Chipiona Holidays
Chipiona Holidays – A late arrival to tourism, but making up for lost time
Chipiona takes its name from its lighthouse, Turris Caepionis, built by the Roman’s and the highest in Spain, third highest in the world. The resort came relatively late onto the tourism scene, which is why it remains much of its small town Andalucian charm.
A holiday in Chipiona centres around family-style relaxation; good local gastronomy, a wander around the historic sites, and twelve kilometres of superb beaches – but there are also plenty bars, discotheques and clubs for lovers of late nights.
If you like a bit of sight-seeing as part of your holiday, the regional capital, Cádiz, the oldest city and port in Europe, is only an hour’s drive away, and well worth it for its old town. Jerez de la Frontera, the city that gave the world sherry, flamenco and the wonderful Royal Equestrian School with its dancing horses, is only a thirty kilometre drive.
When to go to Chipiona
The balmy Costa de la Luz makes a wonderful holiday at any time of the year, but as Chipiona is quite small in resort terms it might be best to avoid school holidays and Easter, (and take into account that Spanish schools close for the summer from the last week in June).
For street party lovers, Chipiona’s Carnival is one of the most popular in the region and brings people from as far away as Cádiz and Seville. It is supposed to last for ten days towards the end of February, with fantastic parades, colourful costumes and masses to eat and drink, but the Spanish love a good fiesta, so there is usually something going on during the whole of the month.
Weather in Chipiona
Average summer temperatures of between 26-29º from June to September make for a comfortable to hot high-holiday season (they can sneak up to around 33º), and sea temperatures of around 22º makes it feel as if you are bathing in a salt-water bath. Occasional see breezes can lower the temperature slightly, but they don’t affect the power of the sun, so take precautions, especially with children.
Temperatures between 14-20º from October to March have a distinct spring-like feel, but may be accompanied by showers and a few cloudy days. Autumn is ideal, still with the warmth of summer in the air but with cooler evenings for taking a stroll along the beach.
Getting the best deal in Chpiona
As a small resort you may not find as many deals as you would at some larger ones. There is a wide selection of accommodation available, so you might look at treating yourself to a higher star rating than you would usually stay at out of the main season instead of trying to find a deal during July and August, which are, with Easter, the times when there will be fewer offers available.
All inclusive is always a good option, and not only for families. If you are fixed to high season dates this type of hotel could work out as economical as just booking a room and flight during other months. Try a winter or spring break, when the temperatures will still be comfortable and you can be sure of some pretty good rates.
Look below to see our current special deals, and also check our late offers.
Airport and transport need to know
There are three airports that service western Andalucia, Jerez de la Frontera, Seville and Malaga. (See Costa de la Luz regional page for more details.) The nearest airport to Chipiona is Jerez de la Frontera, but only Ryanair have flights to this airport, from London Stansted (STN). Second nearest is Seville, a 90km drive, with fights from five UK airports, followed by Malaga, 170km, with nine airlines flying from 22 airports in the UK and Ireland. An equal number of companies and airports have routes to Faro Airport in Portugal, which is 30kms closer than Malaga, but you would pay an insurance surcharge for using the car in Spain if you intended to hire one.
Renfe, the Spanish rail service, runs from both Seville and Malaga to Jerez de la Frontera, where you can pick up a local La Linea bus to Chipiona. Given the low cost of car hire in Spain, around 175€ (£140) a week for an Opel Corsair during high season, it is probably worth hiring one if you are travelling as a family.
Beaches near Chipiona
Chipiona has twelve kilometres of beautiful beaches that act as a weekend draw for people living in Seville and other Andalucian cities. The best known is Playa de la Regla, which has received the Blue Flag every year for the last fourteen years. It is ideal for families, as it has toilets, easy access to the beach (including access for disabled people), sun bed and parasol hire, a team of life guards, red-cross station and only moderate waves. There are also adapted wheelchairs that allow disabled people to join in the family fun in the water.
Playa del Camaron, also known as Playa Tres Piedras, is slightly smaller and less crowded during the summer months than Playa de la Regla. It has similar facilities, although it has no Blue Flag. The smallest of the Chipiona beaches is Playa del Mar, but this also has a Blue Flag and is as equally family-friendly as Playa de la Regla. It can get quite crowded during high season.
The port at Chipiona is to the west of the town and has a sailing school.
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