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Our
aim Is to help you to completely relax and enjoy the tropical climate
here in the real Spain
Here are a few places to visit during your stay with us (tranquility
ratings are our opinion only).
(the
times in brackets are approximate travelling times by car but if you
don't want to drive ask about day trips)
| Abanilla | Albatera | Alicante | Benidorm | Santa Pola | Tabarca Island | Torrevieja |
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The
Beaches If
you just want to relax on quiet sandy BLUE
FLAG beaches they are only a short drive away.
The shallow Mediterranean Sea (safe for bathing) laps the golden
sands. |
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Clean
local beaches |
Tranquil
ratings **** |
The
beach at Pinet |
Santa
Pola The small
commercial fishing port of Santa Pola is about 25 minutes away
together with its lovely broad sandy beaches. Also, if you are there early enough you can park right next to the beach (no parking charges here) and have a wonderful day. |
Fishing boats at Santa Pola |
Just some of the attractions available in Santa Pola:
Museum
of the sea
In
the southern wing of the Castle you will find the Museum of the Sea
(Museo del Mar) with modern facilities. In the archeology and ethnography
sections there are differing displays which take you on a ride through
the history of Santa Pola. The sea is the central theme around which
the exhibition is built.
Archeological Museum
Find
out something about the culture of the ancient Iberian population of
the town as well as the development of the Portus Illicitanus of Roman
times.
The
Aquarium
The
prime objective of the aquarium is to make visitors aware of the mediterranean
environment and the various species, both flora and fauna, which live
in it. The aquarium provides an important tool for teaching and informing
by allowing the observation of these ecosystems by broad sectors of
the public for whom such habitats normally would be inaccessible. Some
research work is also carried out.
The new municipal aquarium replaces the older one, which was to be found
in one of the rooms within the walls of the Castle. The new location
is much better situated and allows the exposure of certain activities
to the public which, previously, it was impossible to do. The equipment
and facilities have also been improved.
The
total area of the facility is 707 square metres and consists of a central
hall in which are installed 9 large aquarium tanks, situated round the
perimeter, except for one located in the centre. They contain a total
volume of 200 cubic metres of sea water, where visitors may observe
many representative samples of the fauna and flora of our coastline.
There is an Audio-visual room which can hold 40 people, which is used
for displaying videos and holding talks and lectures. Finally, there
is a small shop where visitors may buy various items (guides, posters,
videos, books ...).
The design of the grand central Hall (decoration, illumination etc.)
and its arrangement allows the visitor, besides being able to wander
freely, to feel himself immersed in a submarine environment and observe
about one hundred different species which have been acclimatised to
the Municipal Aquarium of Santa Pola. Amongst them we can pick out the
"musolas" (sharks which are very common around our coasts),
"meros" (groupers), "congrios" (conger eels), "doradas",
"sargos" (sea bream), "seriolas" , "peces-ballesta"
(crossbow fish), etc. And we mustn't forget the amusing turtles and
a great variety of marine invertebrates.
Tranquil rating ***
Tabarca
Island:
A short 30 minute boat
ride from Santa Pola will take you to the island of Tabarca which has
been designated a Marine Nature Reserve and is an excellent place for
snorkelling.
You can catch one of the glass bottomed boats which leave every half hour and cost around €13 (summer 2007). It's well worth going down on to the observation deck as the sea life is plentiful and varied, due to Tabarca being a protected Nature and Marine Reserve since the 1980s. The ride is pleasant as the sea in this part of the Costa Blanca coast is almost always calm.
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Approaching
Tabarca |
Saint
Josephs Tower |
Stress
free
Once you have arrived you can take a walk around the tiny island; just
under 2 kilometres by 400 metres. On the way round you will see a Fortress,
a Church, a few Fishermen's houses, a couple of Restaurants and La Trancada
Hotel, where the speciality is seafood. There are no cars and no stress.
Snorkelling
After lunch you will probably stumble upon one of the many secluded
beaches, and go for a snorkel in the transparent Mediterranean waters
or simply relax with a glass of Sangria and a good book.
Pirates
In the past, Tabarca
was occupied by Pirates and during the 18th Century colonised by Genoese
Prisoners. Italian surnames are still to be found in the churchyard
as proof of this.
Advice
We suggest you
take plenty of soft drinks and water and we also suggest a packed
lunch. If you decide to buy anything take note of the advertised price
and double check the price by asking before purchasing
anything.
This is a fantastic island with great snorkelling. Don't forget the
sunshade and suncream as there is little natural shade from the sun
where the snorkelling is at it's best!
Tranquil
rating *****
Archena
- Spa Baths: (30 Minutes)
Archena is the oldest Spa in Spain, dating back to the Roman
times. The Romans discovered the curing properties of these waters,
and built a Spa for the soldiers. In the Middle Ages, the baths belonged
to the Knights of Santiago and later on to the holy order of Saint
John who used the mineral waters to cure certain types of wounds.
The natural waters found at the spa have minerals in them which are believed to relief and "cure" certain health and skin problems. No matter why you visit the spa; the area and the settings alone are worth the visit.
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Even if you don't go in to the spa it is quite pleasant to have a snack and it is possible to eat outside the "Casino" building for a very reasonable price. |
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The
Casino Building |
Once you reach
the town of Archena (worth a visit in itself) just follow the brown
signs to Balneario de Archena which will take you just a couple of
kilometres outside of the town.
Tranquil rating
***(some
excavation happening at the moment so could be quieter!)
Jijona (Xixona)
Jijona is inland from Alicante and is famous because of the turron that is made there. Turron is made mainly as a special treat for Christmas and therefore the factories are only in production from about mid-June to mid-December. For the other months of the year the workers work in either their own businesses or in the ice-cream factory which also only operates for part of the year.
The
Turron
factory which produces the famous El Lobo (The Wolf) and
1880 brands also has a museum
and shop to visit and there are regular guided tours throughout
the day in various languages. |
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A
mill to grind the almonds to powder |
A
Rolls Royce used for publicity (1980's) |
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More
places to visit here
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