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About The Costa Blanca
Dubbed the “White Coast” by the Ancient Greeks who visited here, the Costa Blanca is today one of Spain's principal tourist spots. Millions flock here every year for the radiant sunshine, white sand and exciting entertainment. There is so much more to the Costa Blanca than its tourist hotspots. Small, sandy coves, rugged hillsides and delightful rural landscape, dotted with orange groves and sleepy Moorish villages.
To the South there are the citrus and palm filled parks of Elche, with its date plantations. Once again the town of Torrevieja has been voted one of Spain's ten cleanest towns and has been awarded an 'Escoba de Plata' (silver broom) in Madrid.All of the beaches in Alicante Province have been passed fit for bathing in the latest water quality report from the EU Environment Commission. Spanish beaches are by far the best in the EU, in fact the whole of the UK has only four blue flag beaches - the same number as Torrevieja alone! The excitement of the many attractions of Benidorm, including Terra Mitica the newest and largest Theme Park in Europe and Aqualandia the wonderful water park with it's unforgettable rides. Benidorm is also home to the internationally renowned Benidorm Palace with its dinner show and dancing from Tuesday to Saturday.

Southern Costa Blanca - Costa Calida. From Alicante in the North to San Pedro in the South, situated at the northern end of the Mar Menor, you are sure to find something suited to your taste. The area behind the coast is fertile with many orange and lemon groves lining the local routes and the ‘Golden Triangle’ of golf courses – Las Rambles, Villa Martin and Campoamor can be found here together with the new championship golf course of La Finca.
These and other quality golf developments have seen the Costa Blanca become a golfer’s paradise, rivalling the better known, busier and more expensive Costa del Sol. Water sports including sailing, water skiing, wind surfing and scuba diving are available throughout the coastal area, bowls, horse riding, aqua park activities and tennis clubs are just a few of the varied interests available in this area. All this, together with the World Health Organisation’s Award for clean air standards and the superb medical facilities available in the region, have made this the popular choice for so many people to live.

Elche (Elx) is home to Europe’s largest palm grove. Its 200,000 palm trees are fully protected against felling. Elche (Elx) was originally an Iberian village – Illici – colonized later by Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans. Elche (Elx) has a long 9km stretch of coastline within its municipal boundaries providing many handsome beaches, namely L’Altet, Arenales de Sol and Carabassi down to Pinet. La Marina, Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo in Elche (Elx) and Guardamar sand dunes are beside the mouth of the river Segura.

Alicante has a quality coastline with sandy beaches, exotic dunes, rolling hills and challenging golf courses. There is much history attached to the castle of Santa Barbara, the bastion that stands on the hilltop today, which has historically housed political prisoners. At the foot of the castle, the ancient part of the town, with its narrow and often steeply climbing streets, is the home of most of the monumental buildings.
The Baroque architecture of the Town Hall, the magnificent collegiate church of St Nicholas (17th Century), decorated in Rococo style and the Gothic church of Sta. Maria also with its Baroque facade. The buildings gradually slope to the sea where the much famed Esplanade of Spain separates the port from the city. There is always a buoyant atmosphere on the esplanade, where some stroll beneath the palm trees and others sit on terraces sipping the local beverages. Alicante offers excellent shopping whilst the marina is surrounded by many superb restaurants and cafes.

Santa Pola has an altitude of 140m which is high enough in to command a panoramic view over the province of Alicante and the Mediterranean coast in addition to protecting the town of Santa Pola from the easterly winds. The elongated island of Tabarca can be seen from the nearby lighthouse.

Guardamar del Segura is situated on the river Segura and is surrounded by rich farmland of orange groves, lemon groves, almond trees and various other crops. Its main attraction is its 11km stretch of natural golden sand, set with a backdrop of a shady pine forest. The forest, originally planted to prevent the movement of the sand dunes, is now a beautiful nature reserve and is a popular place for cool walks and picnics.
You will find everything you need in Guardamar from ice cream parlours, restaurants, shops and bars to a wide variety of sports facilities including tennis courts, a large municipal pool and a well equipped sports complex. There is a strong family atmosphere in Guardamar, especially in the evening when the craft market and fun fair come to life.

