La Mata Torrevieja: Also know as Torre la Mata, the Alicante coastal town of La Mata grew up around the salt trade after the Romans began extracting this valuable asset from the nearby salt lake, which is now a protected reserve. The centre of the salt production later moved to nearby Torrevieja and La Mata went into decline. In recent decades it has thrived due to the increase in tourist activity and, up until a few years ago, the demand for holiday homes close to the sea. La Mata has a long sandy beach (in fact several beaches) and boasts the usual holiday facilities.
2012/01/04
2011/12/16
Cala Galdana
Cala Galdana or Cala Santa Galdana is a beach resort located on the south coast of Menorca (Minorca) in the Balearics. It belongs to the municipality of Ferreries, around it lie two developments, separated by the Torrent d’Algendar, both built during the development of tourism in the 1960’s. The beach of Cala Galdana, about 300 metres long and 40 metres wide, is characterized by fine, white sand, typical of the south of Menorca, and abundant vegetation. Furthermore, Cala Galdana is a very safe beach for swimming and features many amenities such as lifeguard, Red Cross and public showers, sunbeds and umbrellas and water sports, making it one of the most popular beaches in Menorca during the summer months when the weather is at its best, both by tourists and the people of the island itself.
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2011/11/15
Torre de la Horadada Spain
Torre de la Horadada Spain: La Torre de la Horadada is a town located beside the sea, in the municipality of Pilar de la Horadada (population 22,000) in the province of Alicante, Spain. A coastal town which has experienced recent development through tourism. It owes its name to two factors, first, the sixteenth-century watchtower, and second, the place where this tower is located: the Punta de la Horadada (the “pierced” represents the projection of land into the sea which has little caves made by the water, as if it was pierced) La Torre de la Horadada has several blue flag beaches which attract many visitors to the area, these include: Playa de los Jesuitas and Playa del Conde.
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2011/09/02
Los Cristianos Tenerife Canary Islands
Los Cristianos Tenerife Canary Islands – One of the best known and best loved holiday resorts on the island of Tenerife, Los Cristianos has all the facilities you could need for a perfect family holiday. There are plenty of excellent hotels to choose from for your accommodation in the resort, and also a good choice of self-catering apartments which you can rent from an agent or direct from the owners.
Located west of Tenerife’s southern airport, Los Cristianos has super beaches, a pretty harbour, quality restaurants and bars, excellent water sports facilities, superb weather conditions, good fishing (fishing trips are available from the harbour), wonderful theme parks and entertainment.
If you think you like the sound of this then you should get a holiday booked to Los Cristianos sometime soon and learn for yourself just what a great resort it is. Tenerife of course has plenty of other fine resorts and another good one which is nearby is Playa de las Americas.
Tenerife is the biggest of the Canary Islands and also attracts the most visitors, so you will be in good company whenever you visit. Los Cristianos Map.
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2011/08/18
Puerto del Carmen Lanzarote
Puerto del Carmen Lanzarote – The largest and probably the most popular of Lanzarote’s coastal resorts, Puerto del Carmen is spread over a considerable distance along the coastline of Lanzarote and has several miles of beaches, some better than others. The accommodation in the form of hotels, apartment blocks and villas is also spread along the coastline of Lanzarote, and some distance inland, so be careful when booking if you want to be near the beach (or a specific area of the resort). Handy for the airport at Arrecife Puerto del Carmen is the perfect holiday destination, with good facilities, plenty of nighttime entertainment, good beaches and sunny weather all year round. There are plenty of hotels and most major tour operators arrange holidays in Puerto del Carmen, there is also plenty of self-catering accommodation in the form of villas and apartments, giving you plenty of choice for your holiday in Lanzarote. You really can visit Puerto del Carmen any time of year and the British favour the resort during the winter months ie December, January, February and March as the weather is more pleasant at this time of year, getting rather hot and sticky in July and August, the traditional holiday months.
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2011/07/19
Playa Flamenca Spain
Playa Flamenca Beach Spain
Playa Flamenca Spain: One of the top three resorts on the Orihuela Costa in Spain, Playa Flamenca is sandwiched between the other two (Cabo Roig and La Zenia). With fabulous weather conditions through the year, fantastic sandy beaches, good road communications and dozens of great shops, bars and restaurants, Playa Flamenca deserves its place in the top 3.
