Updated to: 8/4/2022. This is another way to experience this coastal wonder which also offers some of the best bites in Cadiz. Even the algae are used here!
Every morning, José Domínguez goes to the market in barbate. His experienced eyes allow him to scan the fish market in seconds and find the best fish of the day. Borriquetes, urtas, rock mullet, sole, turbot... They are gifts from the sea that are celebrated every day in the restaurant that José runs with his brother Carlos next to the beach in Bolonia. Is named The jail and sitting at one of their tables is one of those gastronomic experiences that deserve to be experienced at least once in a lifetime. And if it can be repeated, all the better. A beach bar where you go without a clock, where eating with your hands is preached and which has some of the best flavors of the Cadiz coast. Which is not little.
Carlos and José descend from Jaén, their parents Manuel and Elisa, who owned a restaurant in Algeciras and spent the summer in Bolonia when the beach was totally virgin. At noon, the family gathered around a table and they made such a racket that the few clueless people who passed by sat down and also ordered something to eat. "They thought it was a bar," recalls Carlos Domínguez, who emphasizes that this is where the idea of starting this business arose. That was three decades ago. Since then, the restaurant has been renovated, but its cuisine remains faithful to the region's recipes and local products.
To the baked fish or the fully cooked red mullet (some of its viscera are the authentic foie from the sea) are joined by some that are difficult to match cuttlefish croquettes or excellent shrimp tortillas. Also one of the best portions of tuna in butter from Cadiz which, together with a salad of homemade roasted peppers and on a piece of macho bread from the El Molino oven in Tarifa, becomes a unique moment that will make you always come back to Las Rejas. Ferrán Adriá and Juan Mari Arzak would think the same when Ángel León took them to see this house whose kitchen is in the hands of the young Yasim Hajjah, who continues the family recipes.
Rock mullets in Las Rejas
Today José no longer goes out to sea every morning because fishing is no longer abundant and customers have multiplied. So have the houses, the beach bars, the rush. And the cars that flood the few streets of El Lentiscal and Bolonia in summer, the two tiny population centers next to the beach. Nevertheless, These four kilometers of coastline remain unique, different, admired and, of course, a refreshing refuge in the heart of the Parque Natural del Estrecho.
The first learning when stepping on the sand has to do with the red cows. This is your ground , so you must feel the way you do when you are invited to any house. Their antlers should not worry you (they are very tame), but they should remind you that you are in one of the most natural areas of the Spanish coast and you have to take care of it. The second lesson comes when the tide rises: a movement that does not exist in the Mediterranean but that surprises more than one bather. And the third has to do with the parasol, because no matter how you put it, yours will fly as soon as the wind blows, while those of the people of Cadiz will remain immutable on the sand. From there another great truth arises: whether you like it or not, when you least expect it, the Levante will hit granite by granite. This air will turn into a gale what minutes before was a splendid day at the beach. Therefore, when there is only a breeze or the refreshing sunset is blowing, you have to open your eyes wide to enjoy a unique setting second by second.
Just over 20 kilometers from the center of Rate , Bologna is one of the few places where the animals roam freely. The chameleon keeps watch stealthily among the heather, the colony of griffon vultures is often seen among the migratory birds and marine life bustles among the waves. In fact, on the horizon, once upon a time, the profile of the dolphins, which playfully plow these waters at full speed along with other cetaceans such as pilot whales. In summer, other species such as killer whales, sperm whales and fin whales are added. To see them up close, you can get on one of the boats that pass through the Strait every day thanks to companies such as Turmares, which offer a unique opportunity to get to know the marine fauna.
Remember, they are in his house. the guest is you
The richness of these waters is not only in its mammals or its fish, with tuna as the main attraction, but also in the algae that grow under the sea. María José Llanos knows this well, she lives in the few houses next to the beach, an area that is practically deserted in winter. To make the most of the time, she signed up for a course on algae. After meeting them, she dedicated herself to studying them and, finally, she took advantage of them to handcraft a wide catalog of cosmetics and market them through Bologna seaweed . "They are algae from cold waters, from an area of currents and they have many properties," explains María José, a native of Miranda de Ebro and a resident of Cádiz for a few years with her husband from Cádiz. Vitamins A, B, C, D and E, iodine, calcium... "They are very good for the skin, anti-aging and hydrating," adds the woman from Burgos. Good reasons to look at these plants with different eyes.
