Orihuela Costa and Torrevieja areas
Playa Flamenca is a lovely residential area close to some lovely sandy beaches. It has a relaxed, friendly, family atmosphere, is not too commercialised and has a homely feel about it. As well as a lively Play Flamenca commercial centre with smaller businesses and great bars and restaurants, it has some good local supermarkets, the Spanish Mercadona and Supercor with more international goods. It is also very close to the huge La Zenia Boulevard and has good road links via the AP7 and N332 to beaches and towns further afield.
Punta Prima is the most northern point of the Orihuela Costa before arriving at Torrevieja. Thus it has the advantage of taking offer of all the attractions that the Orihuela Costa has to offer as well as easy access into the larger town of Torrevieja, by bus or by car. It has a large beach with fine sand and a smaller cove, as well as some great views; the restaurant Nautilus is rather special with its situation perched on a headland, and Punta Prima is where the stunning Orihuela Costa costal path starts and finishes so is ideal for those who like long walks by the sea. It also has a commercial centre with large shops and restaurants, and many other restaurants and activities close by.
La Zenia is possibly the most popular area of the Orihuela Costa. It has two superb sandy beaches for relaxing and when you are feeling more active, it has the biggest shopping mall in the Alicante province, La Zenia Boulevard (only 20 minutes drive from Las Colinas), which offers everything, a super shopping experience, activities for children, a wide range of restaurants and bars, free live music, bowling and a Casino. La Zenia also has easy access north and south via the AP7 and N332, great and easy roads to drive on.
Cabo Roig is a really popular beach resort, both for holiday makers and for residents. Its blue flag beaches and the popular Cabo Roig strip with a plethora of lively restaurants and bars have led to this area being a very popular holiday destination. Make sure you visit the historic Caob Roig watchtower, take the scenic clifftop paths, and visit the Cabo Roig marina, one of the most beautiful and popular on the Coast Blanca coastline.
Villamartin is an area known for its proximity to three other championship golf courses besides the jewel in the crown, Las Colinas; Campoamor, Las Ramblas, and Villamartin. It is an established residential area, as well as popular with holiday makers, and has its own attractive plaza with numerous restaurants and bars. This is also only five minutes drive from the rapidly expanding and popular La Fuente commercial centre also with many bars and restaurants, both easily accessible from Las Colinas. Villamartin Plaza has a fairly exotic feel due to the established palms and beautiful foliage and the numerous green parakeets that are seen in the area.
Campoamor is both a holiday resort and an established residential area at the south of the Orihuela Costa. It has several good golf courses nearby, an excellent commercial centre called La Fuente with a wide selection of small shops and good restaurants, as well as Banks and some really good beaches, La Glea (where the Las Colinas Beach Club is situated) is a stunning long sandy one with some lovely beachside restaurants with good fish and paella. The wide range of facilities make it one of the best equipped of Orihuela Costa’s beaches, with jet-ski and pedal-boat hire, a children’s play area, sunbeds and sunshades at the disposal of those using the beach bars and complete safety measures (lifeguards, watchtower and first aid point).
The Calas or coves of La Zenia, Orihuela Costa, are really quite special. After Playa Flamenca, the first is Cala Cerrada, which is quite small and enclosed and has a paved promenade above it with a small playground. There is a small beach bar up there and a grassy area. There are steps down to the sand. Cala Bosque at La Zenia is close to the well-known and liked Hotel La Zenia, and overlooked by the large and busy restaurant, La Mirada, a lovely place to sit out and look at the beautiful beach and blue Mediterranean sea. The beach is a lovely large beach with a beach bar, sun loungers and umbrellas, showers, toilets, beach volleyball net, and even a large rope climbing frame for the children. Sometimes there are sand sculptors there with their impressive creations. A short rough path joins a wide promenade round to the most impressive beach of all, Cala Capitan, another blue flag beach, with a rocky island, sometimes connected to the sand and otherwise not. It also has a gently sloping shallow lagoon ideal for younger children and all the usual beach facilities in this area. There is a good small German restaurant at the back of the beach and like the others parking at the back of it. It is quite simply perfect.
