Ayamonte (Spain)
Situated on the estuary of the Río Guadiana,
the second longest river in Europe, Ayamonte's development has been
inextricably linked to its position on the border with Portugal. Until
the 1990s, Ayamonte occupied a prime position for crossing the Spanish-Portuguese
border, with its frequent ferries across the river to Vila Real de
San Antonio in Portugal. In 1991 an impressive new suspension bridge
was opened two kilometres north of Ayamonte that took away the town's
cross-border traffic on what is now a motorway linking the Algarve
with Huelva city and Seville. The journey from Ayamonte to Faro on
the Algarve now takes a mere 45 minutes.
The centre is a good place to take a leisurely stroll, as many of its narrow streets are pedestrianised. These link small, pretty plazas,
which are tucked away but full of busy pavement cafés and bars serving great seafood characteristic of the Huelva Costa de la Luz. Visit
the elegant Plaza de la Laguna, for a good choice of eating places with outdoor seating. Next to the main square, the Paseo de la Ribera,
is the harbour and further along is the ferry dock. In the old town is the fifteenth-century Iglesia de San Salvador, worth a visit for its
memorable tower with superb views across to Portugal. There are similar good views from the tower of the sixteenth-century San Francisco church nearby.
 
Views from the ferry during the crossing from Vila Real SA to Ayamonte of the bridge over the Guardiana and back to Portugal
Below a sunset on Isla Christina and a group photo
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Casa Ourico do Mar - All Rights Reserved |