On the beach of Bolonia, wherever you look, you will always see, beyond, eternal, giant, the dune. Declared Natural Monument, its official height is around 30 meters, but it seems much more when its ascent is undertaken. Step by step, the effort is not only rewarded when you reach the top or plunge down the croquette like a slide, but also with the beautiful views over the Strait of Gibraltar, with Africa as a backdrop. It is curious to observe how the tongue of sand eats the trees slowly there, as if wanting to reach the beach of El Cañuelo , which stretches out calmly behind a green sea of pine trees and under the Camarinal Lighthouse. That other nearby paradise can be reached thanks to a path that starts about three kilometers from the beach. next to a small dirt parking lot. A narrow and neglected road that, if you get lost, continues up the hillside to surprise you with the site La Silla del Papa, whose first settlements date back to the 10th century.
When you drive along this asphalt in as bad condition as it is picturesque, you have to pay attention to the indications that take you to another of the best hidden secrets of the Cadiz countryside. There, far from everything, is the cheese factory The Goatherd of Bologna, which has one of the few herds of payoya goat in the world. It is made up 200 specimens of this endangered species , which grazes freely through the Sierra de la Plata, savoring mastic, lavender, rockrose and other herbs and flowers that give a unique flavor to its milk. "90% of the success of a cheese depends on the animal's feed," says veterinarian Inmaculada Bendala, owner of this rural business together with her partner, Jesús Pelayo, who knows the secrets of grazing well. The remaining 10% depends on the hands of the master cheesemakers. Both factors are taken care of in detail and always organically by these artisans, who make sure 100% to produce wonderful cheeses.
the ubiquitous dune
They produce fifteen varieties, but only from January to August, since during the last four months of the year there are many pregnant females "and their natural cycle must be respected." The maturation takes place in a stone cave, on poplar wood and in exceptional conditions that allow edible bark. Among its delicatessen are the Goat Rulo 'Pata Negra' or the creamy Bologna cheese, Camembert type and with an exquisite flavor. They also make cottage cheese and yogurt. You can try them there, where they sell the vast majority of their products, but also in nearby markets. And, for the most curious, the cheese factory is open every day in July and August from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with visits to the outside and even inside the facilities (in this case with arranged appointments and groups of minimum five people). if you dare, They also organize cheese making courses, you can accompany them to graze or, simply, to participate in a tasting.
Before returning to the beach, it is worth taking a detour to the Moor's Cave , where there are engravings and cave paintings from more than 20,000 years ago. A step away, a viewpoint allows you to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the cove of Bolonia that will go wonderfully to your Instagram. Once inside the story, it's a sin stroll through the ruins of old Baelo Claudia , which shows that the Romans knew what they were doing. Not only because of the 'garum' that they made there in one of the most important factories on the peninsula, but also because of the tuna that they already caught with traps. Also for the wonderful enclave they chose for their city , which allowed its neighbors, why not, to take a bath in the crystal clear waters of Bologna.
Ruins of Baelo Claudia
It is believed that this place, which reached the level of a Roman municipality, was founded in the 2nd century BC and was of great importance. This is shown by the existence of a theater with capacity for 2,000 people, in addition to the forum, market, baths, three aqueducts, dozens of houses and four temples dedicated to Jupiter, Minerva, Juno and Isis. Also for its important production of salted fish. Earthquakes and pirates caused the enclave to gradually decline 400 years after its birth, until it was definitively abandoned in the 7th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, a French historian found the city under tons of sand and, thanks to this, today you can not only walk along its streets, but also **enjoy flamenco and classical theater performances thanks to the intense program of the Festival of the Roman Theaters of Andalusia.
At its gates, this city of ancient Rome has other restaurants that know how to treat local products well. Knoll is one of them, with flavors as Cadiz as tuna with onions and proposals such as lemon fish or voracious , which is how in these lands they know what they say is the best national sea bream. Also fried cuttlefish and nettles that are pure flavor of the sea. by his side, the trunks, Miramar either Bay of Bologna They also offer delicious dishes with the seal of Cádiz. And at the other end, Sirocco Bologna awaits you with its Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine, a good wine list and a motto as true as the one that says that 'Life is better in Bologna' . A great truth that can be enjoyed from your terrace watching the sunset fall between kite surf kites. Afterwards, there is still the night to see the stars from the shore or, why not, go to Tarifa. It's up to you.