Torrevieja is a cosmopolitan town hosting a wide variety of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and many local flamboyant fiestas. This town caters for all the family and you can take part in many activities such as walking, snorkelling, swimming and horse riding. It is also worth mentioning the new cycle path, which encircles the Torrevieja salt lake. It is to these salt lakes that sailing ships from Cuba anchored in the docks to load salt and consequently their influence can still be felt around Torrevieja.
The famous Friday market is certainly not to be missed, it sells everything from fresh fruit to housing accessories and gifts and of course there is plenty of choice in the many boutiques of the town. A living, breathing, commercial Spanish town! The lovely Maritime Paseo (Promenade) alongside the Mediterranean with bars and restaurants completes the picture.

The Golden Triangle of golf courses to the west of Cabo Roig consists of Las Ramblas which is by consensus, the most demanding of the three and is in a very picturesque and desirable area. Campoamor has a superb newly built hotel, clubhouse and sports complex, the course plays long with wide fairways. Villa Martin has a championship course and has a bustling square at its centre offering international restaurants and bars.

Orihuela, the Capital City of the “Vega Baja” region is placed inland south of the Valencian Community on the Costa Blanca. Steeped in history, essentially, Mediterranean, it is represented by a rich, civil, religious historical and artistic heritage. Palaces, churches, convents and coat of arms take us back to the days gone by. Orihuela offers a whole Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque world.
Orihuela is a city of contrasts, largely created by the River Segura which meanders through the city with citrus and palm trees along the riverbanks. Contrasting with this are the dry land areas where olive and almond trees provide sparse coverage for the soil. To the north of the town the palmeral (palm tree forest) is an invitation to calm quiet strolls. Essentially Spanish, the city offers wonderful shopping, restaurants, bars, museums and theatre with the palm tree a permanent sight on the horizon!

Orihuela Costa, the municipal district of Orihuela includes 15km of coastline with excellent beaches, hidden coves and impressive cliffs – Cabo Roig, Punta Prima, Playa Flamenca, La Zenia, Campoamor and La Zenia are some of the spots where you might like to sunbathe or swim. These beaches are awarded the Blue Flag year after year under the European Union Environmental Regulations. Inland are beautiful golf courses in lush scenery surrounded by pines, almond and olive trees with the azure sea always marking the horizon. Orihuela Costa also has extensive facilities for nautical sports of all kinds at its Cabo Roig and Campoamor Marinas.

About the Costa Calida
Translated, Costa Calida means the “Hot Coast”. The Costa Calida follows the coastline of the Province of Murcia with San Pedro in the north and Vera in the south. The area boasts the naval port of Cartegena and an airport at San Javier (Murcia). Murcia is known as the capital of Baroque as no other Spanish city can equal the number of monuments built in this style.
Everywhere can be found churches and civil buildings with facades of curvilinear and exuberant decoration. One of Murcia’s principal attractions is the awe inspiring Cathedral, its erection began in 1394. The town is ennobled by palaces and stately houses almost all of which are situated in the area around the lively and bubbling streets of La Traperia and La Plateria, the main streets of the old quarter. Murcia boasts the best shopping of the region and a visit is recommended.

Mar Menor a privileged spot on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, is an indentation in the coastline where the water enters, forming a huge bay, separated from the Mediterranean itself by a long and narrow sandy barrier, the La Manga strip. This gigantic lake, known as the Inland Sea with still waters, dotted with tiny islands, has around its shores a multitude of landscapes.
The warm waters of the Mar Menor, rich in mineral salts and iodine, offer a simple and natural relief for people suffering from circulatory problems or rheumatism. Healthy baths, radiant sun, aquatic sports, agreeable surroundings are some of the chief attractions of this area, all of which can be enjoyed the whole year round, given the constantly mild temperatures.

La Manga has something for everyone: for those who wish to bask in the sun, or those who enjoy water sports activities such as skiing, fishing and scuba diving and of course, keen golfers also have the famous La Manga Golf and Country Club.

