For those not in the know, the Costa de la Luz is the stretch of coast around the Gulf of Cadiz, which straddles two provinces - Cadiz AND Huelva.

The problem: Right, smack bang in the middle of it is the protected Doñana National Park through which no roads can be built. This means that Cadiz and Huelva are the only neighbouring provinces in mainland Spain not to be directly linked by road - whichever way you go, you always have to go to Seville first.

Because of this, many people don't consider the two areas as the coming under the same banner of the Costa de la Luz.

Although many of you will already know this, particularly those living there, I'm interested to know where you mentally picture when someone says The Costa de la Luz - do you think of Chiclana, Conil, Barbate etc or do you think Ayamonte, Islantilla, El Rompido.

Good point and living here, for me the Costa de lal Luz extends from Tarifa to the Portuguese border.

Good - yet one thing is knowing the fact, the other is what pops into your head when someone says it. For example, when someone says Costa del Sol to me I immediately think Marbella, Torremolinos, Estepona and crooked councillors (sorry - cheap shot!)

I live in Huelva, but even I would say that most people associate Cadiz more as the Costa de la Luz.

So does the Huelva Tourist board having rebranded a year or two ago as Huelva La Luz to avoid confusion and stop many ignorants using the term Spanish Algarve which is insulting to those on both sides of the border

Ah well I do sometimes cruise the yacht up the river to Huelva town when there is a blow out to sea or head West outside when the moods takes us and the developments of Punta Umbria down to Ayamonte are quite clearly referred to as the Costa de la Luz as far as I am concerned.

I don't deny it - factually correct.

Yet Huelva finds themselves in Limbo as a brand. If you say Costa de la Luz, many people - Spanish included - think Cadiz. Say Spanish Algarve to a Spaniard and he'll look at you perplexed!!!! Huelva La Luz is not really catching on

Hadnt even heard mention of Huelva de Luz but I wonder what they will call the new airport to be built there.

IF there is a new airport, IF. No permission whatsoever has been granted. There are several projects knocking around (as they have done for many many years) with the name Cristobal Colon being preferred. But it would be Huelva Airport.

Although there's a lot of political argy-bargy going on, there's not as much love for this project coming out of Madrid as the local press would have us believe.

They need to reclassify a hefty chunk of green belt land as "ubanizable" as an airport would be "in the public interest" - the public in question have had a few words to say on that matter!!

I was once told that the COSTA DE LA LUZ was a fairly recent invention. previously it was called something disparaging, like the Levante Wind Swept coast. Some bright spark in the Turismo decided to rename it after the light. Or was it power? Anyway judging by the number of wind turbines sprouting up, the entire coastline may well become, the Costa de las energías renovables.

Interesting reply Nige, actually the Levante only hits the Cadiz end of Costa de la Luz, the western end excels in solar power, photovoltaic fields and tower solar too. Certainly this Costa is making far more contribution to renewables than elsewhere but then we have the wind one end and the sun the other. I think you will find that Costa del Sol is a more recent invention as it is the rainier zone of Andalucia.

I prefer to think of the eagles at one end and the mozzies at t'other but i am an East of Doñana person, so I have a one-sided inclination of the mind. And i like raptors.

Raptors are one of my favourite subjects too Nige and we have them West of Donana too. In fact from hy house inland of Donana itself I see Gryfon Vultures, Booted Eagles, Spanish Imperials, Buzzards, Red kites, Black kites, Black shouldered kites, Osprey and kestrels for starters.

"The Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) is a section of the Andalusian coast facing the Atlantic Ocean, extending from Tarifa, at the southernmost tip of Spain, north and northwestward, along the coasts of Cádiz and Huelva provinces, to the mouth of the Guadiana River" (wikipedia)

OK -

Most people on this thread are missing the point I'm trying to put across.

Marisol - Ya lo se que sabes exactamente lo que es La Costa de la Luz

El Capitan - I know you, and others, are fully aware of where the Costa de la Luz is

My point was - if someone says Costa de la Luz, what pops into your head first?

I don't believe it is Huelva. I live here. I love it here. I have to spend some time in Cadiz each month, and always can't wait to return. Horses for courses, I suppose.

Marisol - ask your work colleagues on Monday where Costa de la Luz is and post here the answers.

Well, to me it's the Spanish South Atlantic coast.

I think you are correct - Luz is more often seen as Cadiz province