What brings visitors to Punta Umbria?

Punta Umbria is a place where people go to vacation when they want to enjoy calm waters and beautiful beaches framed by a protected wildlife preserve. Many people combine Punta Umbria with Huelva which is just a few minutes to the north, but it is possible to just enjoy the beaches and have a completely sunny vacation.

What are the outdoor activities to do in Punta Umbria?

All types of water sports, from kayaking to jet-skiing, can be enjoyed at the most popular beach along this stretch of coastline, namely Playa de Punta Umbria (and to a lesser extent Playa de Mata Negra). The beaches to the west have fewer, if any, amenities, making the area's largest beach the easy choice for any type of water activity you wish to participate in. The beaches to the west do have walking paths for those interested in having a leisurely stroll or for those who want great photographs and beautiful scenery.

What are the beaches like in Punta Umbria?

Playa de Punta Umbria is the widest, longest, and most commercialized of the four beaches near Huelva. There are lots of accommodation, bar, restaurant, and shopping options within a few streets of the coast. The farther west you go, the more secluded the beaches are, and there are also walking trails that connect these beaches.

What are the nightlife offerings in Huelva and Punta Umbria?

Huelva proper has about a dozen popular bars and nightclubs and they are all scattered throughout the city. The most popular include Mandala Mirador (Avenida Manue Siurot), a cocktail bar with great views of the city below; The Red Lion Pub (Avenida Martin Alonso Pinzon 26), an Irish-themed bar; and the relaxed vibes of Berdigon 14 (Calle Berdigon 14). In Punta Umbria, you can't go wrong partying at Mykonos Beach Club (Calle Tres Marias 44B). Last orders is fairly late in Huelva, with bars closing anywhere between 2 and 3 on weekdays and as late as 6 a.m. on weekends.

What can I do with kids in Huelva and Punta Umbria? What are some of the alternative attractions to enjoy such as museums, theaters, etc.?

Apart from the beach and water-related activities, kids might have fewer mainstream attractions to hold their interest in Punta Umbria, but it doesn't mean you can't get creative with them when it comes to exploring the city's history and geography of nearby Huelva and Palos de la Frontera. Before you leave town, visit the Torre Umbria, a defensive tower that protected against Barbary pirates. In Huelva, the Barrio Obrero neighborhood features beautiful Victorian-era homes you'd think were transplanted from England. After that, you can take a boat ride along the Tinto River to the marshes at Las Marismas. Stroll the paths of Parque Moret and have a picnic lunch and then trace the path of Christopher Columbus before he set off for the New World.

One place you shouldn't miss when you're tracing Columbus's steps is the Muelle de las Carabelas, an open-air museum in Palos de la Frontera which features replicas of the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Other museums in the area include the archaeological museum Cabezo de La Almagra, and the Museo de Huelva on Alameda Sundheim which tells the entire history of the region through artifacts uncovered in the area. For performing arts, the city's major venue is the Gran Teatro de Huelva on Calle Vazquez Lopez 13. For movies, from arthouse to blockbusters, there are two major cinemas located at Centro Comercial Aqualon Glorieta Norte and Holea Shopping Centre, respectively.

What is the culture and lifestyle (traditions, festivals) like in Punta Umbria and Huelva?

Huelva is a very relaxed place and Punta Umbria even more so. As it is one of the last places in Spain to be introduced to tourism, the area retains an unspoiled ambience.

Festivals in Punta Umbria include the National Shrimp and Tuna Festival, held each April and known for some of Spain's most delicious seafood; and the Fiesta del Carmen, held in honor of the Virgen del Carmen, on August 15.

The largest events in Huelva are as follows:

-Carnaval, which is celebrated in February or March in the run-up to Ash Wednesday.
-The Columbian Festivals, held in Huelva and Palos de la Frontera in late July until August 3, the day in 1492 when Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World.
-Fiestas de la Cinta, held from September 3-8, a live music festival held before the feast day of Huelva, Dia de la Virgen de la Cinta, which falls on September 8.
-Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva, one of the largest Latin American/Hispanophone film festivals in the world, running for a week in mid-November.