Comaskey: Orihuela Costa Area Guide

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Orihuela Costa

Area Guide

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Menor and has a simple charm all of its own. Watched over by the very pretty Spanish Style Church and its own Ros Castle this village has lost none of its original charm despite the increase in size by the housing boom some years back.

Property selling and buying is a big business here in 2016.

The castle is worth a visit in Balsicas as it has some lovely old antiques and it is wonderful to see the marvellous architecture from years gone by. As it is not an official tourist attraction it does not have regular opening hours, so if the caretaker has it open take advantage and visit, the caretaker will keep you enchanted with his stories of the history of the castle and its people from ages past. With several lovely plazas and a pretty park, Balsicas on the Costa Blanca has much to offer as it mixes old with new seamlessly. The Village has many typical Spanish bars, shops and restaurants as well as a pharmacy, petrol station, doctors and supermarkets and a train station which connects this village to Cartagena, Murcia, Barcelona and Madrid.

ALGORFA Alforfa, Costa Blanca is a quaint Spanish town located 30 minutes from Alicante and although many know it as one of Vega Baja del Segura’s best citrus farming areas, it is famous now with people buying property in Spain and with many golfers for its stunning La Finca Golf Club.The golf club is much loved by the many golf tourists that come to Costa Blanca each year to enjoy a selection of golf courses in the beautiful climate.

Located 30 minutes from both Alicante Airport and San Javier (Murcia ) Airport it is very easy to get to and from here you can explore all the Costa Blanca has to offer at your leisure. Developed rapidly over the past ten years Algorfa has grown and has a large ex-pat community which are very active. The town has several lovely tapas bars serving traditional Spanish cookings as well as more modern restaurants. There is a pharmacy, opticians, petrol station and bank and the city of Torrevieja is only 10 minutes away for more shopping.

It is a beautiful area to walk in and there are many walks through the surrounding countryside. Algorfa is wonderful, peaceful country living at its best with all the amenities one could want just a short distance away.

Balsicas is set amongst agricultural land, including orange and lemon groves and many different types of vegetables native to this area. This village has contrasting views of Mar Menor and the sea to one side and the mountains of the Murcia region to the other. No different from every other village in Spain Balsicas has its weekly market on Thursdays where the local farmers and trades people show their wares and haggle for the best prices for their produce, delightful even just to browse and take in all the noises and laughter that the market brings.

CABO ROIG Cabo Roig is an area situated on the Mediterranean Coast, on the Costa Blanca, in the southeast of Spain. It has been popular with Spanish holiday-makers since the 1970’s but the Spanish property boom of the late 90’s and early 2000’s irreversibly changed Cabo Roig with an influx of new money and a new population.

La Zenia is the neighbouring area to the north, Campoamor beach is the region south of Cabo Roig and Campoamor, the golfing paradise is to the west. The Spanish cities of Alicante, Murcia and Cartagena are all within a 45 minute drive of this town with a very modern feel on the Spanish coast.

THE BEACHES OF CABO ROIG

BALSICAS

Cabo Roig has two main blue flag beaches; Cala Capitan beach is the larger one, and the second one is the self named Cabo Roig beach, (also known as Cala Caleta Beach) joined together by the stunning Cabo Roig cliff walk.

You will feel like you’ve stepped back in time when you visit the beautiful Spanish Village of Balsicas in the Costa Calida area of Murcia in the Costa Blanca. The quiet Spanish village is only 12 km from the beautiful beaches and coasts of Mar

Cala Capitan beach is a family friendly beach due to the lagoon like area where the water barely rises above 12 inches for fifty meters or so into the Mediterranean. Both

beaches are well looked after by the life guards and staff of the Chiringuito Beach bar who provide food, drinks and loungers under the umbrellas for those looking to get out of the sunshine even temporarily. They also provide lockers for safe keeping of valuables. People who are here on holiday just love this beach with its views right to Punta Prima and Torrevieja.

