Introduction

Isla Cristina is situated on the Iberian South-West Atlantic coast at the delta of the Guadiana River and surrounded by pine forests and a natural park "Marismas de la Isla Cristina". It is blessed with 15km of fine golden-white sand beaches, most of them virgin. It lies less than 15 km from the border of Portugal; 45 km from the capital of Huelva, which is the crib of the discovery of the American continent by Christopher Columbus; 90 km from the famous natural park "Coto de Doña Ana" and 150 km from the "Sierra de Aracena" with its famous ‘Routes of the Miracles’ ("Rutas de las Maravillas") and "Picos de Arroche".

The town of Isla Cristina has 18,109 inhabitants, giving it the most registered voters in Huelva. Apart from the town centre and attractions already mentioned, there are nearby places of interest, such as Pozo del Camino, La Redondela and more projected attractions. During Summer the population triples, due to the tourists attracted to the area, where they enjoy the magnificent, pristine coast and beaches. A popular practice is sport fishing on the Carreras River, from the beaches and on the open sea.
The seafood markets, featuring sardines along with many varieties of fish, shellfish and molluscs, which are sold fresh from the sea, are famous for being one of the most important points of sale of fresh fish in the whole of Spain.
Another famous local feature is the hand-crafted wooden ships built in the shipyards located on the banks of the Ria Race. The locally-produced replicas of carabelas (caravels) and other ships of the Discovery were especially selected for the Centennial V and Universal Exhibition of 92 in Sevilla.
The traditional salted-fish produced locally boasts a quality enjoying fame in all of Spain.