Accommodation in the resort is generally through privately owned self-catering properties as there are a glut of these, and no hotels to speak of. Do not let this put you off however, as there is plenty of choice of rentals and some great offers to be had. My particular preference would be for a detached villa with pool, to get the best from the resort, make sure it is within easy reach of the beach and also walking distance to local commercial centres, for your evening entertainment, though in the good weather, you will probably prefer to stay around the pool.
All in all Playa Flamenca is a pleasant place to visit, and a good base for touring the southern Costa Blanca region, and especially good for accessing all the facilities of the Orihuela Costa region.
Also useful is this map of the Orihuela Costa: Map of Orihuela Costa
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2011/04/02
Fuengirola Costa del Sol Andalucia
One of the “big three” resorts located to the south-west of Malaga on the Costa del Sol, Spain, Fuengirola is a popular holiday destination, right through the year, and is an especially attractive winter location, with good holiday deals to be had. Well loved by those of more advanced age, many retired couples and singles, head for Fuengirola and its neighbours Benalmadena, Mijas and Torremolinos, to spend the winter, away from the cold and damp of the UK. The winter weather in Fuengirola can, in fact, be excellent, though cold winds can spoil a sunny day at times, especially when the wind is coming from the direction of Gibraltar. A wonderful sandy beach, good amenities and plenty of entertainment, are what attract the visitors, along, of course, with the weather, for which the Costa del Sol is so well known.
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Formentera Island Balearic Islands Spain
A small but pretty island situated just two miles south of Ibiza in the Mediterranean Sea, Formentera has an area of just thirty two square miles. Despite its perfect location, Formentera is pretty much unspoilt by tourism, at least not in a bad way, for it does rely on its summer tourist, who mostly only visit on day trips, but the lack of any real tourist infrastructure discourages many who would otherwise visit. Those who do stay on the island for a holiday are encouraged to hire a bike instead of a car, and most of the locals seem to get about on cyles or scooters rather than by car, this adds to the charm of the place, making it a bit like Corfu used to be before it became commercialised. There is some accommodation to be had in Formentera however, but don’t expect to see high-rise hotels and apartment blocks, because thankfully they don’t exist on the island, in fact there are only around sixteen hotels on Formentera. Do expect to see clean sandy beaches, warm clear waters and serene grassy farmland. The weather in Formentera is similar to that found in Ibiza, and while you can visit the island anytime in the year, the summer months are the best, weather wise. The main resort on Formentera, and the place where most who are on holidays head, is Es Pujols, this resort is still relatively small by Spanish standards, but it does have the best of the facilities on the island and also some of the best beaches. The capital of Formentera is Sant Francesc, and even this place has a population of only just over one thousand.
View a map of Formentera here: Formentera Island Map.
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2011/04/01
Ibiza Balearic Islands Spain
For many years a favourite of Hippies, the beautiful Balearic Island of Ibiza was at the centre of the rave culture of the late 1980’s. It does, of course, have much more to offer than just its nightlife and it is a popular family holiday destination, with a rugged coastline, peppered with pretty coves and bays, each with its own small sandy beach, most can get quite crowded in the summer, but find one off the beaten track and you may just have a beach to yourself. The three main resorts of Ibiza are the capital Ibiza Town, Santa Eulalia and San Antonio, and it is these three that attract the majority of visitors to the island. The airport is located near to Ibiza Town (also called Eivissa) and from here you can hire a car, or get a taxi or transfer to get you to your destination resort. There are plenty of other resorts, apart from the big 3, and these include Cala Llonga, Es Cana, Cala Bassa and Portinatx. One of the main attractions of the island is the fantastic weather which you can expect there, and this is fairly reliable between the months of May and October, winters can be cooler and wetter, so for guaranteed sun, stick to the summer months, this also applies for the other Balearic Islands of Majorca, Menorca and Formentera. The island is also a favourite with water sports enthusiasts and a particular favourite is scuba diving, with the clear, warm waters an ideal environment, there are also golf facilities with the Club de Golf Roca Llisa one of the favourites.