Beach volleyball, beach football, frisbee and many summer sports like boules are played by young and old on both beaches. Paddle Boarding is organised by Mark and Natty and is especially popular recently. You can reach them on their Facebook Page.

For safety, and to keep their blue flag status, the beaches of Cabo Roig are both protected by lifeguards – a good thing as there is a always a severe undercurrent in this part of the Mediterranean. Please be careful!

INTERESTING FEATURES

Torre Vigia, a Watchtower, looks over the Mediterranean coast, and is a very dominant structure, not to mention an historic one in Cabo Roig. This tower is part of the network of lookout towers built along the Spanish coast to protect against Berber pirate raids which persisted right into the 17th century. It’s likely that in the mid 12th century, Cabo Roig was an Arabic site but the stone built

tower was placed here in the 16th century to ironically protect against Arab raids.

The Berber pirates attacked the south of Spain from the 13th to the 17th century.They had been displaced from what they considered to be their homes by the Spanish and sent to Granada and therefore they took to the sea to become pirates, pillaging the towns of the Spanish coast and even taking the Spanish people as captives and as slaves.

The network of towers were all connected visually. They were the first line of defence, when one tower suspected a threat was imminent they lit a fire, and the white smoke raised the alarm in the neighbouring towers and the word of attack was passed along the Costa Blanca right up to Alicante. Also, the residents within view of the towers were informed of pirate ships on the horizon immediately, giving them time to make a hasty retreat!

These days the Torre Vigia is a lot more peaceful. It has become part of the Cabo Roig La Bahia Restaurant. This typical Spanish restaurant serves tapas, beers, full course meals with views over the Cabo Roig marina and right across the sea, just like it did all those years ago. The restaurant is well worth a visit, if only for the view alone.

The service, let’s be honest, is not fantastic; the vista however…. Spectacular.

THE SCENERY

The scenery around Cabo Roig, as you would expect with a piece of land jutting out into the sea, is dominated by the Mediterranean. We’ve mentioned the Cabo Roig tower as a site that you really should visit if only for the views over the entire bay area right the way to La Manga.

It’s also an access point to the La Zenia/Cabo Roig cliff walk. If you have the legs for it, do it. It’ll take you 20 minutes to reach La Zenia literally all the way on the cliff and beaches. It’s a cobbled surface so not perfect for bikes (in fact it’s one of the few routes on the whole Orihuela Costa cycling is frowned upon) but its easy on the feet at least.

If you wish to continue walking to Playa Flamenca, the route goes past the La Zenia hotel and you can go all the way to Punta Prima. Regardless of the humour of the sea on that day - It’s a beautiful stretch of beach walkway. On a windy day with the waves crashing up to the cliff it’s something special, on a calm day with the sea looking like a mirror, it’s maybe the most relaxing place in the world!

ACTIVITIES

Fishing is particularly favourable with the Spanish, casting off from the shore. Boats, with skippers, can be organised for sea fishing trips, parties, romantic evenings, corporate events etc. Generally booze and a BBQ will be provide on request too.

Five restaurants and bars in Cabo Roig we recommend Firstly, we have no affiliation with any of these destinations; I’m sure we’ll soon add to this post with "5 more restaurants and bars in Cabo Roig we recommend” but for now let’s start in no particular order with these:

1. THE BOG ROAD

This is one of the top real Irish bars on the Costa BlancaWe say real Irish bar as it’s run by a real Irish family from Co. Waterford in Ireland. Jim, Ger and Paul along with Caoimhe have been here for close to ten years now and that is not common in the bar game these days.

The service is spot on; always a smile for every customer, the pint of Guinness is good, the atmosphere always fun, and as they are such huge sports fans themselves, pretty much every game is on the TV all the time.

They run a very popular golf society, they have music most, or in fact maybe all nights and it’s a top spot to have a beer on the Cabo Roig strip.

