Estate agents on the Costa del Sol
The Tuna Route
This month it is all about the Atún Rojo de Almadraba (Red Tuna of Almadraba) in Andalusia. During this month different villages, Barbarate, Zahara de los Atunes, Conil and Tarifa, host a Tuna Route. All participating restaurant present a special tuna dish or tapa.
Tuna fishing is a 3000-year-old tradition in this region and is special because of the technique used by the fishermen. In the month of May the tuna fish go from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea via the Street of Gibraltar to lay eggs. To catch the best tuna, the fishermen put their 'almadraba', a system of nets, in the water in the Street of Gibraltar. This system of nets is made in such a way that it only catches the most mature fish. Instead of bringing in the nets to collect the fish, a few divers enter the water. When you would bring in the nets, the tuna will feel fear and give off a substance that spoils the flesh. Therefore, to guarantee the best quality of tuna, the tuna are being quickly killed by the divers. This tradition of working is seen as a sustainable way of fishing. You can read all about it in this article.
Last weekend was the Tuna Route in Zahara de los Atunes. For six days the narrow streets were full of people, there were dancers on the corner of the street and the restaurants served their best tuna tapa on the terrace, from traditional toast with tuna and bruschetta to tuna cheesecake or even
tuna ice cream. In Conil the Tuna Route goes on for a whole month, from the 5th of May until the 5th of June. In this town the restaurants have a special menu so you can enjoy the 200 different ways the tuna fish is being prepared. Here you can find out where and when to go. Besides the delicious meals, you can also learn more about the tradition through visiting historic buildings and wander around through the streets of the old town. You could also go to Tarifa, where they will host the Ruta de Atún from the 26th of May until the 4th of June. Find out which tapas there will be served on this Facebook page.
So, go out and enjoy the delicious tuna dishes and tapas! Once you have had enough, you can also make a little escape to one of the beautiful sandy beaches in the Costa de la Luz.