And the brilliant white light from which the coast takes its name is at times almost blinding
And the brilliant white light, from which the coast takes its name, is at times almost blinding.The vast wetlands of the Coto Do? National Park divide the coast in two. This area provides a vital pit-stop for thousands of birds travelling between Africa and Europe, across the Strait of Gibraltar, in spring and autumn (see box). There is no access through the park, though; you must travel around it, heading inland as far as Seville, to get from one part of the coast to the other.NOT ONE COAST, BUT TWO?To some extent. The western section runs from the banks of the river Guadalquivir to the Portuguese border at Ayamonte. Bologna is served from Gatwick by BA (0870 850 9850; ) and from Stansted by easyJet (0905 821 0905; ). Pisa is served from Gatwick and Manchester by BA and from Liverpool and Stansted by Ryanair (0871 246 0000; ).
There are regional flights with Alitalia, BA, easyJet and Ryanair.STAYING THEREVilla Pia (00 39 075 850 2027; ), Lippiano, Italy. A week’s full-board starts from £350 per adult and £105 for children (aged two-12) sharing. Off-peak, shorter breaks are also available.MORE DETAILSItalian State Tourist Office (020-7408 1254; ). First, it’s influenced by the scene in Sideways, in which Paul Giamatti whacks a ball at a motorised buggy driven by a stuffy golf-club bore, turning the orb and sceptre of bourgeois sport into a weapon of choice. But the Costa de la Luz is very different; a landscape of wide, sandy beaches backed by dunes and pine forests, watched over by ancient pueblos blancos – white hill towns dating back to Moorish times.The Costa de la Luz comprises Spain’s southern Atlantic coast, stretching east from Ayamonte on the Portuguese border to Tarifa on the tip of the Iberian peninsula Africa’s Rif mountains look close enough to touch.
A NEW COSTA?
A NEW COSTA?
No, the Spanish have just been keeping it to themselves. “Costa” may conjure up a nightmare image of unrelenting burger bars and high-rise hotels. TRAVELLER’S GUIDEGETTING THEREThe nearest airports to Villa Pia are Florence, Bologna, Pisa and Rome. Florence is served from Gatwick by Meridiana (0845 355 5588; ). After a few tears, a little boy stepped forward and announced: “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be alright.” As we returned to our glasses of wine, we knew that he was right. It’s a popular look in the SoMa and Castro districts: among the eclectic throng of muscle Marys, leather daddies, biker boys, gym bunnies, hipsters, trannies, lesbians and hasbians, you’ll find a teddies’ tea party of Bears and Cubs. The hands-on approach was also enjoyed by smaller guests, who happily wandered in and out, leaving interesting doughy creations in their wake.Later, as we sat watching the children play, an argument broke out.
On the menu: a delicious spaghetti dish with garlic and cayenne, and fresh pasta with spinach, Gorgonzola and walnuts. In fact, one morning, when my son and I were a little late back to the car following a stroll around the pretty town of Arezzo, we were bundled into the car, Mafia-style, and driven at high speed back to the villa just in time for a fantastic buffet lunch.The children’s food is great, too, and one afternoon, Morag organised an informal cookery lesson The villa’s cook gave us a pasta masterclass. For one thing, it was so relaxing to swim, or sit in the courtyard watching the children play and taking in the views. Also, my husband, in particular, was reluctant to miss out on the superb food. On most days, though, we didn’t travel too far from the villa. The ice-cream wasn’t bad, either.We also explored some of the towns close to Villa Pia, including the medieval fortress village of Anghiari, which boasts what must be the playground with the most beautiful view in the world – the Tiber Valley.