In the town of Rota, in the province of Cádiz, in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia

 “Spain, the beautiful country of wine and songs.”

-– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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(in the province of Cádiz, in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia). Located along the Bay of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean, Rota lies halfway between Portugal and Gibraltar. It is mainly a tourist destination for travelers from all over Europe. During the low season, its main business activity is the fishing industry. In the town is the Naval Station Rota, which is the largest source of employment to the municipality. (It also served as a transoceanic abort landing site for the Space Shuttle program.)

+The town of Rota is located near the city of Jerez de la Frontera, and is 36 km (22.5 mi.) from the provincial capital, Cadiz. It belongs to two associations, the Association of Municipalities of Cadiz Bay (along with the municipalities of Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, San Fernando, Chiclana, and Puerto Real); and the Association of Municipalities of the Lower Guadalquivir (which comprises municipalities of the Northwest Coast of Andalusia). The Romans once knew the town as "Speculum Rotae." Following the arrival of the Moors in Spain, the city became known as Rabita Rutta ("watchtower of Rota"), from which it derives its present name. In 1217 the city was raided by a group of Frisian Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. From 1248 onwards, the Moors were gradually expelled from Spain, and the city became Christian. In 1297, Sancho IV awarded the town to Alonso Pérez de Guzmán in honor of his defence of Tarifa. Later, Pérez de Guzmán gave it to his daughter, Isabel, as a wedding present when she married Fermin Ponce de León, Maestre of Alcántara and First Lord of Marchena. Construction of the Castillo de la Luna (Castle of the Moon) had begun in 1295, two years prior to the bequest to Pérez de Guzmán, as part of Sancho IV's effort to develop strong coastal defenses, especially near the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. During the Middle Ages, the town was an important port for trading with North Africa. In 1780 the 11th Duke of Arcos died without issue, and the city was rendered to the Duke of Osuna.

+ Rota is also the location of the Rota naval base, a joint Spanish and U.S. naval base, opened in 1955 (which also hosts U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force units). It is also the usual first and last port of call for U.S. naval vessels after leaving the Mediterranean Sea. Once contributing up to 80 percent of Rota's economy directly or indirectly, the decrease in the American presence since about 1995, and the city's modern infrastructure, which enables those remaining to commute readily from surrounding towns and cities, the base has given way to tourism as the leading source of revenue.

+ Rota opens out to the Atlantic and behind it are two national parks, the Natural Park of the Bay of Cádiz and the Doñana. In all there are 16 kilometers (10 mi.) of beach. (Being on the Atlantic coast, it is also a good venue for windsurfers.)