Twelve must-see key points in Marbella’s old town: a walking tour with Wikiloc
Things to see and do to have a dream holiday in El Rompido
El Rompido is a place just waiting for you to discover it. This small sea district located on the Huelva coast has some corners of unparalleled beauty tucked away that are just waiting to be discovered by visitors looking for something different. While it is not strictly speaking a locality, since it belongs to Cartaya, this district has a very particular charm that makes it unique on the Costa de la Luz. There are so many things to do in El Rompido just waiting to be disovered by visitors: golf, water sports, adventure sports… not forgetting the restaurants along the banks of the River Piedras, where you can indulge in the best of local gastronomy. It is a destination with great natural beauty and charm, greatly suited to serving as a starting point for exploring the rest of the Huelva coast, since there are many things to see in El Rompido.
Far from traffic hassles, El Rompido has become a destination for those looking for nature, sun and, above all, peace and quiet that are far from mass tourism. Here are some of the most interesting places you cannot miss on your itinerary during your stay in El Rompido.
- Fun facts about El Rompido
- Get to know the area better
- Gastronomy
- Entertaining activities
- Practice sport
Fun facts about El Rompido
- El Rompido is a small coastal town located at the mouth of the Piedras River, in the province of Huelva.
- The town has a rich history, as archaeological remains dating back to the Bronze Age have been found there.
- The name El Rompido comes from the fact that the town is located at the mouth of the Piedras River into the Atlantic Ocean, where several sandbars are formed that “break” the flow of the river.
- The town is home to the El Rompido lighthouse, which was built in 1861 and is one of the oldest in the province of Huelva.
- It is a popular tourist destination for nature and sports enthusiasts, as it offers multiple possibilities for hiking, cycling, golfing, surfing, or kayaking.
- El Rompido is known for its crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches, and from the beach of El Rompido, you can take a ferry to Playa de la Flecha, a protected natural paradise and one of the longest beaches in Spain.
- The town is also home to the Piedras River and Flecha del Rompido Natural Area, a protected area of great ecological and landscape value.
- It is also a very popular area for sport fishing, as the Piedras River is full of different types of fish.
- El Rompido has several restaurants that offer fresh local seafood, such as clams or white shrimp.
Get to know the area better
Laguna del Portil Walk
This route will take you between dunes bordering the Marismas del Odiel Marshes Nature Reserve, one of the most important wetlands in the country, to the viewpoint in the Laguna del Portil nature reserve, where we can see its rich fauna, especially waterfowl such as the mallard, the northern shoveller and the kingfisher.
Visit the Castle of the Zúñiga
The Castle of the Zúñiga can be found atop a hill in the western part of the city where it looks over the Piedras River. In fact, that was precisely the main function of this military fortress: to overlook the waters which were quite insecure.
Abandoned once it was found to be of little use once piracy stopped being an issue and restored with great success in the twentieth century, it was declared a National Monument and is one of the major tourist attractions in Cartaya. There are various cultural activities to be found inside such as exhibitions and concerts.
The Ermita and the Pilares
Founded by an Indian in the sixteenth century and located in the north-west of the town, La Ermita (“the Hermitage”), with a light Baroque Andalusian style, has recently been restored. The Moorish “pilares” (irrigation systems) at La Dehesa and Mogaya are ancestors of the current systems in Cartaya.
Pinares de Cartaya route
This route introduces you to the Pinares de Cartaya which spans more than 12,500 hectares, along sandy roads, surrounded by thickets and lakes and, occasionally, briefly accompanied by a marsh harrier. The path leads us to the viewpoint at the mouth of the Piedras River in the Flecha del Rompido Nature Reserve which will not fail to impress.
Cycling and a half marathon in the pine forest of Cartaya
Convent of the Trinitarians
Made for the Trinitarians de la Merced Descalza. It includes a baroque tower, made of smooth stone up to the belfry, finished off with a tile-covered spire. It was destroyed by the earthquake of Lisbon, and built up again in 1765. It now houses private homes, preserved in good condition.
Enjoy the El Rompido lighthouses
In addition to the new one, El Rompido also houses an old nineteenth-century lighthouse, now renovated and refurbished to hold meetings, conferences or seminars. The original lighthouse has no lens, although the rest of the structure is in good condition. The lighthouses are nearby and the village of El Rompido and the Mirasmas del Piedras Natural Reserve can be seen from their location.
El Rompido, enjoy the two lighthouses illuminating the atlantic ocean
Anchored boats in the river
From El Rompido’s promenade, you can enjoy a curious panoramic view that is part of locals’ everyday lives: thousands of small anchored boats, protected from the tide by La Flecha. There are also sometimes boats grounded in the sand, due to the high and low tides. A true spectacle.
