The Area

Costa Blanca
This glorious part of Spain is known as the "White Coast" with its unique climate and lots of blue flag beaches. This area of Spain is renown for its salt lakes and has been identified by the World Health Organisation as one of the healthiest places in the world to live. The area is famous for its abundance of Orange and Lemon groves, spectacular blue flag beaches and Golf courses such as La Finca, Villamartin, Las Ramblas and Campoamor to name just a few.

Costa Blanca is 170 miles along Spain's east coast, centred on Alicante and running from Valencia in the north to La Manga in the south. Famous for the resort of Benidorm having a reputation for being a family resort, the countryside of the north of the Costa Blanca is ruggedly mountainous and rocky. All resorts have plenty to offer tourists with a wide selection of accommodation.

The area is served by Alicante airport. Alicante is a holiday resort in itself and offers a wonderful city with great shopping. Just south of the airport lies the resort of Torrevieja with it's sandy beaches and lively markets, golf courses and variety of accommodation. Further south is Cartagena and the well known sports and golf complex of La Manga.

Inland from the beaches lies one of Spain's most fertile areas, well known for the citrus trees that supply fruit worldwide, almond trees that blanket the ground with rich blossom and date palms.

Fiestas
There are so many on the Costa Blanca you are bound to see one wherever you are at whatever time of year. As with the rest of Spain, one of the most important events is the Semana Santa or Easter Week. These deeply religious celebrations are amazing to see.

Sports and recreation
Most of the major resorts have facilities for water sports such as skiing, boating, jet-skiing and several have diving and snorkelling available. Wind surfing is one of Spain's fastest growing sports and is very popular on this coast. Scuba-diving is also very popular here.

Costa Calida (Murcia)
The Costa Calida extends 250km from the beach of Carolina in Aguilas to the beach at El Mojon on the boundary with Alicante. This stretch of the Murcia coastline is blessed with 315 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 17 degrees. The area offers a diverse selection of activities for the visitor including all manner of water sports, hiking, hill-climbing and much more.

The Costa Calida begins at El Mojon, an old fishing village with a superb beach. A short distance from El Mojon you will find the Regional Park of Las Salinas y Arenales de San Pedro del Pinatar, the most important wetlands in the region of Murcia. Flocks of pink flamingos rest here every year.

Here there are salt works which date back to the Romans that feature a complex network of pools. From Torrevieja take the road to San Pedro del Pinatar and visit the Casa del Reloj on the San Sebastian Farm and around two kilometres away is Lo Pagan, a town with the largest area of open-area mud baths in Europe. The mud baths are recommended for all kinds of skin complaints.

 Cartagena with it's wealth of archaeological treasures including a recently discovered Roman theatre, museums and a port who's history spans 3,000 years.

The Mar Menor is the 'world's largest pool' in the southeast of Murcia. It is a shallow lagoon of 170 square km with warm waters and gentle winds. It is known to be one of the best places in Europe to learn water sports. The Mar Menor is separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow strip of land only 22km wide, called La Manga del Mar Menor. It's sandy beach and clear waters have made it one of the highest regarded resorts on the Mediterranean. The beaches are complimented by a huge range of hotels, casinos and golf courses.

Cabo de Palos is a charming seafront village with a unique 19th century lighthouse and two delightful beaches. For deep sea diving lessons this is an ideal locution with lots of places of interest for divers, experts and learners alike.

Mazarrón and Águilas
Puerto de Mazarrón is a seaside resort town with excellent hotel facilities and a lively night life. You must visit the fishing port and the fish auction. The local coastline offers splendid beaches and unspoilt coasts. About 3km from the coast is the town of Mazarrón with some excellent buildings including the Town Hall and several churches. Here too you will find the ruins of Velez Castle.

The coastal road takes you southwest to Águilas, an old Roman fishing port. Hornillo Wharf, where iron was loaded for shipping still stands, a reminder that this was once a 19th century mining town. In the centre of Águilas you must visit the lovely gardens in the Plaza España, the 19th century Town Hall and the impressive church of San José. In the high part of the town there is the castle of San Juan de Águilas built in 1579. At the foot of the castle is the harbour and a typical lighthouse. The coastline here offers excellent diving too.

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