Albatera is a medium sized village in the Vega Baja, Albatera sits on the banks of the River Segura, a beautiful spot with spectacular views of the surrounding Sierra de Crevillent mountains - though the town itself has a very level aspect.
Modern Albatera consists of wide, palm tree lined streets with attractive white-walled houses. At the centre in the plaza is a beautiful parochial church, dedicated to the apostle Santiago and built in 1729. The church is famed for its elaborate baroque doorway, intricately carved in stone. Also in the plaza is the town hall and the old casino. Albatera is a town located in the area of “Vega Baja”, on the banks of the Segura river, a beautiful countryside spot, surrounded by mountains, with excellent views beautiful weather and friendly people - the real Spain..........
The climate is Mediterranean and the Segura basin boasts the least amount of rainfall of Spain. The average temperature goes from 11 degrees in January to 27.5 in August.
Albatera is full of natural areas, mountains, plains or wetlands, even places where the remains of ancient civilisations have left their cultural and artistic marks.
The Alicante and Murcia airports are close at hand and some of the best beaches of the province too are just 30 minutes away from Albatera, which is a truly traditional town which has kept its Spanish feel despite the spattering of expats.
If you want hustle and bustle at all times then Albatera is probably not the place for you, however it does have a couple of English run bars where, if you feel the need, you can go and join in the activities such as Spanish lessons and quiz nights and Bingo.
Albatera has lots of traditional Spanish bars and restaurants too where you can sample typical Spanish fayre of Tapas and Tortillas amongst the Spanish community. You will find the prices very reasonable as this is not a tourist area. There is a recently opened Chinese which is very good and a couple of pizzerias and an Italian Restaurant. You could if you wanted (if you live in the municiple and are signed on the padron) also sign up to the free Spanish lessons held in one of the local schools, these are run twice weekly and there you will find around a dozen people, dont be shy everybody is in the same boat.
There are many expats living in the Municiple of Albatera and many young families as well as retirees and so if you read on you will see there is something for all ages. There are sports teams for a variety of sports, pubs and clubs to accommodate them also, in fact it boast to have the largest nightclub on the Costa Blanca on the edge of the town but you wouldn't even know it was there.. From time to time the Town Hall organises trips to well known places of interest and the fiestas that are celebrated here are countless...
In the beautiful plaza where you will find along with the Santaigo Apostle church the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) you can also sit outside the old casino and watch the world go by whilst you have a coffee or something a bit stronger. This is now a very popular bar and eatery and on a Sunday you will find many Spaniards here chilling and chatting after they have been to church and you will wonder where they have all come from. This routine, which is steeped in tradition, is one of the reasons why many people wanted to live here for a more family orientated way of life.
Albatera also has a 24 hour Health centre, a new Olympic size swimming pool, a music school, a new state of the art gym, Teakwondo lessons, volleyball, football for all ages and a state of the art astro turf pitch or campo de futbol as it is called here.
There are 3 large supermarkets, including a popular Mercadona and a whole range of other shops, garages, a fruit and vegetable market (which runs most days) and also as well as this a weekly market which runs on a Thursday, when you will find the town coming together, catching up for a coffee and a bite to eat. This is a perfect opportunity to mix with locals or if you prefer (and it is nice once in a while) you can enjoy a good old bacon buttie or English Breakfast at Bar Jo´s in the road leading to the market and square or if you prefer one of the many other Spanish bars and cafes scattered around the town...
Some of the Leisure facilities and sightseeing around the Albatera area
Municipal park “Parque de la Huerta”: 30.000 m2 garden with a small lake and fountain. There are several paths/ ways in the park, such as “The Poet Path”, “Concord Promenade”, “Jolly walk” or “Way of loosing steps”. The park is provided with Petanca and children areas.
Mountain Park - Parque de montaña Virgen del Rosario.
Some of the Local Traditional festivities run for a week from 18 - 27 of July. The famous “Moros y Cristianos” week festival in honour of the local church patron Santiago Apostle
GOLF in the Area
ALBATERA GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 18 holes Pending permissions from Valencia for go ahead
Golf is another leisure activity associated with the area and below are listed the 15 Golf courses all within an hours drive of this area:
LA FINCA ALGORFA G.C -
Ctra.Algorfa-Los Montesinos, Km.3, Algorfa, 03169 Alicante.
