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Local Information About the Costa Blanca and Torrevieja, Spain
Weather
The region is blessed with one of the best climates in Europe with an average of only 20 days rain per year (that's less than 2 days rain per month!), winter shade temperatures of over 16C (60F) and summer temperatures in the 30s C (90s F). The weather chart below provides information on average temperatures you should expect throughout the year.
The 'weather magnet' to the right shows you the weather forecast for today!
For a five day weather forecast of Torrevieja, click on this link
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Roll your mouse over the town names below to reveal more about the Costa Blanca
| Denia |
| The town of Denia is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. This is a delightful cosmopolitan town, rich in history and culture and its streets are a fascinating showcase of architecture through the ages. Its buildings are a permanent monument to the civilisations which have made their mark here - Iberian, Carthaginian, Roman, Arab and Christian. These days tourism blends comfortably with the hustle and bustle of a working town. |
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| Moraira |
| Moraira lies in a bay, on the South Eastern coast of Spain, between the larger resorts of Javea and Calpe, 80 kms (1 hr) from Alicante and 110 kms (1.5 hrs) from Valencia airports with excellent motorway and coastal roads from both. The town has pleasantly grown from a small fishing village to an attractive holiday and retirement resort retaining its considerable charm that attracts visitors from all over Europe and is particularly popular with Spanish from Madrid and Valencia. It has an impressive marina, excellent variety of local shops, weekly open markets, harbour-side fish restaurants and bars still retaining their Spanish character. |
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| Calpe |
| Calpe is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. The town is steeped in history and offers a wealth of culture - yet this ancient fishing port has comfortably married its centuries old past with the demands of modern day tourism. The town's most famous and distinguishing feature is its mighty Peñon de Ifach - the huge rock which rises 332 metres out of the Mediterranean, reminiscent of the rock of Gibraltar. The Peñon was declared a nature reserve in 1987 and now provides a safe haven for a variety of birds and unusual flora and fauna. |
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| Benidorm |
| Benidorm's major attractions are its spectacular beaches. The two huge sweeping crescents stretch for over three miles (five km) and are known as Levante and Poniente - Spanish for sunrise and sunset. They are kept meticulously clean and are consistently voted among the cleanest and most popular beaches in Europe. All sorts of watersports can be organised from the beaches from swimming and diving off the man-made rafts to jet skiing, banana boat rides, parasailing and scuba diving. On the outskirts of town tourists can visit the water parks or Terra Mitica, Spain's largest theme park with a terrifying roller coaster. |
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| Alicante |
| Alicante, a town along the White Coast of the Mediterranean Sea, with interesting old town and lively nightlife, is a wonderful place to come and enjoy the sun. You will find other tourists here but you will not find them as overwhelming as in other local sun destinations. Be here in mid- June when the town is overtaken by boisterous celebrations celebrating the summer solstice, complete with fireworks, music and bonfires. Throughout the summer, you will be entertained with numerous music and dance festivals in venues across the city. There are endless bars, restaurants and art galleries to visit and trips to Ibiza or Mallorca can be taken from the thriving harbour. |
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| Torrevieja |
| Torrevieja, is a seaside town lying to the south of the Valencian Community. It's surrounded by two large and beautiful natural salt-water lagoons, the Lagunas de La Mata and Torrevieja, which occupy more than half the municipal district. Declared a natural reserve, they are considered Europe's largest salt-producing lakes. Their combined effect is to give the municipal district the appearance of a salt island. The town owes its name to an Old Tower (Torre Vieja) formerly sited in the vicinity of the Eras de la Sal or Salt Flats. Although it has a relatively recent history, since the first urban settlement only dates from the 18th century, it was granted the status of a city in 1931 by King Alfonso XIII. With its long maritime tradition and its privileged climate and beaches, it has become a leading tourist destination. |
| La Manga, Mar Menor |
