COSTA BLANCA SOUTH AND MAP

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Costa Blanca South

The southern Costa Blanca stretches from Alicante south, down to the northern end of the Mar Menor near San Pedro del Pinatar. The climate is slightly warmer and dryer than to the north. Alicante is a busy city and has a lovely old port area and yacht marina overlooked by the famous Castilla Santa Barbara. It is possible to charter a yacht for a day, a week-end or longer from Alicante Marina, if you have an appropriate RYA certificate and can first obtain a permit from the harbour master. Ideal for a week or week - end sailing break in Spain.

Map Showing the Costa Blanca South

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The countryside to the south of Alicante is generally quite flat for around 10 -20 km inland down to Cartagena and is characterised by large areas of agricultural fields and salt lakes near the coastal plains, especially at Sant Pola. Alicante airport is situated just south of the city and a round kilometre inland from the coastal resort of El Altet. El Altet is used predominantly by Spanish holidaymakers, mainly in the summer months and is basically a coastal strip of high rise apartments. The beaches and dunes south of Alicante stretch for miles and are rated with Blue Flag Beach status.

Gran Alacant is a little further south and is where a high volume of new residential properties have been built over the last decade or so. Santa Pola is a fishing port with a large new yachting marina. There is a regular ferry service to Tabarca Island for day trippers.

La Marina and especially La Marina Urbanisation is a very popular residential area where many British and northern Europeans have settled or who have holiday homes there. The urbanisation is located around 3 Km inland from the coast and is quite busy all year round with its cosmopolitan residential population. There are a wide selection of banks, supermarkets, shops, bars and restaurants. The coastal "one horse town" of La Marina has a few shops, bars and restaurants and a beautiful pine forested dune area either side of the road just before the Blue Flag beach. There are rumours that La Marina will be getting its own golf course, maybe a top class hotel, a casino and a yacht marina if the local politicians keep their promises. Unlike most other urbanisations in the region, it is possible for those fit enough, to make a 10 minute bike ride or a 50 minute walk to the beach.

The coastal town of Guardamar is probably the nicest of all coastal towns in the southern Costa Blanca with not too much graffiti. There is a beautiful park in the centre of the town, Blue Flag beaches, street cafes, a natural park area and a new yacht marina. Several kilometres inland from Guardamar are the areas of Rojales, Formentera, and the Ciudad Quesada urbanisation. These towns and urbanisations are also popular areas where northern Europeans are buying property in the area and settling in to the Spanish lifestyle.

Torrevieja is a large coastal town with a fishing port, yacht marina and many new properties being built in the suburbs. Many people have moved there over the last 20 years or so and there's now a high percentage of British population in residence. The area has been extensively developed and offers a wide range of facilities , shopping malls, ultra modern hospitals etc. The town centre is very built up with low rise apartments in narrow streets. Mucho graffiti is apparent, which doesn't help to endear the town to many visiting people. There is a pleasant town square and promenade area with street cafes and market stalls by the port and marina area. Playa Flamenca , Cabo Roig and the Golf resorts of Villamartin, Las Ramblas and Campoamor are at the southern end of the southern Costa Blanca and have been highly developed with low level residential housing and a large amount of cafes restaurants, shops, bars, banks etc. In summary, with the exception of El Altet near the airport, there have been no significant high rise developments in the southern Costa Blanca. The Costa Blanca south is gradually becoming the "California of Europe".

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