El Rompido Port
If you are going to visit El Rompido, be sure to see its fishing port, since, in addition to being a beautiful spot, you can also enjoy a true spectacle: when the tide is low you can see hundreds, indeed thousands of fiddlers in the port. A fiddler is a type of crab, whose most unique feature it the difference in size of its claws. The locals remove the largest ones, serving them under the name “mouths.” It should be said that the fiddler does not die and that its claw grows back with time.
Las Sirenas Square
Sra. del Carmen El Rompido Crédito editorial: joserpizarro / Shutterstock.comLas Sirenas Square is the heart of the locality’s social life, since it is where both the Our Lady of Carmen Church and most of the town’s restaurants and cafes are located. From here, you can also enjoy a lovely panoramic view of the ria and the Real de la Almadraba de Nueva Umbría. Beautiful!
Tablao Flamenco Felahmengu
If you visit El Rompido and don’t see the best flamenco on the whole of the Huelva coast, you will regret it for the rest of your life, since Tablao Felahmengu II is all about the passion of flamenco. Here you will experience this intangible art of humanity in a well-appointed space, so that you can feel the magic and energy that only flamenco can express.
Visit the Real de la Almadraba
The Real de la Almadraba de Nueva Umbría is a point of interest you must visit on your holiday in El Rompido. It is located in a privileged spot and is the ideal starting point to immerse yourself in this locality’s traditional fishing essence.
The Real de Almadraba is a set of buildings that housed workers and everything relating to the use of the Almadraba fishing technique. While it has been inactive since 1960, visits are permitted, so if you like fishing you must stop by.
Find out about the history of el real de la Almadraba in El Rompido first-hand
VISIT THE EL FARO SHOPPING CENTRE
This is a small shopping centre with five or six shops that has some wonderful views of the River Piedra. There you can have breakfast and lunch with some lovely views.
WATCH THE SUNSET IN PANORÁMICO
If you want to enjoy some delicious cocktails while you watch the sunset and take in some spectacular views, you can visit Panorámico, a bar very near the El Rompido lighthouse.
Walk along the beaches
Dunes, pine forests and long beaches where you can see all the way to the horizon are, without doubt, one of the most charming landscapes on the Costa de la Luz. The Cartaya coastline offers untouched vegetation in an incomparably tranquil setting in contact with pure nature.
Top beaches on the Costa de la Luz
Gastronomy
Try the “gambitas” (prawns) in Huelva
If you’ve never heard of Huelva “gambitas” before, you certainly won’t forget them once you’ve tried them. El Rompido, as a good traditional fishing village, offers the tastiest prawns in Andalusia, which can be enjoyed in its more than 20 restaurants. If you go to the town, make sure you go to Doña Gamba and La Almadraba, two good-quality bars at a reasonable price, located in the Plaza de las Sirenas, next to the charming Parish of Nuestra Señora del Carmen.
Route of the white prawn of Huelva: from the fish market to the restaurant
Gastronomic route
Thanks to the village of Cartaya’s privileged location, between the coast and the sierra, its cuisine is just as diverse. Fish and meat are complemented with local vegetables, seasoned with oil and vinegar, washed down with good wine and followed by typical fruits and sweets.
Huelva and its andalusian style gastronomy
EAT AT THE DOÑA GAMBA SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
If you go to El Rompido, you cannot miss the experience of eating at Doña Gamba in the town centre. Its star product are the small plates of local food and, of course, Huelva white prawns.
Entertaining activities
Segway ride
The Segway is increasingly becoming fashionable and, while it may seem complicated, nothing can be further from the truth. It is a super-fun ride on two wheels where you will enjoy the Marismas del Río Piedras Natural Park and Flecha de El Rompido while looking after the environment. The price for an hour and a quarter is around €25 and you can enjoy this natural spot, declared a special protection area, and a stopping point for birds which are migrating to Africa and Europe.
Go kart racing
You can spend a day to get your adrenaline pumping with the go karts at Cartaya, hop in with your friends or kids (if they are old enough) and enjoy the race. The Cartaya go kart race track, about 9 kilometres from El Rompido, is a fun-filled way for the family to release any tension and enjoy a race.
El Rompido: 11 activities to enjoy family holidays
Go to Aquópolis
If the temperature is rising but you don’t feel like going to the beach, El Rompido has a fun alternative: spend a day at the Aquópolis Water Park in Cartaya.
Slides, all types of pools, a whole load of attractions spread over 10,000 square metres, waves, an area for quads… Everything you need for your entire family, especially for the little ones, to spend an unforgettable day on your holidays in El Rompido.