| Situated in the Province of Murcia, La Manga is on the southeast Mediterranean coast of Spain. One of the most important tourist centres in the region, La Manga stretches between the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean. La Manga is situated on the Costa Calida, the 'The Warm Coast' of Spain with miles and miles of sandy beaches. The still inland lagoon of the Mar Menor sprawls over a 120 square kilometres and is divided from the Mediterranean by a 13-mile peninsula of land known as La Manga Strip. There are plenty of shopping complexes and restaurant for all tastes. |
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| Cartagena |
| The entrance to the town centre is dominated by the Palacio Consistorial or City Hall, a gem of modernist architecture from the early 20th century. On the way to the Torres Park (behind the Sea Wall) is the Old Cathedral. It is the oldest church in Cartagena (13th century), whose remains stand on the steps of a Roman Theatre discovered in 1987. This structure dates from the 1st century BC and is one of the most important in Spain along with the theatre in Mérida. Many of the pieces found on this site can be seen in the Municipal Archaeological Museum, such as altar stones, reliefs and sculptures. |
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| Mazarron |
| This beautiful town is tucked away on the south east coast of Spain and proudly boasts 30 kilometres of white sandy beaches. This area is truly the real flavour of Spain and all things Spanish. It is yours to discover at your leisure. Maybe take a boat ride or tour the rugged mountain roads. Not far away from this idyll are the towns of Cartagena or Murcia and Mazarron is easily accessible from the airport at San Javier. Local food is a gastronomic delight. A haven of tranquillity. |
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Shopping/Markets
Most shops close for lunch from around 1pm until 3pm or 4pm. Shops are closed all day on Sundays and the many national and regional holidays. The national holidays are January 1 & 6, March 19, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday & Easter Monday, May 1, July 25, August 15, October 12, November 1, December 6, 8 & 25. Regional holidays can vary from town to town.
The French-owned chain Mercadona and the Spanish chain Todotodo supply a vast range of products including an increasing number of British products. Many smaller supermarkets, also around Torrevieja, specialize in English (and German) products, notably Tesco and Iceland. Torrevieja boasts a range of food stores.
Carrefour -
Hypermarket
Carrefour is the Spanish (well, French
actually) equivalent of Asda. You will
need a car to visit here, but well worth
it as it stocks many typically English
produce, together with electrical goods,
clothes etc. Probably worth waiting a couple
of days before you explore this far afield.
Telephones
We regret that telephone facilities are not available in any of our properties; however public phone boxes (booths) are available and close to most properties.
Making Telephone
Calls from Spain
Phone boxes have all converted to the Euro.
The last time I checked, local calls start
at 24 Cents (0.24€), whilst the minimum
charge for a call back to the UK is about
60 Cents. Mobile phone reception is very
good in most areas, but of course calls
work out far more expensive than using
the phone boxes (mobile phone calls are
usually routed back through your service
provider in the UK).
To telephone the UK, the code is 00 44,
followed by the local code omitting the
0, then dial the number e.g. 0044 1454 294113.
Cheap rates are Monday to Saturday between
20.00 and 08.00 and all day Sundays or bank
holidays. To make an international reverse
charge call, dial: 900 99 00 44 (British
Telecom International). The number for Spanish
directory enquiries is 1003, although the
operator may not speak English!
It is usually possible to send a fax from
Copy or Stationery shops (papeleria).
Buses
Buses in Spain are frequent and cheap - usually they cost about .75 centimos, regardless of the length of your journey. Please ask the property owner where your nearest bus stop is located.
Doctors/Medical Facilities
If, in the unfortunate event that you are taken ill during your stay you should visit the Centro de Salud, an emergency health clinic close to the Bar Carlos (just ask for directions). You will require your form E111 (obtained from your local post office prior to departure from the UK). Most minor ailments, such as coughs and colds, insect bites etc can be treated by a pharmacist at the local Farmacia (Chemist). Farrmacias are located almost everywhere and easy to find, just look for a white sign bearing a large green cross by the side of the road. Most medicines, which would otherwise require a doctor’s prescription in the UK, can be obtained here over the counter (and a good deal cheaper). More serious illnesses can be dealt with at the new San Jamie hospital located off the N332 road traveling out of Torrevieja towards Alicante. Be warned however, this is a private hospital and you will require some form of private health insurance.
Dental Treatment
Emergency dental treatment can be obtained at the Clinica Siesta. They operate a 24 hour service and can be contacted on the following number: 96 678 41 95