2. THE ITALIAN RESTAURANTS

There is a great selection of Italian restaurants on the Cabo Roig strip; Puccinis, The Italian Affair and our particular favourite, Piccolino’s Italian restaurant. The service is great, Gio, the boss man, is quite the entertainer. It’s possibly the best pizza I’ve ever had in Spain- perhaps it’s because you can see it being made from start to finish.

Another thing I like is that the family all work here and they are super friendly. I’m not sure if it’s policy but I’ve noticed while people are waiting for their take away pizza, Gio will give them a complimentary drink – just another nice touch!

3. BEEF OR SALMON.

One of the older established restaurants in Cabo Roig, Beef or Salmon is always good. It’s just one of those restaurants where you know in advance what you are going to get- Fast friendly service from Mary and crew and consistently good food. So many of the restaurants on the Costa Blanca could learn so much by just watching what they do here.

It’s reasonably priced too and the house speciality, if you are hungry and able for it is a must-try. Funnily enough the speciality is "Beef and Salmon”!!

4. SOFA BAR.

This is a new addition to the Cabo Roig Strip, opened by award winning chef Peter in the summer of 2015. Peter also runs the "Numbar 5” fine dining restaurant but we picked this for our top five list due to its easiness!

Literally diners can flop onto the sofa and order fairly simple food- huge sandwiches, burgers and great breakfasts while watching the sports on TV. The Sofa Bar also serves late at night- right past 2am during the summer and it’s a great alternative to a more dress up evening meal.

5. THE CLIPPER BAR/BAH A.

Yes, I know this is two bars but I only have room to write about five places so I’m running these two in together as they are pretty much side by side in the Cabo Roig

Marina. The clipper is the smaller one- its only got a few tables right in front of the marina. It’s such a lovely place for a glass of vino, coffee or an ice cream especially in the evenings when the sun is setting and the leisure boats are returning from their day on the Mediterranean. If you ask the waiter politely, he’ll give the kids some stale bread to throw into the sea to feed the already very well feed fish!

The Bahia is the bigger bar/restaurant to side of the Clipper with lots tables inside and outside. They do full course meals, kids meals, tapas, drinks, live music at night and as it’s right on the sea, it’s such a wonderful location.

In fact, the location may be better than the restaurant quality itself and its a little pricey but it’s totally worth it however for a different sort of night out.

6.STELLA MARIS, SAILING CLUB, CABO ROIG.

Although tragically badly marketed, the Stella Maris in Cabo Roig has many great activites for young and old that are worth checking out.

For example:

7. KIDS SAILING COURSES ARE IN JULY AND AUGUST.

The price for a week is 140 € per child, 5 days per week, 3 hours each day (from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:0013:00h).

Maximum groups of 6 children. They are all the time with a monitor who take care of them, teach them the basics etc. Children are required to be 5 or more years old.

During these 3 hours, normally the children do 2 hours of sailing, always depending on the wind, after that they do fun activities such as kayaking, pedal boat, etc. In the adverts about this course on their web site, which is only in Spanish, they say: "Learn all parts of the boat, how to rig the sails, basic navigation, how to clean and care for the boat, plus at the end of each class, try another activity like kayaking, pedal boat or a high speed jet-ski trip. This course could greatly improve your children water confidence”

The price for a family is 500 € per week, it doesn’t matter if the family has are 4 or 5 members.

WATER MOTOS OR JET SKI HIRE

50 €/15 min (It’s inside a closed circuit, If you go out of the circuit the monitor disconnect your moto, so be careful) 70 /20 min (It could be outside the circuit, organized trip with a monitor who is in charge of a group of people. They go a bit further away).

100 €/30 min They’re waiting for some changes in the law. Once it is possible foreign people can get a licence here in Spain, with a deposit of 3000 € and 200€ per month, and motos could be used freely and taken as far away form Cabo Roig as you wish- This might be available in 2016, we just don’t know yet. * Sailing Licences for adults.

