Villages of the Vega Baja – Algorfa

Algorfa is one of the Southern Costa Blanca’s many citrus farming villages, lying in rich and fertile countryside in the Segura valley. Situated between the towns of Rojales and Almoradi, Algorfa has a large administrative area but is only a small village with a population of 2,914 (2006). Algorfa is a traditional Spanish village with a rich cultural heritage and its people have a warm, welcoming nature.

The earliest settlements in Algorfa appear to have been during the Neolithic Era, evidence of which were discovered in 1903 by an archaeologist from Orihuela who found tools and some human remains dating from about 3,000 BC.

Algorfa and its municipality was officially founded in 1328 by a privilege granted by Alfonso II after which it became part of the kingdom of Valencia. The original village comprised only fifteen houses with fifteen families. The privilege was withdrawn after the War of Succession in 1714 by Felipe V, but was restored before the end of the 18th Century by Carlos IV.

Modern day Algorfa is a warm and friendly place, where visitors are always given a smile and a generous welcome. The delightful village square houses the church, the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) and the police station, it is the centre of the community and the location for many fiestas, celebrations and local activities. There are several shops, restaurants and bars around the square but Algorfa is not a busy place, more of a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Algorfa enjoys a fabulous Mediterranean climate with an average annual temperature of around 19 degrees centigrade and in excess of 300 days of sunshine each year. The whole region has very little rainfall – the Segura river valley generally having the lowest annual rainfall in the whole of Spain.

Also worth seeing whilst in Algorfa are the quaint cave dwellings at nearby Rojales, the Parque Natural de La Mata y Torrevieja (a fine Natural Park with walking routes and rich wildlife), the substantial gardens at the Palace of the Marquis de Fontabla at Jacarilla and the 19th C neo-gothic church on the Benejuzar road.

The busy Algorfa Sunday market is also a "must visit" place whilst in the village a good place to find some great value local products.

Those with a little more energy to spare may want to take advantage of the local recreation centre with a host of sporting activities catered for including swimming, squash, tennis and five-a-side football, there is also a children’s play area included. Golfers will no doubt want to try out the La Finca Golf Club with its 18 hole (Par 72) championship golf course designed by Jose Gancedo and opened in 2001. The course is set in beautiful, natural surroundings with several lakes to bring variety and difficulty to the game. The usual cost of a round is 75 euros (2007). In the hot summer months a trip to the Aqua Splash Park at Quesada would be a pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Being an inland village, Algorfa itself has no beaches to enjoy, however only a short drive will get you to the beautiful sandy beaches at nearby Guardamar del Segura, other beaches at Torrevieja (very busy during July and August), La Mata and the Orihuela Costa are also close by.

So ends our trip to the small Costa Blanca village of Algorfa – warm, generous and friendly, the locals would love to see you some time soon.

Algorfa is just a 35 minute drive from 2 airports (Murcia and Alicante) and can be reached via the AP-7 motorway (junction 740) and from the CV-91 Orihuela to Guardamar del Segura road. Surrounding towns and villages include Benejuzar, Almoradi, Ciudada Quesada, Formentera del Segura and Rojales.

Newspaper contributor Steve Locke resides in Cabo Roig on the sunny Costa Blanca, Spain. His website is a wonderful resource for information on the Costa Blanca and surrounding areas. To see additional information on Algorfa follow this link:- Algorfa For details property for sale in the area look here:- Costa Blanca Property