La Línea de la Concepción

The town of La Línea de la Concepción is found settled in the sandy isthmus which links the Rock of Gibraltar with the Peninsula.

The origin of the city is related to Spain’s military history and the construction of the contravallation line around Gibraltar’s main square known as “Línea de Contravalación de la Plaza de Gibraltar”. This was constructed under the orders of Philip V during Gibraltar’s occupation in the 18th Century with the aim of attacking the square and restricting access through the isthmus which united it to the rock. It extended from western to the eastern sea waters, through the San Felipe and Santa Bárbara Forts.

One of La Linea’s main tourist attractions are its beaches, with their fine, light sand; above all the West beach which extends from the border with Gibraltar to the boundary lines with the municipal territory of San Roque. La Línea is ideal for practicing any type of water sports such as sailing, water-skiing, windsurf, competitive fishing possible both from land or sea-vessels. In addition visitors can also practise golf in an area which offers numerous tourist sporting complexes.

Any spot along the coast is perfect for observing the migration of the multitude of birds which cross the Strait every year from Europe to Africa. The panoramic views are also recommended which one can enjoy from numerous points throughout the region: the Higuerón road, the West Beach walkway, the Santa Bárbara watchtower, the San Felipe Pier...

On the other hand, the waters around La Línea de la Concepción are home to a large variety of marine species. Among these are three species of dolphins (common, striped and bottle-nosed), it being common to see groups of all ages and sizes. To allow easier observation the town offers daily boat trips where tourists can see and learn everything about these surprising cetaceans.

La Línea es una ciudad marcada por su carácter fronterizo, de ahí que la cercana presencia de Gibraltar complemente por una parte su atractivo turístico -es posible subir en teleférico al Peñón y disfrutar de unas espléndidas vistas- y condicione por otra, su actividad económica, conocida por la gran cantidad de establecimientos comerciales que posee.

Map of La Línea de la Concepción

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Province

City center

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(36.16275, -5.34819)

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Sol Recomend:

- Hotel Rocamar: The ROCAMAR HOTEL stands at the extreme south point of the Península, at the foot of the one of the mythical Herculean pillars. This unique combination situates us between continents and three cultures at the same time.

- Hotel Citymar Mediterráneo: CITYMAR HOTEL MEDITERRÁNEO is located in the city of La Línea, facing the Rock of Gibraltar and the African Coast.

- Hotel AC La Línea: Located on the seaside promenade of La Linea dela Concepción and only 15 minutes away from Sotogrande, with excellent views of the Bay of Algeciras and the Rock of Gibraltar.

Monuments de La Línea

Among many others, you should not miss:
- The Parish Church of the Inmaculada Concepción 1879.
- It is interesting to visit the ruins of the Santa Bárbara Castle located a little outside of the town centre from where it is possible to enjoy beautiful views of Gibraltar .
- La Linea has one of the oldest bull rings in Spain . Nearby one can find the bull fighting museum. There is also the Cruz Herrera Museum containing the paintings of this artist and the Municipal Museum with documents related to Gibraltar and an important photographic archive.

Gastronomy:

La Línea de la Concepción’s gastronomy is largely marine based. The basic raw materials are clams, octopus, red seabream or trevally, red mullet, snails, sea-bass, small variety cuttlefish, dogfish, roosterfish...

Among its well known dishes we should highlight grilled razor clams, mussels, cuttlefish with chickpeas, fried small variety cuttlefish, stuffed squid, grilled octopus, sea bass with peas and the popular skewered sardines prepared on the beach itself and cooked on a spit.