CAMPOAMOR Campoamor is a stunningly beautiful part of Costa Blanca, Spain. It has got the best elements of a Spanish location including beautiful beaches, green areas, and magnificent walks and within close reach of bars and restaurants, shops and the city of Torrevieja. Campoamor blue flag beach is a short 10 minutes drive, here you can park right next to the beach and enjoy the excellent Spanish cuisine at the various restaurants dotted around the beach and also at the chiringuitas – the wooden beach bar which sells large jugs of local Sangria – delicious!

Campoamor is proud to have the championship golf course – Real Club de Campoamor Golf Course, built in 2000 and situated at its centre with panoramic views across the Costa Blanca region. This course has recently had a major restructure and is sure to be a challenging and engaging course for golfers of all standards. We’ve blogged about the Golf resort in Campoamor plenty in the past. Its a popular destination for football teams who come to Spain to train including the Austria National team who trained here late in 2015.

There is an elegant urbanisation built around the golf course that is considered upmarket and is a very desirable place to live and buy property for investment. This area has a very bright and spacious feeling and although there are a lot of urbanisations in the surrounding areas it feels like you are still living in the countryside. There is a fabulous walk along the canal which weaves its way from Campoamor through to Las Ramblas Golf Club and here you can see many walkers and cyclists out enjoying the healthy climate of this area of Spain. The restarants here are multi-cultural and the local Spanish cuisine shows the influence of the Moors, Celts, Greeks and Romans who once lived here.

The La Fuente Commercial centre is the main urban area of Campoamor and has pharmacies, hair & beauty salons, retail outlets, golf outlet and a variety of superb restaurants with offerings from Italy, Spain, Ireland, Mexico and France. You could choose a different restaurant every night without leaving this centre. There is the Stray Sod Irish Bar which offers live music on a nightly basis and a good all day menu which includes the favourites, full Irish breakfast, Irish stew and Bacon & Cabbage. Its a great spot too for watching sports on their many big screen TVs, inside and on the large sunny terrace.

The well-known Crystals Restaurant is situated here also and the food here is consistently good year on year, generous portions and an unusual selection of fresh vegetables, a little bit on the more expensive side but well worth the trip. La Fuente is one of the most popular commercial centres in the Costa Blanca, Orihuela Costa area and there is always a lovely buzz here to add to the enjoyment of your evening out.

CIUDAD QUESADA Located just 30 minutes from Alicante Airport and 35 minutes from San Javier (Murcia) Airport, Ciudad Quesada or just "Queseda” is a town that did not just happen naturally around the Spanish terrain. Quesada was planned by a Spanish entrepreneur called Justo Quesada Samper who wanted to build his own town … as you do!!

Samper was a pioneering property developer at the forefront of Spanish tourism and holiday property development, and won many prestigious awards both local and national including some from Costa Blanca Tourism and Alicante Chamber of Commerce. Started in the early 1970’s Samper was particular about who would live in his town and not everyone was allowed to live there. But the urbanisation grew and eventually became accepted as a town in its own right when it was given a town hall in 1999.

The town boasts a great golf course and an aerodrome which is unique in Spain. Justo Quesada Samper passed away in January 2010 but his name lives on in the town and with his five children who manage his businesses now.

The history of Quesada really is some story!

Quesada now has a large all year round population of ex pats and has numerous bars, restaurants, banks, insurance brokers, bakeries, shops and a very good infrastructure including an aqua park. It is a well-designed inland town set about 8 km north of Torrevieja with beautiful views of the Salt Lakes of Torrevieja and Mountains and Orange Groves inland. Its nearest beaches are at Torrevieja including the spectacular La Mata and at Guardamar Del Segura.

