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.