18 Holes - Par 72 Tel: 96 596 7058 - Fax: 96 596 7058
20 Kms from Albatera
ALICANTE G.C -
s/n. La Condomina, 03540 Playa de San Juan
18 Holes - Par 72 Tel: 96 515 2043 - Fax: 96 515 3794
Playa San Juan, N of Alicante36 kms. From Albatera
EL PLANTIO G.C -
Ctra.Antigua Alicante-Elx, 03203 Elx, Alicante
18 Holes - Par 54 Tel: 96 518 9115 - Fax: 96 518 9105
near Alicante, road to Elche
36 kms. From Albatera
There are numerous other golf courses in the area which are listed below:
1 Mediterraneo Golf Club
2 Escorpion Golf Club
3 El Bosque Golf Club
4 El Saler Golf Club
5 Oliva Nova Golf Club
6 La Sella Golf Club
7 Alicante Golf Club
8 Bonalba Golf Club
9 Alenda Golf Club
10 El Plantio Golf Club
11 La Marquesa Golf Club
12 La Finca Golf Club
13 Villamartin Golf Club
14 Las Ramblas Golf Club
15 Golf Real Club de Golf Campoamor
Orchard Park
The Orchard Park is a beautiful natural setting located in the middle of orchard, which has grown and strengthened over the last ten years of aesthetic form, harmonious, friendly and integrated with the indigenous flora of the land, constituting the main center fun of the people.
This garden area with an area of 30,000 m2, consists of areas of grassland, shrub groups, native plants, water features (waterfalls and fountains) and playgrounds. Within this natural setting is located Covered Auditorium with capacity for 3,000 people and having the necessary infrastructure to host shows, performances, social events and cultural life of the municipality and county.
Harmony, peace and serenity that breathes throughout the park, invites visitors to stroll and to abstract from the bustling urban spaces around us regularly.
DOLORES
There are heaps of shops, restaurants, and bars for you to choose from.
Dolores was founded and dedicated to agriculture. It is fundamentally devoted to horticultural production, especially the artichoke, and some livestock, having one of the few fairs in the province, and the largest is held on the first Sunday in August.
Dolores is also famous for making shoes, through the influence of the nearby Crevillente and Elche.
The food in this area is a mixture of Spanish, English, German, Dutch, Chinese, Indian, Cantonese, Hungarian and if you want a particular national cuisine there will be somewhere to satisfy your taste buds. You really have to be finicky about what you read if you cannot uncover something to fit your tastes in this area. A couple of the local restaurants include El Fuelle which is situated C/ Río Segura or Meson Andalucia in the Plaza General Llopis.
The weather conditions in Dolores are generally sun-drenched throughout the year, just similar to everywhere on the Costa Blanca. The winters are temperate and sunny, with the summers being wonderful and hot.
Rainfall is something which is rare but delighted in within this province, a disruption from the invariable sunshine, but don’t be troubled because rain doesn’t occur that regularly.
ELCHE
The world footwear capital
The footwear manufacturing industry and that of its component parts have undeniably been the city’s economy for decades with over 2,100 production and sales centres. Indeed, these centres constitute 12% of the city’s 12,400 registered businesses.
Production is for both the domestic market and abroad. The sector’s enterprising spirit has led it to export to, and have an important presence in, markets such as those in the European Union, the United States and other emerging markets, thus diversifying distribution. Alicante’s exports index is one of the highest in Spain, thanks in great part to Elche’s footwear sector.
Acknowledged as the ‘The City of Palms,’ Elche is much famed for its expansive palm tree grove, also known as the Palmeral of Elche, which is credited to be the only Palm forest in Europe, consisting of over 10,000 palm trees, of which majority of them are date palms.
Many of the areas within the grove have now been developed into beautiful gardens and parks. Another interesting thing regarding this grove is that it is still watered by the irrigation system of the River Vinalopó, devised during the 10th century. The forest has been now declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.
Elche is a really nice town. It exudes sophistication and, in the centre, a certain sort of calm. There are plenty of fashionable shops and some nice bars as well as a clutch of museums and fine churches.
LA MARINA
La Marina is a small town with beautiful clean beaches, which stretch for over 3 kilometres. Ceramics are produced in La Marina and these can be found in many of the area shops
La Marina is located on the Costa Blanca South between Santa Pola and Guardamar del Segura.
Alicante airport is only 30 minutes drive away.
La Marina is a very small town which comes alive during the summer months when people fill the town to enjoy the small but busy beach tourist resort.
Clearly La Marina is a great location for a beach holiday, if that is all you want from a holiday then you won't need to go anywhere else, as everything you need for a great family holiday in the sun is right here in La Marina.