La Marquesa Golf and Country Club is the local Golf Course and is world class with many international members. It dries out during the summer and is somewhat overplayed, certainly over the last few years but still a really good track! There is plenty of choice to eat at Ciudad Quesada including the ever popular Indian restaurant Spice Hut which is always consistently high standard and I’d recommend the Vindaloo which comes out as hot as you

can bear, the staff are very attentive and give a great welcome. Another one to try is Grande Italia, as it sounds is an excellent Italian Restaurant decorated in a fun quirky way and you really feel like you are dining in Milan. The quality of the food is fantastic and don’t forget to have dessert – my waistline highly recommends the profiteroles or the home made tiramisu!!

The Amsteleria bar is cute- and the big beer there, well in fact the only beer there, is Amstel!

EL GALAN El Galan is a quiet, mainly residential area set between Villamartin and La Fuente, Campoamor. It is within easy reach of all amenities including beaches and shopping. Can we call golf an amenity? Well, if you can then thats a super amenity for the owners of property in El Galan, right in the heart of Costa Blanca golf country.

La Zenia Boulevard is 10 minutes away by car with its many many modern fashionable high street clothing shops. It has over 150 shopping outlets including clothing, household, sports, beauty and food outlets. It also includes a bowling alley, tapas bars, German micro brew bar and activities for the whole family running all through the year.

Campoamor Beach is also 10 minutes’ drive away and is a blue flag award beach. El Galan is 5 minutes from Villamartin Plaza with its myriad of lively bars, restaurants, karaoke, banks, choice of supermarkets and live music and about 3 minutes from La Fuente Commercial Centre.

Buyers of property in El Galan have plenty of choice and variety about where to spend their evenings while having lovely quiet peaceful days away from the hustle and bustle of centres. El Limonar International School is 5 minutes away so this is a great location for families who relocate to Spain. El Galan also has its own small commercial area which includes some tapas bars, indian restaurants and a few small retail outlets.

EL PRESENDENTE El Presidente is a quiet urbanisation in the very popular Villamartin in the Costa Blanca area of Spain. It is set behind Villamartin Golf Course. El Presidente is about 5/10 minutes’ walk from the buzzing Villamartin Plaza. This location allows it to retain the quiet ambiance of an area unspoilt by loud music and crowds of people but yet offering that same lively night life to those who want it on occasion. El Presidente is giving our property investors the best of both worlds! The world class golf courses of Villamartin, Las Ramblas, Las Colinas and Campoamor are within 10 minutes so this area would be a wonderful choice for the avid golfer. There are another 20 golf courses within 45 minutes’ drive and with such fabulous weather more than 300 days a year it would be a shame not to take advantage. It seldom gets too hot for golf, luckily.

For sunseekers and beach lovers there are a choice of beaches nearby including La Zenia Beach and Campoamor Beach. These are both blue Flag beaches with beautiful soft sands and have life guards on them during the busier season. There is a very good local bus service with buses on the hour that service the local beaches, Cabo Roig, Playa Flamenca, Zenia Boulevard Shopping Centre and the Villamartin Plaza.

Local taxis are plentiful and very reasonable- A trip to Cabo Roig will run you 6 euro. This is a wonderful location to explore the many lovely areas of the Costa Blanca as it is very central, about 40 minutes from the Historical town of Cartagena, 30 minutes from Orihuela and 45 minutes to Alicante City and it has to international airports very close too- Murcia and Alicante. For speedy travel the motorway AP7 can be accessed from La Zenia, this motorway travels through Valencia, Barcelona and Girona to the North and Cartagena, Fungirola and Marbella to the south.

GUADAMAR

LA FLORIDA

Guardamar Del Segura, or Guardamar as its known locally is a wonderful choice of location for the discerning visitor and is popular with ex pats looking to buy property in Spain. Located on the coast in Costa Blanca, Guardamar is a quiet relaxed place aimed towards families and children. No stag parties need apply!!

La Florida is located in Playa Flamenca, a 10 minute walk from Zenia Boulevard with its many and varied shops, bars and restaurants.

