as well as vineyard visits and a trip to the covered market in Barbate, for ingredients including bluefin tuna, harvested using the almadraba method – a system of nets developed by the Phoenicians three millennia ago.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At Bodega Sancha Pérez, there are organic olives and wines (notably "sweet, tanniny" Tintilla de Rota) to sample, and, at Bodega Manuel Aragón, sherries ranging from "bone-dry to treacle-sweet". A hike around the peaks of Los Alcornocales with the "chatty" guide John Carlos Milburn Rodríguez takes you to the Antigua Venta de Ojén, a village house in whose "cosy" garden Luisa Martínez Ríos serves excellent rustic meals by special request. And back on the coast, there are other great restaurants to try, including the three-Michelin-starred Aponiente, and Casa Bigote, a "traditional gem".
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sites
In The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s void
Feature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War Department
Feature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name
-
A tour of Sri Lanka’s beautiful north
The Week Recommends ‘Less frenetic’ than the south, this region is full of beautiful wildlife, historical sites and resorts
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashion
In the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – a ‘comfort’ watch for fans
The Week Recommends The final film of the franchise gives viewers a chance to say goodbye
-
The Paper: new show, same 'warmth and goofiness'
The Week Recommends This spin-off of the American version of The Office is ‘comfortingly and wearyingly familiar’
-
Rachel Jones: Gated Canyons – ‘riotously colourful’ works from an ‘exhilarating’ painter
The Week Recommends The 34-year-old is the first artist to take over Dulwich Picture Gallery’s main space
-
Born With Teeth: ‘mischievously provocative’ play starring Ncuti Gatwa
The Week Recommends ‘Sprightly’ production from Liz Duffy Adams imagines the relationship between Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Feature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more