Ruta del Atun - Tuna Route
Lovers of tuna come from all over Spain to enjoy the various festivals and routes celebrating the almadraba season. The towns have their own Rutas del Atun, which list restaurants and tapas bars offering inventive, beautifully-presented atun de almadraba tapas at reasonable a set price, for example 4 euros; maps are available to show you where participating restaurants are.
Known as atun rojo (red tuna, thunnus thynnus) here in Spain, this dark red-coloured fish is highly prized - if you've ever tasted its sweet, dense yet tender flesh, you'll know why. Almadraba tuna is not cheap: around €25/kilo for the basic cuts, rising to nearly €40/kilo for the prized barriga (belly). The Japanese export 80% of it - filleted, frozen and air-freighted within hours - to make sushi and sashimi. In Spain it is eaten raw, as tuna tartare, since its superb flavour and texture means it is best appreciated without cooking.
You can also taste atun de almadraba in restaurants all over Spain, but it's best when fresh from the sea. If you're lucky enough to try almadraba tuna in Andalucia, as well as savouring its extraordinary flavour, try to think about the arduous and complicated journey it has taken to arrive on your plate.
Here is a list of annual Ruta del Atun in different towns on the Costa de La Luz and Campo de Gibraltar. We will update the page as dates become available, this is usually in the preceding March and April.
Semana Gastronomica del Atún en Barbate
Barbate traditionally has its ‘Feria de Atun’ (Tuna Fair) with stalls, exhibitions, competitions and cooking demonstrations. There are also flamenco workshops, singing and flamenco performances in the Feria grounds opposite the fishing port from 26 April to 1 May 2023. This will be followed by the Ruta del Atún in participating restaurants, with a competition for the best tuna tapa, from 2 May to 7 May 2023. The Antigua Lonja (old fish market) will host special flamenco tours, as well as master classes, show cooking, tastings and other events.
larutadelatun.com/
Ruta Gastronómica del Atún de Conil - 9th May to 9th June 2024
Conil de la Frontera has its Ruta Gastronomica del Atún de Conil de la Frontera, the Ruta del Atún Rojo de Almadraba (Almadraba Tuna Route) in May/June. This includes a tapas competition. The dates in previous years have been 5 May to 4 June 2023. Around 30 bars and restaurants take part. There's also the Almadraba Tuna Interpretation Centre in La Chancla, where the traditional ronqueo del atún rojo (slicing the tuna in the traditional way) takes place on the opening day. La Chancla and the Almadraba Tuna Interpretation Centre are open all year round.
https://www.facebook.com/RutadelAtundeAlmadraba
Rutal de Atun, Zahara de los Atunes - 14th to 19th May 2024
Zahara de los Atunes hosts the Ruta del Atun (Tuna Route) in the second or third week of May. Organised by the local business association, it has been held every year since 2008 and lasts five days. A full programme of events includes special tapas in local bars and restaurants, exhibitions and a competition for the best tapa or tuna dish. Well supported by locals and visitors alike. Lively atmosphere. Pick up a guide map. 16 May to 21 May 2023.
rutadelatun.com
Ruta de del Atun, La Linea de la Concepcion
La Linea also has a Ruta del Atun (Tuna Route), which is smaller than some of the other towns, although 20 restaurants and bars take part. There are also several musical performances on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. The dates for the 3rd edition were 3 to 7 May 2023. Participating restaurants were La Taberna, Bitacora, Carboneros 27, La Bodeguiya, Bodebar, El Meson de Lolo, La Chiminea, Barbas, El Noy, Bar Carlos y Eduardo, west, La Chicota, No me llamas Dolores, El Sanctuario, D'Mares, Don Giovanni, Alma, Chiringuito La Luna, Chabooo, Ohtels.
Ruta del Atun Rojo, Tarifa
Tarifa The Ruta del Atun Rojo takes place in Tarifa at the end of May/beginning of June every year. As in other fishing villages along this part of the Costa de la Luz, such as Conil de la Frontera and Barbate. In the participating restaurants you can try a variety of dishes using this extremely tender and tasty red tuna, from the classic to the avant-garde. In Tarifa, the previous dates were 14th to 18th June 2023 and 27th May to 5th June 2022.
Ruta del Atun, Algeciras
Algeciras, the big port town, also has a Ruta del Atun (Tuna Route), smaller than the others, but 10 restaurants and bars take part and compete for the best tuna tapa. Previous years' dates have been 26 May to 4 June 2023.
THE ALMADRABA: CATCHING BLUE-FIN TUNA THE TRADITIONAL WAY
Every year in May, after the first full moon, fishermen from towns on the Cadiz part of the >Costa de la Luz, including Barbate, Zahara de los Atunes, Conil de la Frontera, and Tarifa, set up a complicated labyrinth of nets off the Atlantic coast, called the almadraba, to catch blue-fin tuna. This is a major social and gastronomic event, providing essential (if seasonal) work for fishermen, packing factories, restaurants along the coast. Read more about the Almadraba.