It has tried and succeeded in keeping that Spanish feeling as it is less commercialised than other more developed areas of Costa Blanca Spain and does not have many high rise apartment blocks.

The Salinas de Guardamar consisting of two large salt lakes surround the town and encourage the reputation of being one of the world’s most healthy areas to live in as the salt in the air adds to the health benefits of relaxed old-time living in Spain.

Similar to Lo Pagan further down the coast, people bathe here in the Salt Lakes to try to reap the benefits which are said to be an improvement in joint, asthma, skin conditions and any problems with lungs. After 30 minutes in the salt water you should be full of renewed energy and strength and the spiritualists say that the salt in the water and air will clear your head of negative emotions. Thats not just a sales pitch!!

The local Guardamar marina is another attraction with splendid yachts alongside fishermen’s working boats, a walk along the waterfront is a colourful and enjoyable experience. The beach here is unusual for this area of Spain as it has many sand dunes behind the sands across its large expanse with eucalyptus and pine trees dotted about. Just beyond the beach is 800 hectares of forest parkland. We often take the dog and the kids up there for a Sunday stroll amongst the trees, beautiful.

Guardamar has it all for the holidaymaker or indeed "local ex pat” should you decide to live here; choice of excellent beaches, plenty of water sports – windsurfing, water skiing, scuba diving, paddle boarding, boat trips and fishing, golf at the nearby La Marquesa and El Plantio courses, tennis, paddle board, football, handball and basket facilities at the local Municipal Centre. I like the fact that it is so Spanish, and not taken over by us ex pats.

The beach area and streets just off the beach area are a thriving network of bars, little Spanish cafes, as you’d expect… real estate agents and restaurants that cater to every taste and all budgets.

Here you can sit in the warm sunshine and enjoy a lovely glass of Cava and just watch the world go by – bliss! Wednesday is market day and you can buy your weekly fruit and vegetables direct from the farmers or purchase many of the handicrafts and beautiful carvings by local artisan craftsmen. Guardamar is renowned in Spain for the numbers and colour of its festivals, carnivals and fiestas throughout the year, colourful processions for Easter (Santa Semana) and a large carnival in February that the local population join in with enthusiastically.

Guardamar is a wonderful area for people considering buying or renting property in Spain in general and specifically here on the Costa Blanca.

La Florida is a large residential development with a vibrant commercial centre which offers plenty of choice for eating out, Italian, Indian, French, Spanish and English. The Emerald Isle Leisure complex is situated here and caters to every age group – play area and pool for the little ones to a Bowling Green for the older. Nightly entertainment is very popular here with many tribute acts performing such as Abba, Showaddywaddy and Rod Stewart., not the real ones, tribute ones!!! From breakfast through to dinner there is a menu to suit everyone’s taste and the Sunday Roast attracts customers from far and near. The communal area for swimming is a big attraction for family fun during the warm summer days in Spain.

Another popular bar is The Local which has fabulous entertainment, fantastic food and happy friendly staff. Here too you can watch all the English and Scottish football and all sports fixtures. The well known Indian Restaurant Mumbai Blue is one of the best authentic Indian restaurants on the Costa Blanca and well worth a visit. This compact commercial centre also has a hardware store for all your DIY, Car Hire to explore the wonderful Costa Blanca, and Supermarkets for that night in or to get your holiday sun creams, chairs and towels! The large Saturday market is only a 5 minute walk away and the famous beaches of Playa Flamenca a 5 minute drive. There is a lovely park area here where you can just sit and enjoy the heat of the Spanish sun or find a nice shady tree to have your siesta under.

LA MATA La Mata is situated on the edge of Torrevieja and with developments over the past ten years have almost made it part of the city. It has not allowed any high rise buildings and retains its individual charm and Spanish identity and also boasts one of the finest beaches along the Costa Blanca Spain. It’s here in La Mata that people gather for their evening stroll away from the mid day sun ( unless of course you are a mad dog or an Englishman!! ) The seafront is always bustling with activity, with its many tourists taking advantage of over 300 days of sunshine yearly.