Closer to Las Colinas, there is the small Spanish town of San Miguel de Salinas, with many restaurants and bars, and a very Spanish feel. There is a popular market on a Wednesday morning. San Miguel has a lovely small town square with a pleasant church. On the other side of San Miguel, you can take the roads to Torrevieja or Orihuela. The foundations of Orihuela were made by the Romans. They called it Orchelis. Later it was the Dukedom of Teodomiro, before it was captured by the Moors in 711.
The most important places of architectural interest in Orihuela now are an Arabic castle with its towers, a Catholic cathedral built between the 14th and 16th centuries (re-built on grounds where a mosque had once been in the XII century) and shows a Gothic style. This city was chosen by Ferdinand and Isabella to be the starting point for the Spanish final battle with the Moors, the Baroque church of Santo Domingo and the Palace of Rubalcava. This was inhabited by a 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.
It is also very enjoyable to amble around the narrow streets enjoying the ambiance and looking at some of the lovely private houses. In February, there is one of the largest medieval markets in Spain, with an amazing atmosphere.
Any visitor to Torrevieja is bound to visit the port 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 such as the Paraje Natural Municipal Molino del Agua and the Park of Nations where you can sit down and just relax under the shade. Torrevieja is only 20 minutes from Las Colians Golf and Country Club.
For sightseeing in Torrevieja you can enjoy the harbour, the fish market, the Church of La Inmaculata Conception, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, tour of the S-61 Delfin submarine and the museum of sea and salt.
Torrevieja literally translates as Torre Vieja which means the Old Tower, 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. One of the reasons people wish to move or come to this area is due to the salt lakes. Torrevieja is surrounded by the salt lakes of the Laguna Salada de la Mata and the Laguna Salada de Torrevieja and as a result the climate is meant to be very healthy especially for people with arthritis.
The salt lakes are protected and form a natural 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. Make sure you visit the Salt Museum. Also do not miss the local market selling fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other locally-made goods and produce – market day in Torrevieja is on a Friday and it is a huge market. Torrevieja is also home to the Habaneras Shopping Centre and a 24 hr Carrefour. Torrevieja has three excellent hospitals. There are also private and national health clinics with many doctors and dentists of all nationalities.
Playa Flamenca is a lovely residential area close to some lovely sandy beaches. It has a relaxed, friendly, family atmosphere, is not too commercialised and has a homely feel about it. As well as a lively Play Flamenca commercial centre with smaller businesses and great bars and restaurants, it has some good local supermarkets, the Spanish Mercadona and Supercor with more international goods. It is also very close to the huge La Zenia Boulevard and has good road links via the AP7 and N332 to beaches and towns further afield.
Punta Prima is the most northern point of the Orihuela Costa before arriving at Torrevieja. Thus it has the advantage of taking offer of all the attractions that the Orihuela Costa has to offer as well as easy access into the larger town of Torrevieja, by bus or by car. It has a large beach with fine sand and a smaller cove, as well as some great views; the restaurant Nautilus is rather special with its situation perched on a headland, and Punta Prima is where the stunning Orihuela Costa costal path starts and finishes so is ideal for those who like long walks by the sea. It also has a commercial centre with large shops and restaurants, and many other restaurants and activities close by.
La Zenia is possibly the most popular area of the Orihuela Costa. It has two superb sandy beaches for relaxing and when you are feeling more active, it has the biggest shopping mall in the Alicante province, La Zenia Boulevard (only 20 minutes drive from Las Colinas), which offers everything, a super shopping experience, activities for children, a wide range of restaurants and bars, free live music, bowling and a Casino. La Zenia also has easy access north and south via the AP7 and N332, great and easy roads to drive on.
Cabo Roig is a really popular beach resort, both for holiday makers and for residents. Its blue flag beaches and the popular Cabo Roig strip with a plethora of lively restaurants and bars have led to this area being a very popular holiday destination. Make sure you visit the historic Caob Roig watchtower, take the scenic clifftop paths, and visit the Cabo Roig marina, one of the most beautiful and popular on the Coast Blanca coastline.