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2011/03/31
Santa Eulalia Ibiza
If you are looking for a nice beach resort to visit, on the island of Ibiza, in the Balearic Islands, but don’t want to be in amongst the rowdy ravers for which the island is so well known, then the resort for you could well be Santa Eulalia, on Ibiza’s east coast (or Santa Eularia des Riu, as it is properly know). Great for a beach holiday, Santa Eulalia has plenty to commend it, with fine weather conditions, excellent beaches, lively, but not hectic, nightlife, and good water sports facilities. In the charming old town square, you can sit in one of the traditional cafes, sip a coffee or beer, and do a bit of good old people watching, whilst relaxing and enjoying the shade of the palm trees. When the weather is not so good, head along to the Hippy Market, at neighbouring Es Cana and pick up some bargains to take back home with you on your return.
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The Algarve Town of Tavira
A very interesting place to visit if you find yourself in the eastern region of the Algarve in Portugal, Tavira is an ancient town with a history going back as far as the Bronze Age. Early settlements by both Phoenicians and Romans left their mark on this place, and some monuments still remain, at least of the Roman occupation. The Phoenicians were interested in Tavira as a port, and founded a trading post there for their ships passing along the coast, this was in the 8th century BC. The Roman settlement was later replaced by the Moors, as they invaded the Iberian Peninsular, and took a foothold in Portugal. The Christians valiantly retook Tavira in 1242, though most of the old town was later destroyed by a huge earthquake in 1755 (known as the Lisbon earthquake). In the late 20th century Tavira was developed as a tourist destination, and now attracts thousands of visitors to its fine sandy beaches, its superb weather, and its Venice like appeal. Not too far from the Spanish border with Portugal, Tavira is only thirty eight kilometres from the Spanish town of Ayamonte, though most holidaymakers will probably arrive via Faro airport which is 40 kilometres west of Tavira.
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2011/03/29
La Manga del Mar Menor Murcia History
The first settlements in the La Manga del Mar Menor region date from the Neolithic period, about 5 millennia ago, when the entrance to La Manga was formed, and had established a village of wooden huts, straw and mud. The richness of the area with the Sierra Minera del Mar conditions saw settlements built by the Iberians, Phoenicians and Carthaginians, in addition to the Romans, the Greeks, all attracted by the wealth of the metal ores which are mined in the area. On the seabed of the Mar Menor also were found, ships laden with gold and silver bullion in their vases, Phoenician, Greek and Carthaginian boats buried in these shallow waters, what a treasure for history buffs and lovers of diving. After the expulsion of the Moors from Murcia, La Manga suffered a siege by Moorish pirates, who stormed the coast, and for its defense, three towers were built by order of King Charles and his son Philip II. The three defensive towers were built in La Manga and Cabo de Palos. During the Middle Ages until the eighteenth century the area suffered deforestation, the product of indiscriminate felling of trees. In the nineteenth century a lighthouse was built to warn ships in stormy weather. Nowadays, La Manga del Mar Menor is a resort that has seen much construction in recent decades and has grown rapidly as a tourist destination. Located within the region of Murcia, La Manga is unusual in having 2 coastlines, in places it is just 100 metres wide, its fine weather is its biggest draw for holidaymakers, with low rainfall and long hours of sunshine.
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2011/03/28
2011/03/26
Sa Coma Majorca
Situated between the Majorca resorts of Cala Millor and Porto Cristo on the islands east coast, Sa Coma is also just a short drive from the town of Son Servera. Boasting a beautiful white, sandy beach, Sa Coma is one of the most popular of the east coast resorts, and as one would expect, has lots of restaurants, cafes and bars for the entertainment of visitors. Golfers will not be disappointed with a trip to Sa Coma, as there are four excellent courses within a half hour drive or the resort. Horse fans can also visit the local ranch, where horse riding and other sports are catered for. The beach is lapped by clear, warm Mediterranean waters, and is very safe for children, this is of course the place where most visitors head, especially when the weather is sunny and warm. Various water sports are also catered for and scuba diving is a popular pastime along this part of the coast. Sa Coma is situated close to Cala Millor, and is around 70km from Majorca airport.
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