Traders roam the beaches offering handcrafted wares, "designer’ bags, watches and sunglasses, massages, hats and fruit. It is a colourful vibrant place and wonderful place to "people watch’.

Close to the salt lakes of Torrevieja, La Mata reaps the benefits of the health benefits associated with the salt lakes. The most wonderful sunsets to the West can be seen from La Mata with deep red skies set back behind palm trees and gently lapping water. There is a nature park here Park Natural de La Mata which is an official Spanish Nature reserve. It is fully wheelchair friendly and has a lovely picnic area to stop and enjoy a bite, where you

get relief from the sun by the many pine trees but you still retain a view of the lakes. The park is surrounded by the two pink salt lakes known as "Salinas de la Mata’ which add to the healthy sensations of time spent here.

The visitor centre has much information about the local flora and fauna and the park attracts a wide variety of our feathered friends as well as varieties of insects including colourful dragonflies and fast-moving little lizards. Who would have thought they would be such an attraction!!

These lakes are famous for their flocks of pink tinged flamingos that spend 10 months of the year here but emigrate to warmer climates around December to February. Truly its a great site seeing them take off and return.

evenings which is a very pleasant change from the rock and pop acts of the Cabo Roig Strip across the road.

Alongside El Gato is a family run hardware store which has everything you need for your house and garden and more. Its here almost as long as us and thats saying something!

There are also bars, restaurants,dentists, accountants and a Ecumenical Church located along La Regia so you don’t have to travel at all for the many services you may need.

Cabo Roig Beach is only 10 minutes walk away.

La Regia is possibly the most popular place we’ve had for those looking to buy property in Spain, certainly top 5 most popular areas since 2002.

This is a completely unspoilt and uncommercialised area and it should be on everyone’s agenda for a special day out.

There is an abundance of delicious restaurants in the La Mata area; one I’d recommend is El Pozo which has a mix of Spanish and International cuisine. The customer service is excellent, very reasonably priced, large portions of superb fresh food deliciously flavoured, tasty jugs of Sangria and a relaxed pleasant atmosphere.

Another wonderful restaurant on the seafront at La Mata is Tango Asador Argentino. As its name suggests it is an Argentinean restaurant offering the best of South American cooking and some Spanish dishes as well.

Slightly pricier than some of the other restaurants surrounding it, it is worth it for the big Steaks dripping with flavour, fresh vegetables with delicate sauces – getting hungry now just remembering!! There are numerous cafes along the beach front that offer a wonderful choice of aromatic coffees and a view second to none.

La Mata, due in no small part to its location on the north of Torrevieja is very popular for Irish and British people thinking of buying property here in Spain. Prices are still very reasonable and property here represents great value compared to more built up parts of the Costa Blanca.

LA REGIA La Regia is a quiet , mainly residential urbanisation located across the N332 from Cabo Roig. It is very centrally located between Cabo Roig and La Zenia. The Zenia Boulevard is a 15 minute walk away, Cabo Roig 5 minutes and Zenia Golf Commercial Centre featuring not one but two Comaskey properties offices 15 minutes walk giving the resident here a vast choice of places to eat, drink and have fun in.

The old part of La Regia remains very Spanish with tapas bars offering typical delicacies, such as Lari’s bar run by a lovely Spanish lady Lari and her sons. This bar is painted in bright colours and here you can chat with the locals over a nice tostada with your morning coffee. In the old Spanish area of La Regia there are also two Clubs with dancing girls!! I can’t say a lot about it having never been there but there’s something for everyone here!

Here too we have Beach body Gym where you can work off your excesses at one of the classes on offer or in the well equipped Gym. There is also a doctor situated here who is German but was educated in Ireland, good to know if you don’t speak Spanish but need to visit a good doctor.

He came highly rated in his field.

