Santa Pola

A busy little working town, situated a mere 15 minutes south of Alicante & its airport. It boasts a picturesque harbour from where the local fishing boats can be seen off loading their daily catch, which can then be purchased from the out door market within the hour, or indeed sampled in one of the towns many fine restaurants.
The beautiful sandy beaches stretch for almost 10 miles attracting visitors from all over Spain, particularly in the height of summer, the beach at Playa del Tamarit being very popular with naturists. Santa Pola's past has always been intimately linked to the sea, and the sea has determined much of its economy, culture, gastronomy and the identity of its people. In ancient times it was Elche's port and managed to build up one of the biggest fishing fleets of the entire Mediterranean.

Neighbouring towns are Elche (inland), Alicante (the provincial capital) along the coast to the North and Guardamar del Segura down the coast to the South. The Salinas (salt-flats) are another interesting aspect of Santa Pola. Exploitation of the salt-flats began at the end of the 19th century and they extended over an 880-hectare area that produced 100,000 tons of salt per year. The area is now a Nature Reserve where many migratory birds pass the winter. The reserve is also the natural habitat of several aquatic species such as albatross, herons and Flamingos.

Benidorm with all its attractions, including Terra Mitica theme park, Aqualandia Water Park and Mundomar Animal Park is less than 1 hour's drive to the north. Torrevieja is a 25 minutes drive to the south and boasts one of the largest street markets in Spain. Santa Pola has a transport infrastructure, which makes it easy for tourists and visitors to get to the town and travel around the area. There are regular bus services to carry passengers to towns and cities across the length and breadth of the country including Alicante, Benidorm and Torrevieja. For golfers El Plantia and Bonalbar are 20 minutes drive away. Las Ramblas, La Campoamar, Villa Martin and Greenlands are all within 45 minutes drive.

Presiding over the centre of the town is the 16th century fortress castle built in the military Renaissance style. Today it contains the chapel of the Virgin of Loreto, an aquarium displaying some of the fauna from the Santa Pola bay and the Sea Museum exhibiting archaeological artifacts showing an extensive array of maritime objects and gear. Near the castle lie the ruins of the ancient Portus Illicitanus, where you can see the Roman "Palmeral" Villa from the early Empire and a 4th century Roman fish factory, in addition to numerous Iberian and Greek ruins.

With its typically Mediterranean climate, in Santa Pola one lives constantly in springtime, with an average annual temperature of 18 degrees Celsius, which makes this area an ideal spot for leisure and recreation throughout the year.
All manners of water sports can be found here and because of the fishing industry, fresh fish can be found all over the town's restaurants.

Pola Park ideal for the younger kids and is located just outside of the town centre. It is just the place to spend a few hours strolling around in the evening sun. Admission to the park is FREE with use of the rides charged individually.