Enjoy a traditional Spanish experience by visiting the street markets which are held every Thursday and Sunday, full of stalls selling fresh local produce.
CREVILLENTE
Crevillente: the carpet city with fantastic views
You could be forgiven for believing that you had stepped through a hidden doorway into the Middle East when you visit Crevillente (Crevillent, in valenciano), a small town on the river Segura that sits at the foot of a mountain range of the same name walled in by the Hondones and the Vinalopó valley.
Its hand-woven carpets are world-renowned for their quality and original designs that take their influence from the Orient whilst its Islamic architecture is interwoven with cave houses carved out of the side of the mountain, one of the few parts of the region that you can find these unusual properties.
Crevillente is also blessed with some of the most attractive views and spectacular natural countryside in the Alicante province, with the Montaña de San Cayetano and El Hondo nature reserves found right on the doorstep.
The mainstay of Crevillente’s economy, dating back to the middle ages, is the production of handmade carpets. Now easily recognisable all over the world by the Alfombras de Crevillente logo borne by each and every one. As you enter the town on the N-340, the road is flanked on either side by a dense forest of shops, factories and warehouses selling Crevillente rugs.
San Cayetano – a walker’s paradise with unbeatable views
Crossed by small ravines, rocky and mountainous to the north with flat, dry plains to the south, Crevillente’s landscape is varied and colourful with walking routes aplenty and rich in flora and fauna. Amongst Crevillente’s dramatic and beautiful surroundings the visitor can find the San Cayetano mountain on the north-eastern outer limits of the municipality, which stands 817 metres above sea-level and, from its imposing height, a spectacular panoramic view of El Hondo lagoon, the river Segura and nearly the whole of the Vega Baja is breathtaking and almost unreal to behold. Surrounded by a dried-up river bed with ideal conditions for a wealth of typically-Mediterranean plantlife to flourish, walkers can find pine forests, palm trees, buckthorn, Kermes oak and mastic (or pistachio) trees along their travels. Conditions for rambling are perfect as there are no sharp slopes, loose rocks or precarious mountain passes and it is easy to occupy an entire day enjoying the silence and taking in the unrivalled views.
A blue lagoon
Part of the Albufera, or wetlands, of Elche, la Laguna del Hondo is divided between the capital of the Baix Vinalopó and Crevillente. A stopping-off point for migratory birds, it is an ornithologist’s paradise as well as providing stunning rambling routes for keen walkers and nature-lovers. The two main published walking routes take visitors around the circumference of the lake, the best areas for catching sight of some these beautiful and rare birds.
TORREVIEJA
Torrevieja is a town with all the facilities for holidaying or living permanently all year round. A number of the town´s beaches have been awarded the European Union blue flag
signifying the high standard of cleanliness for swimming and recreation.
A water fun park is open throughout the summer months and a funfair on the seafront. The market on the sea front is open all year round and ferries can also be caught from here to the Island of Tabarca. Public transport is very good in the area. The local Salt Lakes are the main industry in the area as salt is extracted from the Salinas of Torrevieja, which has been declared a protected natural park area. The colour of the lakes change due to a microorganism similar to plankton called 'Artemia Salina'.
Torrevieja is about 50 kilometers south of Alicante airport and is right on the coast just south of the other large resort of Guardamar del Segura. Torrevieja used to be a tiny fishing village (like many of the towns on the Costa Blanca) but it has witnessed a huge explosion in size and population in recent times - most of which is from the huge numbers of people moving to Torrevieja from Northern Europe or buying holiday homes in the area.
Torrevieja is surrounded by salt lakes and as a result the climate is meant to be very healthy especially for people with arthritus. The salt lakes are protected and form the habitat for numerous protected species of bird such as the greater Flamingo and Montagu’s harrier. The salt is also commercially extracted providing one of the Torrevieja's main industries.
Any visitor to Torrevieja is bound to visit the harbor area with it's numerous restaurants, tapas bars and shops. The fish restaurants are a must as the fish is fresh in from the local fishing boats.
Torrevieja has many attractive parks, gardens and squares where you can sit down and just relax under the shade.
Torrevieja's indoor market offers fish, meat and fresh vegetables.
For sightseeing you can enjoy the harbor, the fish market, the Church of La Inmaculata Conception, tour the S-61 Delfin submarine and the museum of sea and salt.
Torrevieja is almost becoming a city it is expanding so rapidly and as a result facilities are very good with three excellent hospitals. There are also private and national health clinics with many doctors and dentists of all nationalities.
