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Conil de la Frontera There are four very different beaches, a white-washed old town that you can explore in an hour, and tuna caught using the almadraba method.
With the timetables verified, because here almost everything closes on a different day.
It’s the thing that ruins the most plans in Conil, and it varies from site to site:
| Site | Close |
|---|---|
| Guzmán Tower | Monday, Tuesday and Sunday |
| Church of Saint Catherine | Wednesday |
| La Fontanilla Restaurant | Wednesday |
| El Roqueo Restaurant | Monday |
The Guzmán Tower is the most extreme example: just open Wednesday to Saturday, in two sessions. If you go over a long weekend and leave it until Sunday, you won’t get in.
The most central one and the one with the most people. Fine sand, shallow, calm waters, a promenade lined with beach bars and all the amenities.
It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the old town, so if you’re staying in the village, you won’t need a car.
The city beach, at the mouth of the River Salado. Spacious, with a promenade and car parks nearby.
And its advantage lies in its orientation: Facing west, this is where you can watch the sun set. It’s also a good spot for surfing and stand-up paddleboarding.
North of Los Bateles, with rock formations jutting out of the sand, from which it takes its name. A quieter atmosphere with fewer visitors, but access and services remain in place.
The best time is at low tide, when there are pools left amongst the rocks.
Small coves nestled between cliffs, in the north of the municipality, near the Roche housing estate. Crystal-clear waters and a fairly peaceful atmosphere.
But access is via paths from the top of the cliff. That means:
Avenida de la Playa, 8. It is Conil’s monument, and there are widely varying dates circulating: It was built in 1299, on the orders of Guzmán el Bueno, to keep watch over the coast and protect the tuna traps.
It measures 17.5 metres y Admission is free. From up here, you can see the whole village, from the beach right up to the very last rooftop.
And just to clarify, as there seems to be some confusion: The Guzmán Tower is not the Castilnovo Tower. These are two different towers within the same municipal area.
Plaza de la Constitución. And it is worth clarifying this because the opposite is being claimed: It is an active parish, with masses, weddings and first communions. It is not a cultural venue, nor has it ceased to be used as a church.
It dates from the 15th century, with alterations made in later centuries, hence its mixture of styles: from Mudejar to Neoclassical. It is notable for its tower and its large portico.
The figure that sums it all up: it was part of a former convent which also housed the Town Hall, which is right next door. It is accessed from the side, through rooms that used to form the convent’s central courtyard.
It is closed on Wednesdays. On other days, it is open from 11.00 to 13.00 and from 18.30 to 20.30, and on Sunday mornings.
Everything is within a very short radius: You can see the whole town in just over an hour, taking your time.
On the northern cliffs, next to the coves. It is an active lighthouse and You cannot visit the interior, but the area around it offers the best views of Conil.
You can get there by car from the Roche housing estate, and that’s where the paths leading down to the coves start.
The time is sunset, with the Atlantic Ocean right in front of them. It’s the most common way for the village to round off the day.
Conil’s speciality is bluefin tuna caught using the almadraba method, caught using a traditional fishing method that is still practised along this coast.
The season is spring, when the tuna enters the Mediterranean, and this is when it takes centre stage on the menus and at the town’s food festivals.
What to order: tarantelo, mojama, tuna with onions or grilled tuna. And apart from tuna, fried fish y shrimp omelettes.
The Food Market This is where you can see the catch of the day, featuring fish from the local fish market. It’s well worth a visit, even if you’re not planning to cook.
Avenida de la Playa. 4.5 out of 6,130 reviews: the highest-rated and most-reviewed in Conil. Right on the beach.
A wide selection of bluefin tuna caught using the almadraba method, fresh fish and rice dishes. It is advisable to book in advance, because it gets full.
It is closed on Wednesdays.
El Roqueo Street. 4.5 out of 3,432 reviews. Also right by the beach, and in the same vein: tuna in many different forms, rice dishes and fish.
It is closed on Tuesdays.
El Roqueo Street. 4.3 out of 3,931 reviews, with sea views and a terrace that are among the best in the village.
But there is one recurring complaint that is worth noting: the portion sizes for the price. Several reviews mention dishes costing €20–22 with very modest portions.
Closed on Mondays, and on Sundays it’s only open at midday.
With that in mind, it works well: you go for the location and the views, knowing that the ticket price is going up.
It’s highly recommended as a tavern in Conil’s old town, even though it isn’t actually in Conil.
The Casa Francisco Restaurant is on El Palmar beach, in Vejer de la Frontera, about 15 kilometres away. It’s a seafood restaurant with a view, not a tapas bar, and closed on Mondays.
The confusion probably stems from Francisco Fontanilla, which is actually in Conil. They are two different places.
The wind along this coast is ideal for surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and, when it picks up, kitesurfing and windsurfing. There are schools offering lessons and seasonal accommodation.
To start with, the city beaches, where the water is calmer. The open stretches are for those who already know their way around.
And out of the water: the the cliffs of Roche and you can explore the pine forests on foot or by bike, and the La Breña and Barbate Marshes Nature Reserve It’s nearby, with signposted paths winding between the cliffs and the pine forest.
We are a local tour operator based in Málaga with over 50 years’ experience organising trips around Andalusia.
And crossing the Strait, Tangier is served by the port of Tarifa, whilst Morocco is served by the ports of Málaga and Algeciras.
From Wednesday to Saturday, in two sessions: from 11.30 am to 2.00 pm and from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm. It’s closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays, so it’s worth bearing this in mind if you’re planning a weekend break. Admission is free and the climb involves narrow passages.
Dating from 1299, it was commissioned by Guzmán el Bueno to monitor the coast and protect the tuna traps. It is 17.5 metres high. Various dates from the 14th and 16th centuries have been suggested, but the documented date is the late 13th century. It should not be confused with the Tower of Castilnovo, which is another structure within the same municipal area.
Yes, and it is still an active parish church, with Masses, weddings and First Communions. There is a rumour that it is no longer used as a church and that it is now a cultural venue, but that is not the case. It dates from the 15th century, with subsequent alterations that account for its mix of styles, ranging from Mudejar to Neoclassical, and it is closed on Wednesdays.
It depends on what you’re looking for. La Fontanilla is the most family-friendly, thanks to its shallow waters and facilities. Los Bateles is the best spot for sunsets, as it faces west, and is good for surfing. El Roqueo is less crowded and has natural pools at low tide. And the Calas de Roche are the quietest, although you have to reach them via paths down from the cliff.
The highest-rated restaurant is La Fontanilla, with a rating of 4.5 based on over six thousand reviews and an extensive menu featuring almadraba-caught tuna, although it is closed on Wednesdays and it is advisable to book in advance. Also on the beach, Francisco Fontanilla scores 4.5 and is closed on Tuesdays. El Roqueo has the best views and a rating of 4.3, but several reviews note that the portions are a bit small for the price.
No. The Casa Francisco restaurant is situated on El Palmar beach, in the municipality of Vejer de la Frontera, about fifteen kilometres from Conil, and is a seafood restaurant with a view, not a tapas bar. The confusion usually stems from the Francisco Fontanilla Restaurant, which is actually in Conil, right by the beach.
In spring, when bluefin tuna enter the Mediterranean and the almadraba fishing method is practised along this coast, tuna takes centre stage on restaurant menus and at the town’s food festivals. The most common ways of preparing it are as tarantelo, mojama, tuna with onions and grilled tuna.
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