Villamartin is an area known for its proximity to three other championship golf courses besides the jewel in the crown, Las Colinas; Campoamor, Las Ramblas, and Villamartin. It is an established residential area, as well as popular with holiday makers, and has its own attractive plaza with numerous restaurants and bars. This is also only five minutes drive from the rapidly expanding and popular La Fuente commercial centre also with many bars and restaurants, both easily accessible from Las Colinas. Villamartin Plaza has a fairly exotic feel due to the established palms and beautiful foliage and the numerous green parakeets that are seen in the area.
Campoamor is both a holiday resort and an established residential area at the south of the Orihuela Costa. It has several good golf courses nearby, an excellent commercial centre called La Fuente with a wide selection of small shops and good restaurants, as well as Banks and some really good beaches, La Glea (where the Las Colinas Beach Club is situated) is a stunning long sandy one with some lovely beachside restaurants with good fish and paella. The wide range of facilities make it one of the best equipped of Orihuela Costa’s beaches, with jet-ski and pedal-boat hire, a children’s play area, sunbeds and sunshades at the disposal of those using the beach bars and complete safety measures (lifeguards, watchtower and first aid point).
The Calas or coves of La Zenia, Orihuela Costa, are really quite special. After Playa Flamenca, the first is Cala Cerrada, which is quite small and enclosed and has a paved promenade above it with a small playground. There is a small beach bar up there and a grassy area. There are steps down to the sand. Cala Bosque at La Zenia is close to the well-known and liked Hotel La Zenia, and overlooked by the large and busy restaurant, La Mirada, a lovely place to sit out and look at the beautiful beach and blue Mediterranean sea. The beach is a lovely large beach with a beach bar, sun loungers and umbrellas, showers, toilets, beach volleyball net, and even a large rope climbing frame for the children. Sometimes there are sand sculptors there with their impressive creations. A short rough path joins a wide promenade round to the most impressive beach of all, Cala Capitan, another blue flag beach, with a rocky island, sometimes connected to the sand and otherwise not. It also has a gently sloping shallow lagoon ideal for younger children and all the usual beach facilities in this area. There is a good small German restaurant at the back of the beach and like the others parking at the back of it. It is quite simply perfect.
Closer to Las Colinas, there is the small Spanish town of San Miguel de Salinas, with many restaurants and bars, and a very Spanish feel. There is a popular market on a Wednesday morning. San Miguel has a lovely small town square with a pleasant church. On the other side of San Miguel, you can take the roads to Torrevieja or Orihuela. The foundations of Orihuela were made by the Romans. They called it Orchelis. Later it was the Dukedom of Teodomiro, before it was captured by the Moors in 711.
The most important places of architectural interest in Orihuela now are an Arabic castle with its towers, a Catholic cathedral built between the 14th and 16th centuries (re-built on grounds where a mosque had once been in the XII century) and shows a Gothic style. This city was chosen by Ferdinand and Isabella to be the starting point for the Spanish final battle with the Moors, the Baroque church of Santo Domingo and the Palace of Rubalcava. This was inhabited by a 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.
It is also very enjoyable to amble around the narrow streets enjoying the ambiance and looking at some of the lovely private houses. In February, there is one of the largest medieval markets in Spain, with an amazing atmosphere.
Any visitor to Torrevieja is bound to visit the port 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 such as the Paraje Natural Municipal Molino del Agua and the Park of Nations where you can sit down and just relax under the shade. Torrevieja is only 20 minutes from Las Colians Golf and Country Club.
For sightseeing in Torrevieja you can enjoy the harbour, the fish market, the Church of La Inmaculata Conception, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, tour of the S-61 Delfin submarine and the museum of sea and salt.
Torrevieja literally translates as Torre Vieja which means the Old Tower, 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. One of the reasons people wish to move or come to this area is due to the salt lakes. Torrevieja is surrounded by the salt lakes of the Laguna Salada de la Mata and the Laguna Salada de Torrevieja and as a result the climate is meant to be very healthy especially for people with arthritis.
The salt lakes are protected and form a natural 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. Make sure you visit the Salt Museum. Also do not miss the local market selling fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other locally-made goods and produce – market day in Torrevieja is on a Friday and it is a huge market. Torrevieja is also home to the Habaneras Shopping Centre and a 24 hr Carrefour. Torrevieja has three excellent hospitals. There are also private and national health clinics with many doctors and dentists of all nationalities.
