Miles of golden-sand beaches and unforgettable evenings are what awaits you on the Costa de la Luz, Spain’s Coast of Light. It is undoubtedly a place you must visit at least once in your life. Discover our selection of the 10 best beaches in Huelva. Here, the sun shines nearly every day and the sand dunes intermingle with pine groves. They’re ideal places for lovers of unspoiled beaches.
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We’ve selected the 10 best beaches in Huelva for you to enjoy the white sand and the good weather.
Playa de Islantilla
Islantilla Beach, just 12 miles from Portugal, is one of the best beaches in Huelva. This place perfectly combines the wild nature of the sandy areas surrounded by pines with all the services you could want, such as access for people with reduced mobility; showers; and chiringuitos, or beach restaurants. This makes Islantilla into one of the favorite beaches for families.
Although it is not very wide (1 mile), it can boast of having received the blue flag certification, which reflects the quality of its waters and facilities.
If you go from this beach towards Portugal, you’ll arrive at the beaches of Hoyo and Urbasur, which are equally as recommendable. On the other hand, if golf is what you like, the nearby Islantilla Golf Club has 27 holes where you can practice your swing.
Playa El Portil
This beach is within the Laguna de El Portil Nature Reserve, a beautiful nature reserve where you can enjoy the best evenings on the Atlantic. Although it’s in an urbanized area, its surroundings have maintained their natural character, conserving the beauty of this beach.
At 2.2 miles in length, you can take long walks while soaking up the sun and immersing yourself in the serenity that is in the air here. What’s more, its calm waters make it a very safe place for children.
Playa el Rompido
Sometimes you don’t have to go all the way to the Caribbean to enjoy truly heavenly beaches. El Rompido is one of those places. This paradise in Huelva is in the town of Cartaya, between Punta Umbría and Isla Cristina, and in the heart of the Marismas del Río Piedras Nature Reserve.
The most incredible thing about this place is that in front of this beach, there’s a strip of sand and vegetation that measures 7.5 miles in length known as La Flecha, or the arrow. You can access it via ferry. A great plan is to take one of the boats that go to this place and spend the day on this quiet beach. It’s a great find.
Playa Isla Canela
Isla Canela Beach, with its 3 miles of sand, is one of the biggest in Huelva. It is located in Ayamonte at the mouth of the Guadiana River. It’s the closest beach to Portugal.
It is one of the best places to enjoy the sunsets in an incredible surrounding of marshes and dunes.
What’s more, this place has numerous hotels and beach restaurants where you can enjoy the best fish dishes in the area. You can also visit Torre Canela, an archaeological construction dating from the 16th century and one of several fortified structures in the town, as well as the Guadiana Bridge.
Playa de Matalascañas
The Matalascañas Beach cannot be left off this list. It’s the only coastal access point to Doñana National Park, one of the most important nature reserves in Europe.
This beach offers different options of things to do, such as camel riding on the dunes or horseback riding through nature. It’s an unforgettable experience that cannot be missed.
In addition to swimming in the crystalline waters, you must take advantage of the opportunity to try the most traditional dishes of Huelva in one if its beach restaurants. Remember that in summer it’s one of the busiest beaches, as it’s the closest beach to Seville.
Playa Punta Umbría
Another beach located within a nature reserve is the Punta Umbría Beach, in the Odiel marshes, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. Unlike other beaches, the one in Punta Umbría offers easy access and parking. This, along with the quality of its crystalline waters, have earned it a blue flag.
What’s more, Huelva is the perfect place to do water sports, so take advantage to do some kitesurfing, windsurfing, or another sea sport.
Playa Punta del Moral
This 1.5-mile beach, located between Isla Canela and Isla Cristina, is another of the best in Huelva. It’s in Ayamonte, at the mouth of the Carretas River. As with most of the beaches in this province, it forms part of the natural surroundings. In this case, part of the Isla Cristina marshes.
As it’s more shielded, Punta del Moral Beach is one of the best beaches to go to with children.
From here, you can discover the most emblematic places in Ayamonte, such as the Saint Sebastian Shrine, built in the 16th century in the Barrio Alto area; the Palace of the Marquis of Ayamonte; the Indiano houses; the 15th-century Chapel of Saint Anthony; and the Angustias Parish Church, which was built in the beautiful Mudéjar style.
Playa El Parador
El Parador is possibly the most spectacular beach in Huelva, located in Mazagón, at the base of cliffs and surrounded by a pine forest. Its 1.5 miles of coast are enough for there to always be space to lay down your towel and enjoy long days of sun and sand.
This is another blue flag beach you cannot miss. Keep in mind that the tides are very noticeable on beaches in Huelva. The best thing is to take advantage of the hours when it is lowest.
Playa Torre del Loro
Without a doubt, one of the best beaches in Huelva is the Torre del Loro, or Parrot Tower, Beach. This 2.5-mile virgin beach very close to Mazagón, within the city limits of Almonte.
It got its name because here you can find the ruins of a lookout tower from the 16th century which was used to protect the coast from Berber pirates. Of the top beaches in Huelva, this is one of the least crowded. So, if you want to get away from the crowds and find some peace, this is the best beach for you.
Playa Cuesta Maneli
Very close to Matalascañas, Cuesta Maneli Beach is also located within the Doñana National Park. It has beautiful cliff scenery, as it is by the famous Asperillo cliffs.
Follow a wood-planked path surrounded by pine trees to reach a natural overlook with incredible views of the sea. You’ll be surprised by the beauty of this fine-sand beach set apart from civilization. Unfortunately, this beach had a fire in the summer of 2017 and the surrounding pine forests burned.
If you keep walking towards Portugal, you’ll reach the Torre del Loro Beach and the also well-known Rompeculos, which are also pretty.
As you can see, the beaches of Huelva still conserve their natural character which is so hard to find in other places in Spain.
What’s more, they are ideal for watching the sun go down with your partner or spending a day with the family, as its waters are calm with few waves. Have we missed any? You can also check out the best beaches in Almería.