It has two water parks and a large indoor sports centre with an Olympic sized swimming pool.
It is an ideal location for a summer or winter sun holiday with an average of 320 days sunshine each year. It is said to be good for sufferers of arthritis, asthma and rheumatism. The area is regarded by the World Health Organisation as having the healthiest climate in Europe.
It is impossible to talk about Torrevieja without talking about its beaches with their fine sand and crystal clear waters, without doubt the most frequented along the Mediterranean coast along with the town of Benidorm. They have all held the European Blue Flag for Clean Seas for several years, awarded for their quality and excellent installations. La Mata, Los Locos, El Cura, El Acequión and Los Náufragos together make up the beaches of the Torreviejan coast, not forgetting the marvellous coves in the northern part, as well as the so-called natural swimming pools which are found beside the Juan Aparicio promenade right in the centre of the town.
Of course the seaside promenades and the fishing port are attractions in their own right for visitors to this part of the Southern Mediterranean. The Torrevieja climate with its 340 days of sun and an average annual temperature of 20 degrees centigrade, has meant that thousands of tourists from the north of Spain and northern Europe have decided to set up home permanently in the town.
English is spoken as a second language so you will not find it a problem to communicate within the area.
One of the greatest tourist attractions of Torrevieja has always been its variety of entertainment for young people. There are more than a hundred night bars, the majority concentrated in the so-called El Baluarte area in the La Punta district, which have become a major attraction for thousands of people from all over the world.
Finally, for the lovers of ecological and environmental tourism, you will not do better than visit the lakes of La Mata and Torrevieja to enjoy a mudbath, recommended by doctors around the world for its curative properties for a large number of rheumatic dermatological, heart and respiratory complaints.
Every Friday Torrevieja holds one of the largest open-air markets in Spain and sells all kinds of food, textiles, clothes and accessories.
The town has a good shopping area with lots of independently owned shops selling a variety of goods. There are no department stores or shopping malls. An indoor market is open daily where you can buy fresh produce; fish, meat, fruit and vegetables
The surrounding countryside has an abundance of orange and lemon groves.
GUARDAMAR
Is about 8 minutes drive from Rojales and is a lively, but not too tourist orientated town with lots of shops and where there is miles of fantastic beach with a blue flag for safety & cleanliness, with nets to play volley ball, and climbing frame nets to keep the children busy while you top up the tan. Lifeguards attend on the beach ever day. There is a large leisure centre with swimming pools, football courts, tennis courts and other leisure activities available just at the bottom end of the beach.
There is also a marina in Guadamar where you can indulge yourself in all kinds of water sports.
If you fancy some fresh air to your body there is also a large nudist beach.
Guadamar is one of the preferred places that the Spanish, living inland, visit for their summer holidays. Forests, dunes and beaches in perfect armony inside a big virgin field, make Guardamar del Segura to be a paradise in Costa Blanca.
The town of Guardamar, with a population of just over 11,000, has historically played the role of guardian of the river Segura.
Around 12 km of beach; pines; very old trees; a Mediterranean park with fountains and lakes that give life to squirrels, swans, fish etc
Activities around the restored mouth of the river include fishing, camel rides and the Molino de San Antonio. All the local restaurants offer top-quality prawns and outstanding rice dishes, the pride of Alicante cuisine.
The prime natural feature are the dunes formed from sand deposited by both the river Segura and the sea, and blown inland by the east winds. This natural area is today the main distinguishing feature of Guardamar and it includes the Reina Sofia and Alfonso XIII parks, ideal for a leisurely stroll or for cycling. These are attractive spots for noting the local vegetation and observing the water birds that come to nest in this ecosystem, including herons and other species.
If you like sports, Guardamar offers you every possible sea sport such as sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing, underwater diving, canoeing, jet skiing, etc. The Marina de las Dunas at the mouth of the river offers all these as well as 498 moorings.
Guardamar del Segura has extensive sports facilities, the most important being the “Las Rabosas” Sports Centre and the magnificent Municipal Sports Centre, with its Olympic swimming-pool, 3 football pitches, basketball courts, five-a-side soccer pitches, tennis courts, pelota courts, covered sports. The municipal Marina de las Dunas is a splendid addition for tourism in Guardamar del Segura. It is located at the mouth of the river Segura, in a unique natural environment on the eastern coast of Spain.
It has 494 moorings and all the services and facilities of a top-ranking marina. It also offers 2 kilometres of the new navigable river course for small boats, a risk-free place for sea sports.
This is the ideal place for starting out or for ending any day at sea. Because Guardamar is for living all year round.
