Costa Blanca Towns - Guardamar del Segura and its Neighbours

Guardamar del Segura – Situated at the mouth of the Segura river, Guardamar del Segura is one of the most popular of the Vega Baja coastal resorts. Its wonderful sandy beaches and excellent climate are the main attractions and it is popular with both Spanish and European holidaymakers. Guardamar’s ancient castle and old town were destroyed by a huge earthquake in 1829 and the town was re-built closer to the sea but the ever moving sand dunes of Guardamar del Segura encroached on the new town and a huge tree planting project was started in the late 19th Century to anchor the sand and save the town. This wonderful tree-planted area now forms 2 beautiful shady parks.

Orihuela – The capital of the Vega Baja region of the Alicante province, Orihuela is an ancient town with a long and distinguished history. Though there were settlements in the area during the Bronze Age, Orihuela came into its own during the Roman occupation when it was known as Auraiola, later an important headquarters for the Moors under Teodomiro it was re-conquered for the Christians in 1296. Recognised for its large number of beautiful churches, palaces and monasteries, Orihuela also has several museums that are worth visiting while in the town.

Torrevieja – Every year thousands of holidaymakers from Spain and indeed all over Europe head for the Costa Blanca town of Torrevieja. Its great range of facilities, its excellent sandy beaches and its lively atmosphere all help to make it a popular choice. Formerly a small fishing village, Torrevieja became one of the major salt exporters in the world thanks to the two huge salt lakes located behind the town. An explosion in property development during the 1980’s and 1990’s caused the town to grow at a phenomenal rate.

Ciudad Quesada – The story of Ciudad Quesada is completely different and unique to that of any other town or village of the Costa Blanca, or in fact the whole of Spain. It is not a story of ancient settlers, nor of bitter wars fought between Arabs and Christians, Ciudad Quesada does not have a medieval fortress or an age-worn parish church built over the course of a hundred years. Ciudad Quesada is the result of one man’s childhood dream, a dream to build his own ‘Holiday City’ where people could live together in harmony, prosper and enjoy life to the full. That dream of one Justo Quesada Samper finally became a reality in 1972 when the city of Ciudad Quesada was begun and had reached fruition by 1999 when it boasted its own Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) and its own Mayor.

Formentera del Segura – Originally a Moorish village, Formentera del Segura was conquered by the Christian king Jaime I (‘The Conquistador’) in 1242, the village changed hands a number of times over the prevailing centuries until 1730 when it came under control of Nicolas Pérez de Sarrio (The Lord of Formentera), who gave the village its current name. Largely destroyed by the great earthquake of 1829, Formentera del Segura was re-built by 1840 culminating in the building of the parish church. Relying mostly on agriculture and citrus farming for its survival Formentera del Segura benefits from an irrigation system put into place by the Moors centuries ago. One of its most popular fiestas is ‘The Day of the Bicycle’ featuring a race involving many of its inhabitants.

Rojales – A pretty village located on the banks of the Segura river, Rojales has been able to keep its traditional Spanish feel, despite the onslaught of tourism and property development. With a history stretching back to the Arab Occupation, Rojales still has evidence of irrigation systems put into place by the Moors during their time in the area. Worth visiting while in Rojales are the Water Wheel, the Azud, the Charles III bridge and the Gasparito Wells, also worth a look are the cave houses at El Rodeo, where a regular craft market is held.

Almoradi – The Costa Blanca town of Almoradi has some 13,000 inhabitants and is another of the traditional towns of the Vega Baja district. Almoradi is notable for its being the home of a water tribunal which exists to resolve disputes over irrigation (this being an important agricultural area), the tribunal is an ancient and historic institution which imposes fines in Vellón Reals – old Spanish coins from the region’s ancient past. Worth visiting in Almoradi are the casino, the church of San Andrés and the Cortés Theatre where traditional Spanish plays can be observed.

Here are just a few of the interesting towns and villages to visit around Guardamar del Segura.

This excellent article about the Costa Blanca resort of Guardamar del Segura was written by Steve Locke who lives nearby in Cabo Roig. To read more about Guardamar del Segura and many other Spanish towns click here:- Guardamar del Segura and to learn about neighbouring Rojales look here:- Rojales