La Manga Club can certainly be classed as one of the top sporting clubs in the world, it boasts 3 first-class golf courses, 22 tennis courts, a newly laid grass bowling green and a well equipped health club. For those who fancy a flutter on the tables, the complex also houses a casino. The Club is blessed with cooling sea breezes during the summer and has many beaches to visit both on and off the complex.
Cartagena was conquered by the Romans in 209BC, the first settlement founded in the natural harbour of Cartagena was constructed in 223BC by the Carthaginians who called it the Quart Hadas (New City). In the 18^th century it became a naval base and is rumoured to be the oldest harbour in the World. This seaside town of Cartegena is steeped in history, maintaining its grandeur and contains many examples of religious architecture
and some outstanding pieces of art, there is an ancient Roman castle which has been rebuilt and enlarged. There are magnificent views of the surrounding area including the busy quayside from the park which surrounds the ruins of Cartagena’s castle Castillo de la Concepcion - a cultural delight!

Pinoso or as it is also known Pinos is nestled in amongst mountains right on the Murcia/Valencia border at a position 450 meters above sea level, it became independent from Monóvar in 1826 and is a prosperous town primarily active in vine monoculture and the extraction of salt and marble. For people looking for real Spain and true Spanish rural lifestyle this is it.
The countryside of its extensive district provides a contrast between the green pine groves of the Sierra del Coto and the white limey soil of vineyards growing the Monastrell grape and produce highly-rated red wines. Rosé, white and Fondillón dessert wines are also produced and form part of the 'denominación de origen' wine area of Alicante - the Bodega Co-operative wine cellar has a storage capacity of 14,000,000 litres. Pinoso produces and extracts salt, which is then processed and marketed by Torrevieja. The town also extracts marble to be worked by the inhabitants of Novelda. The countryside of this extensive district provides a contrast between the green pine groves of the Sierra del Coto and the white limey soil of the vineyards. Major festivals are celebrated in August and this is a week not to be missed, 1^st - 10^th, the whole town takes it as an excuse to close up and make merry, a fantastic insight into "real Spanish life". In February, the 'Día del Villazgo' fair is held to commemorate its independence as a municipality. Pinoso is only approx 24km from the local Spa town, Fortuna, here you will find the steam rooms and water therapy services, swimming pools, hot springs and massage facilities.

Hondon De La Nieves is a flat bottomed, wide and long valley, the Eastern end of which is unusually green in nature and is well established as a grape growing area with vineyards all around and bodegas in abundance. The green valley bottom with grass and flowers (poppies etc) interspersed between the vineyards is a pretty sight and the valley is surrounded by sloping mountains, covered in pine trees (there are mountain trails here for the more energetic walkers).
As one heads West the valley gets drier and more rugged, with almond and olive groves, a little way into the Murcia region of the valley there are some magnificent views out over the valley of the Chicamo river toward the city of Murcia, at night it is a spectacular sea of lights, a truly picturesque area of Spain and one that is becoming more popular with the ex-pat. Toward the Eastern end of this beautiful valley is the village of Hondon de las Nieves and further East is the sister village of Hondon de los Frailes. Both villages have seen an upturn in life of late and are both investing in public amenities to benefit the community as a whole. There are bars and restaurants and each has its own village square where life radiates from.

Fortuna is a spa town to the northeast of Murcia near the border of the province. Famous for its hot springs which were greatly appreciated by the Romans, Fortuna is fast becoming popular once again as the town becomes an important centre for hydrotherapy, beauty treatments and other therapies associated with the natural hot mineral water.
Fortuna is a typical Spanish town, as yet unexploited, with peaceful streets and a white church with a curious tower. For country lovers, to the south of Fortuna, there is a large lake, enclosed in a nature preservation area and surrounded by woods, ideal for walking or fishing. The village of Abanilla with a population of 7000 is a few kilometres west of Fortuna, Fortuna has a population of 6200. It is 45km to the coast from Fortuna. The City of Murcia is 18km away, San Javier airport is 38km away, Alicante airport is 60km away. A new Internatioal Airport at Corvera we are told to be the same size as Alicante, is due to open in 2008, just south of Murcia. Altorreal Golf Club is 10km the other side of Murcia.