Every duty station presents an opportunity for adventure, excitement, and growth. For military families, we call this a bucket list! Whether you are a new MILSO, or seasoned, OCONUs orders are something everyone dreams of. Orders to Rota, Spain, makes taking advantages of these opportunities easy. Set on the Bay of Cadiz in southern Spain, Naval Station Rota resides on a Spanish Navy Installation. So, in addition to U.S. service members representing all branches, you will also have the opportunity to engage with the Spanish Fleet. With a passenger terminal on base, Rota also makes a great Space-A destination from points on the East Coast.
Rota, and the nearby towns, are beach towns. Steeped in history and full of surprises, but quiet outside of July and August. Deep into Andalusia, which is the southern-most state in the Kingdom of Spain, the people are welcoming, relaxed, and full of love for families and children. With white-washed hill top villages, gourmet olive oil tours, and castles and monasteries galore, it’s hard to know where to start.
Here are the top five bucket list items to do to get your feet wet.
1. Enjoy the Beach and the Food from a Chiringuito.
Leaving the Naval Station in either direction will take you directly to some of the best beaches in Europe with clean sand, calm waves, and palm trees. The perfect bucket list item. The beaches are also dotted with chiringuitos, or beach bars. Many have full menus, and serve up delicious tapas. There’s nothing quite like eating delicious Spanish treats with your toes in the sand. While some of the chiringuitos are only during the peak season, you can have your meal with a view any time of the year. As an extra tip, if you time your beach stop at low tide in Rota, you’ll be able to go tidal pooling in the very fish corals built by the Phoenicians thousands of years ago.
2. Explore a local castle.
A castle can be found in nearly every town, a remnant of the crusade to push the Moorish people back into North Africa over five hundred years ago. Each castle has its own flair. In the summer, check out a Flamenco show in the courtyard of Rota’s castle. Head to the castle in next door’s El Puerto de Santa Maria for a history lesson and an overview and tasting of the area’s famous Sherry wine. Or go just twenty minutes more to the town of Sanlúcar de Barramedato and take in the view from the roof, where Queen Isabella first saw the sea.
3. Watch a horse show.
Naval Station Rota is located about as far south as you can get in Spain, in a very rural area with a proud history of horsemanship. There are two options for watching world-class horses and their riders. In Jerez de la Fronterra, you can tour the Royal Andalusian School of Art and watch the “How Andalusian Horses Dance” show. Nearby, you will also find Yeguada Cartuja, a breeding farm for the Andalusian Horse of the Cartujano lineage. In season, a visit includes a tour and horse show, which was laid back and very family friendly.
4. Watch a Procession Through the Cobblestone Streets.
Religious processions take place throughout the year to mark significant dates on the Roman Catholic calendar, which is the official religion of Spain. The most notable processions occur during Semana Santa – or Holy Week – preceding Easter Sunday. Each day, the townspeople will line the streets, as religious brotherhoods bring gilded statues out of the churches and through the narrow streets of the town. While Semana Santa is well-known and much heralded, there are smaller processions throughout the year. Saint John the Baptist’s procession in June is followed by bonfires on the beach. Our Lady of the Rosary is in October. These statues have been processed through these streets for hundreds of years. And the Three Kings, or Wise Men, take to the streets for a festive parade on Ephinany in early January. These traditions are strong and beautiful and leave you with a great appreciation for the time and place.
5. Make the Day Trip to Sevilla.
For those wishing to experience a larger city, Sevilla is located just 1.5 hours north of Naval Station Rota. Lonely Planet named Sevilla the world’s best city to visit in 2018, and it is worth at least a day on any trip through southern Spain. While on foot, one can easily explore quintessential Andalusian sites. There is a bullfighting ring, a royal palace, andthe world’s third largest cathedral, home to Christopher Columbus’ tomb. A bullfighting ring. Take note of Moorish architecture and wander down the narrow streets of the old Jewish district. There are tapas restaurants and pottery districts and orange trees. All of the best of this culture can be found in Sevilla.
Oh, and eat all of the olives you can.
Whether you are looking at a long-term assignment in Rota or a short Space-A hop check these items off your bucket list. Plus add more as you go along!
