LA Línea de la Concepción, Andalusia, Spain
‘La Línea’ literally means ‘the boundary line’ in Spanish, referring to the separation between the city and the British territory of Gibraltar.
FEW places have as complicated an existence as the Spanish ‘border town’ of La Línea de la Concepción, or as it is more commonly known simply, La Línea.
The coastal town situated on the southern tip of Spain in the Cadíz territory, La Línea acts as a border between Spain and the historically controversial British territory of Gibraltar.
Yet despite the long history of military conflict, today the two towns exist in a rather symbiotic relationship, with many La Líneans commuting daily to Gibraltar for work, while much of the latter’s produce comes supplied from La Línea.
For visitors to the region awaits a relaxing sub-tropical coastal vacation, a humming nightlife and some incredible local cuisine
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
Historical places of interest, beaches and nature walks, a budding nightlife & incredible views created by mother nature herself.
WITHOUT doubt the biggest attraction visitors to La Línea regularly seek is the famous Rock of Gibraltar.
‘The Rock’ is a monolithic limestone promontory that juts out into the Strait of Gibraltar. It has a long, storied history including its fortification by the Moors as far back as the 8th Century, relics of which remain there today.
Visitors can take day trips to The Rock with a variety of tour operators to experience amazing vistas across the strait, meet the resident and friendly Barbary macaques, go sightseeing for dolphins on a charter boat, and trek through the Great Siege Tunnels (also known as the Upper Galleries) – a series of tunnels built by the British during the Great Siege of Gibraltar in the late 18th Century.
For those who like to get out on the water you can hire luxury boats from La Línea itself and cruise around the coast, or even wet a line or two with an abundance of fish life circling beneath the surface.
Fishing along the promenade can also be rather fruitful if you prefer to stay on terra firma, and the strip is well set up for the avid angler. The promenade also serves a rewarding walk, particularly at night with lights illuminating views across the strait towards Gibraltar.
One of the more popular pastimes in the region is hanging out at the beach, and on this topic you have quite the selection from which to choose.
An hour’s drive north-west you’ll find the ancient port city of Cádiz – home to the Spanish Navy– and a plethora of pristine sandy beaches to explore along the way.
Spend the day (or days) relaxing on warm Spanish sands and swim in the sub-tropical turquoise water or get out on the water and have a fish in a small or large boat – the choice of relaxation is completely yours.
Food and Drink
FROM a gastronomical point of view, the region punches above its weight. Dozens of restaurants offering traditional Spanish cuisine, fresh seafood options, or fusion cooking are at your fingertips, while a solid bar scene exists with a cocktail sub-culture emerging rapidly.
Our choice for a night out is BOKANA, a modern restaurant and bar that specialises in local produce and inventive cocktails.
Located about 20 minutes north of La Línea in Sotogrande – a privately-owned residential development – Bokana offers a delectable journey for the tastebuds.
Think smoked sardines on crispy bread with sundried tomatoes; red tuna ingot with quinoa; twice-cooked grilled octopus; Black Angus picanha steak; or a ‘Bokana Burger’, a combination of local Cadíz beef with Iberian ham, payoyo cheese, lettuce and roasted garlic aioli.
Add to that one of a large selection of cocktails and you have all the ingredients for a great night.
We’d go with Bokana’s twist on a Moroccan Tea – gin, green tea, mint, cane sugar, lime, green cardamom and tonic.
the golf
OF COURSE, it would be a shame not to have a game or two at Valderrama Golf Club while in Sotogrande.
Widely regarded as one of the best golf courses Spain has to offer, this private Robert Trent Jones designed layout played host to the 1997 Ryder Cup, was a staple on the European Tour as the venue for the now-defunct Volvo Masters, and currently hosts the tour’s Andalucía Masters annually.
It is a members club that welcomes international visitors to play, and you’ll be forking over €400 (roughly AU$645) for the privilege.
Immaculately conditioned with slick greens and meticulously placed undulations, a round at Real Club de Valderrama is truly one to be savoured.
Helping prolong your round are the 5000-odd cork oaks that narrow your view to the hole. These large obstacles are everywhere on the course, lining the fairways, sometimes in the fairways and even in the occasional bunker.
These native, iconic trees have certainly seen many people ‘bottle it’ after a stray tee shot and they are a real feature of this world-renowned layout. Ø
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