Sailboat ride
If you want an extraordinary experience with a special person, this is your chance. Enjoy a sunset cruise on a classic sailboat along the coast of El Rompido. Champagne and an incredible sunset are included – what more could you ask for?
Guided tour of the Marismas del Piedras
The mouth of the Rio Piedras hosts the Marismas de Piedras y Flecha Nature Reserve in El Rompido. The sediments dragged along by the river, the tides and the south-western wind make this place unique.
This is a great area for bird watching. The White Stork, Montagu’s harrier, stone curlew, the little grebe, the hoopoe, the spoonbill, the stilt, marsh harrier, the canastera, common tern, northern pintail, teals, the oystercatcher, the sandwich tern, the sandpiper, the plover, and the laughing gull are some birds found there. Other animals found here are the chameleon and marine animals such as fish (bream, sea bass, eels…), crustaceans and molluscs such as the clam and the grooved carpet shell.
Cycling routes
Discover the Costa de la Luz on a bike with spectacular routes. Ask at reception about the possibility of renting a bicycle.
- Fuerte El Rompido – Laguna del Portil circular route
- Fuerte El Rompido – Huelva
- Fuerte El Rompido – Marismas del Río Piedras
- Fuerte El Rompido – Pinares de Cartaya – Flecha del Rompido viewpoint
- Fuerte El Rompido – San Bartolomé de la Torre – Aljaraque – Portil circular route
- Fuerte El Rompido – Isla Cristina circular route
Cycling holidays in Huelva: 10 unmissable cycling routes
ROUTE ALONG THE RIVER PIEDRAS PATH
This route is somewhat hidden away, since it starts in the car parks near the lighthouse. It is a short route (two hours) and pretty easy, making it perfect for enjoying a relaxing day in the country with your family or other half.
EXCURSION TO THE CAPITAL HUELVA
You can find many excursions to Huelva from El Rompido, enabling you to learn about the origins of a city with over three centuries of history. You’ll be able to visit the historic centre, the Reina Victoria neighbourhood, the cathedral, Columbus House and the Rio Tinto Pier.
Some of the most popular excursions are the following:
Spend the day in Punta Umbría
Just 9 miles from El Rompido is Punta Umbría, where you can enjoy the Enebrales Natural Area, Laguna de El Portil, La Bota Beach, the House Museum of the English and some impressive sunsets.
Practice sport
Windsurfing in El Rompido
Windsurfing is one of the most exciting beach sports that both men and women can try. This is a sport where you need more technique is more important than physical strength, though the latter is also necessary. You can try four different types: Slalom, Course, Waves and Freestyle. We recommend beginners use large boards with a small keel and sail which makes things easier.
Kitesurfing
Do you want to enjoy your holidays doing something different? El Rompido has the best beaches in Spain to learn kite surfing, paddle surfing, canoeing…
Diving
Diving in the Atlantic is synonymous with transparent waters abundant flora and fauna, but it also means fun thanks to the huge amount of things you can find around la Flecha del Rompido.
There are some schools and businesses dedicated to snorkelling and diving in this area of the coast of Huelva which offer courses to people who are new to diving and those who already have some experience.
The best places to scuba dive, dive or snorkelling in Andalucia
Golf and beach
El Rompido is surrounded by some of the best golf courses in Huelva and Andalusia. To play golf, we recommend you visit the Club de Golf El Rompido, the newest addition in Huelva. It is located next to the beautiful Nature Reserve at Las Marismas del Río Piedra and Flecha de El Rompido, also offering its visitors magnificent views over the Atlantic Ocean. The facilities are equipped with everything you need to learn this sport, and the golf academy is directed by the renowned British golf pro Peter Ballingall.
Golf at El Rompido. 5 courses to enjoy a unique experience
Horseback riding
Horseback riding is available to all: whether you have ridden before or not, el Rompido offers you fun horseback rides through the pine forest of the Nature Reserve. What better way to enjoy nature than by riding an exceptional animal?
Paddle Surf
We’re sure you’ll want to experience a great adventure and, if you come to El Rompido, you can’t miss get onto a paddle surfboard and sailing around a beautiful and peaceful setting like El Rompido.
We hope to see you in El Rompido, a wonderful town that will definitely win you over. And don’t forget to tell us what your favourite part was.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Fuerte El Rompido
Fuerte Hoteles is the best hotel chain to stay in if you visit southern Spain. The Hotel Fuerte El Rompido is one of the most beautiful hotels in the area thanks to its spectacular location on a hill the overlooks the natural landscape of the Piedras River. On top of this, the Andalusian architecture is in perfect harmony with its surroundings. An ideal place to rest and practise sport surrounded by nature.