CATRAL
Catral is a small town located in the Vega Baja district in the province of Alicante.
It is easily reached from the AP7 and is ideally situated being only 20 minutes south of Alicante airport and 30 minutes north of Murcia (San Javier) airport.
The nearest beach to Catral is located in Guardamar Del Segura approx 14km away.
It is with in close proximity of two other towns Dolores and Almoradi
Largely unspoiled by the British invasion of the Costa Blanca region Of Spain, it still has a thriving British community.
The town offers a peaceful, tranquil area to live. Well away from the hustle and bustle of what you would find in an equal village in England
With many people now looking at the moving to area or similar areas to avoid the sprawling coastal towns that are becoming little Britain's. Unlike the coastal towns, Catral remains vibrant all year round and does not rely on the tourist seasons, that so many of the coastal towns rely on and become ghost towns during the winter months.
Catral lies about about fifteen minutes inland from the coastal region
Alicante airport is about a thirty minute drive and about the same distance to Murcia airport
Benidorm is about a half hour further out than Alicante airport if you need you fix of British holiday destination or a trip to a theme park, which is where you will find Terra Mitica and a market known for its cheaply priced goods
Dolores is less than a ten minute drive from Catral along with Almoradi being just a short distance away
Golf courses. Dolores plans to open a new golf course in the next two years. But there are plenty of golf courses within easy driving distance of Catral
ORIHUELA
Having around 50,000 inhabitants, Orihuela is a major resort within the region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. Orihuela is the capital of what is called “La Vega Baja” (or the low fertile lowlands), one of the largest regions in the province of Alicante.
The Cathedral and the Palace of Rubalcalva are monuments you must visit. The Cathedral was built on grounds where a mosque had once been in the 12th century and shows a Gothic style. Through the entrance called Door of Loreto added on in the 15th century you will see a beautiful Baroque organ. Through another entrance, the Renaissance style is evident. The Palace of Rubalcava was inhabited by members of this family up until 1933 and in 1976 it became property of the town. It has a sweeping marble staircase that takes you up to the noble main salons – the red salon with family portraits, the yellow salon used nowadays for weddings, the dance hall or hall of mirrors with a French air.
ORIHUELA COSTA
Despite its name, the Orihuela Costa is some distance from the city of Orihuela, in fact some 20 kilometres away. It comprises around 16 km of fine sandy beaches, rocky coves and clear sparkling waters stretching from Punta Prima (just south of Torrevieja) to Mil Palmeras. It is now one of the most popular destinations in the region for a summer holiday, attracting visitors from all over Europe.
The Orihuela Costa boasts some well known and popular resorts including Cabo Roig, La Zenia, Campoamor and Playa Flamenca. All these resorts can be reached by the N332 coastal road.
Climate
The Orihuela Costa enjoys a fantastic temperate climate and is renowned for being one of the healthiest places on earth to live, basking in over 300 days of sunshine every year and having an average temperature of around 20 degrees centigrade and very low rainfall. The hottest temperatures are during July and August when it can reach 40 degrees or more, in the winter the temperature rarely falls below 10 degrees.
Orihuela Costa Resorts
Cabo Roig - One of the most exclusive and popular resorts of the Orihuela Costa is Cabo Roig, very busy during the summer months but quiet in the winter time, Cabo Roig has everything to offer the tourist. It has 2 fine beaches (Cala Caleta and Cala Capitan), a superb marina which has recently undergone a 2 million euro facelift, a spectacular and picturesque cliff walk to La Zenia and a great choice of shops, bars and restaurants along the well known and loved Cabo Roig strip.
La Zenia -La Zenia is another well loved resort on the Orihuela Costa. La Zenia also boasts a fine beach and some great facilities. Popular with the Irish, La Zenia is the location of the famous Paddy's Point bar, one of the best known bars along the Costa Blanca.
Playa Flamenca - Another popular area along the Orihuela Costa with an excellent beach. The seafront of Playa Flamenca has recently undergone some major changes with the coastal path and promenade being modernised and improved.
Punta Prima - is located at the Torrevieja end of the Orihuela Costa. Punta Prima is another excellent resort. Recognisable by the obtrusive water tower along the N332 it is well known for its Go-Kart track and its car boot sales. Punta Prima also has some wonderful, clean beaches.
Campoamor - A resort with two super beaches and some excellent facilities. It is also within easy reach of the fabulous Cabo Roig strip with its great choice of bars and restaurants. There is also a very popular golf course here.