Caños de Meca is a small tip on the Southern coast of Spain which has remained surprisingly unspoiled. It is situated near the straights of Gibraltar, close to the towns of Barbate and Zahara de los Atunes. With white to golden coloured sandy beaches, clean waters, pine forests, huge cliffs that overlook the sea, los Caños has a feeling of uniqueness and a distinctive charm.
It is a small but unspoiled community on the windswept Costa de la Luz, on the Atlantic coast, and is set deep in the Parque Natural del Acantilado. Canos de Meca has beautiful beaches, backed by cliffs and pine forests. Perched on the cliff-tops that straddle the coast road, this sleepy little village is quickly waking up to its reputation as a trendy place for Bohemian travelers and wave jumpers that spend their summers here.
Caños de Meca is well off the beaten track but can be reached by taking one of the small side roads off the CN340 coast road near Vejer de la Frontera, or by taking the minor road through the pine forest from Barbate. Caños de Meca is situated between 3 towns: Vejer de la Frontera, Barbate and Conil de la Frontera. The nearest airport is in Jeréz de la Frontera (approx.80 km), often you can find cheaper flights to Malaga (approx. 200 km) or Gibraltar (approx. 90 km). Also you can fly to Sevilla (approx. 200km).
The singer/actress Lola Flores was originally from this area, and much to the pride of the locals, often spent her holidays here.
To the north-west of the town, is the famous Cape Trafalgar, which protects the town's beaches. The lighthouse is prominant feature on the cape and protects shipping. This lighthouse is well worth a visit for the spectacular views of the surrounding beaches. This is probably one of the worlds most famous yet unknown places because it was off this cape that The Battle of Trafalgar was fought in 1805. when Admiral Nelson, although greatly outnumbered, attacked and destroyed the French and Spanish armada.
This small beach resort is famous not only for its superb scenery, cliffs and sheltered sandy bays but also for being a lively nightspot in the summer months.
The best swimming area is in the Los Caños bays. Los Caños is also famous for the Playa de las Cortinas, where fresh water falls from the cliffs above. This beach is well worth a visit but is not suitable for young children. To reach Playa de las Cortinas, walk east along the Los Caños beach and under the cliffs. It will take about 20 minutes, after you start climbing over the rocks. You can also climb the cliffs and walk to Barbate through the El Pinar Natural Park.
This is also a famous windsurfing area, with excellent wave conditions for both surfing and waveriding. Beware of sailing beyond the lighthouse as the currents are very powerful. The best spot for launching off is at the western end of the Playa del Estrecho. Snorkeling and spearfishing are also popular here.
