Sanlúcar's beach is not the wide, crowded strand of the Costa del Sol — it's a long river beach where the Guadalquivir meets the Atlantic, with Doñana's pine trees and marshes visible across the water. In summer, horse races are held here at low tide, which is one of the most unusual sporting events in Spain: racehorses galloping on wet sand beside an estuary, with the sherry-triangle towns behind them and a nature reserve ahead.
The Bajo de Guía area at the northern end of the beach has a string of fish restaurants and chiringuitos (beach bars) that are among the best in the province. Langostinos de Sanlúcar — large prawns from the estuary — are the speciality, priced by weight and usually just grilled with sea salt. The water is warmer here than on open Atlantic beaches further south, and the beach itself is long enough to find a quiet stretch even in August.