The city of Alicante is worth exploring with its magnificent harbour as well as its large choice of bars and restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets. Here you will find a large range of shops and boutiques and many places and places of interest.
San Javier-airport is to the south of our region and covers the largely unspoilt Costa Calida .The airport is just to the north of the Mar Menor (Lesser sea) with its huge choice of Leisure activities including water sports sailing and of course golf .The airport carries the name Murcia but the city of Murcia is actually 40k inland. The airport is also serviced by flights from major cities in Europe and many budget flights from the UK.
The city of Murcia is again worth a visit for a sample of cuisine and value for money, which is harder to find on the coast. The Cathedral is out of this world!
Driving time by car to San Javier from Torrevieja is about 35 minutes.
The area has welcomed visitors now for many years of which many have decided to make the area their home. From Guadamar 15 km south of Alicante with its superb beaches and night market .The town is very Spanish in feel and the side streets hide some excellent value restaurants catering for every budget.
Its Castle ruins and watchtower are also worth a visit. The next major stop on the coast is the cosmopolitan and Spanish holiday resort of Torrevieja the small fishing village, which in the last 25-30 years has grown to a large vibrant town, it is now visited and lived in by people from all 4 corners of Europe.
Torrevieja (name means old tower) is an old village with history from the 16th-century, at that time there were a number of guard towers along the coast to keep track of the enemy approaching from north Africa and other distant lands.
Here also there are many things to see and do such as the excellent beaches of La Mata and Los Locos (The Mad ) in the north of the town to Mar Azul (Blue Sea) in the south.
There is a harbour to stroll around and an ex Spanish navy submarine to visit. Market day is on Friday and takes over most of the town. Due to the many different nationalities, living together you can find almost any kind of restaurant that takes your fancy.
To the south of Torrevieja is the area of Playa Flamenca. With some of the best beaches in the region. This mixed with a large choice of modern restaurants and bars makes this a popular choice for both holiday and long term rentals.
The beaches of La Zenia and Cala Capitan are maintained every day and are safe for bathers of all ages.
Within 10 minutes drive of these coasts are 3 excellent golf courses Villa martin Las Ramblas and Campoamor. These are all available on a pay and play basis and offer a test for golfers whatever their handicap. Going further south you may want to visit the small coastal village of Torre de Horadada with its quiet beaches and choice of ice cream parlours (Heladerias).
From here the resort of San Pedro on the Mar Menor (Costa Calida). Here the beaches become more quiet and the water becomes even more calm as the La Manga Strip shields bathers from the Mediterranean Tides even at its deepest point the water is only 14 feet deep.
Boats are available for hire as well as jet skis for the more adventurous whatever the ages. The resorts also boast some excellent fish restaurants, which compliment some of the excellent local wines, providing a meal to remember.
The climate is regarded as the best in Europe with over 320 sunny days a year and a middle temperature of 22-24 degrees. . Most of the beaches along the Costa Blanca have the "European blue flag", that means that the water here has a very high quality. Many people live and rent here because of bad health at home the mild weather helps elderly and rheumatics feel better especially over the winter period with a temperature of around 16 degrees.
The famous Salt lakes situated at Santa Pola and Torrevieja are said to be a factor contributing to the stable weather. These two are among the largest in whole Europe. The Salt is Costa Blanca's largest export trade, ships from most of the world come to Torrevieja port to load salt. This is then exported to Canada and Scandinavia to keep the roads clear. Only in Spain could you have a commodity which is of absolutely no use to themselves!!
Benidorm is the metropolis for fun, outdoor and nightlife, Restaurants, Bars & Nightclubs not forgetting Terra Mitica, a huge theme park in "Disney"-style well worth a visit.