The well known Argentinian Bar El Gato is also a good place to visit, an absolute must if you like Pizza, as I believe it has the best, tastiest Pizza in all of Spain. Its also fun to watch a Barca match- they are Messi fans so be careful if you show up in a Real Madrid shirt!!

Staff here are extremely welcoming and friendly and there is often an acoustic band playing there in the

LA ZENIA La Zenia is an amazing destination set in the heart of Costa Blanca, Spain. Access is easy as it is serviced by two airports: Alicante which is 45 minutes drive to the North and San Javier, Murcia which is 15 minutes to the south.

La Zenia is a coastal location set between Alicante city and Cartagena and has two major roads passing through, the AP7 motorway, the speedy way to get places and the N332 which runs along the coast offering the traveller unrivalled scenery and views of the beauty of this region of Spain.

La Zenia is also 10 km from the Spanish city of Torrevieja with its variety of sporting activities, cultural events, festivals and shopping. For those thinking of buying property in Spain and looking to start "Living the dream’ this is the perfect location, and for those wanting a nice holiday home or that lovely break away, look no further – La Zenia really has it all.

Let’s have a look at what people want from their "ideal and happy’ location: Beaches: La Zenia has a wonderful beaches in the immediate vicinity, the beautiful La Zenia beach which is large and spacious, offers a children’s play area, a beach bar and is overlooked by low cliffs and has the delightful La Mirada Restaurant & Bar right beside it. The La Zenia Hotel just a few minutes walk away. The "La Mirada” offers beautiful vistas, seating areas both indoors and outdoors with views across the Mediterranean Sea; an Ideal place for a cold beer or a plate of tapas after a hard day on the beach. The staff are very attentive and the service is always excellent. There are many other beaches very close by including the small safe beach of Playa Flamenca and the sheltered beach of Cabo Roig with its wonderful selection of water sports and boating activities.

Views: Many of the properties of La Zenia have beautiful views across the Mediterranean Sea and if your property does not have that, a two minute stroll is all that is needed to sit on some lovely strategically placed bench and enjoy the gentle roll of the waves. The La Zenia roundabout, also knows as the Paddys Point roundabout is 300 meters to the sea.

Good Shopping: La Zenia is home to the Zenia Boulevard, a large American style shopping Mall opened in September 2012 but with a Mediterranean feel. This mall is over 160,000 square meters and has more than 1,502 shopping outlets. The second floor of the mall has a large choice of restaurants and a huge area for children’s activities.

There are many well-known High Street retailers here trading side by side with designer stores such as Guess, Desigual and Via de Milano. One of my wife’s personal favourites is Zara Clothing which offers quality ladies, gents and children’s fashion at generous discount to what you would pay for Zara in other mainstream European destinations. Zara Home Furnishing also has some lovely pieces for the home at very good prices.

The shoe shops here are fantastic where you can buy those excellent quality and design that the Spanish Shoe designers are famous for. There are also matching leather bags, and the prices are a bargain for the excellent quality. The shopping centre could be a lovely day and evening out for the young and the old, with shopping for everyone, lovely restaurants to eat in and to enjoy some of the many evening free entertainments of various live music performers, magicians, Zumba dancers and other shows.

Besides this shopping mall there are other beautiful shops in Zenia Golf Commercial Centre on the roundabout. Ponderosa is a beautiful shop which offers a range of high quality jewellery, cards, household items and unusual items that would make lovely quality presents. The staff here are very friendly and very helpful in helping you choose something for a special person or a special occasion. Ponderosa has been here since the time we opened up so that’s a good sign right there. Right next to Ponderosa is "Looking Good Boutique” which, I’m told, offers unique fashion and accessories including some beautiful "Haute Couture” from designer Josef Ribkoff. They often feature personally selected up- andcoming design labels which are also high quality. For the

slightly higher prices this boutique is a must for dressing for that special event.

Evening entertainment: Oh where to begin?!! From live bands to Musicals to comedians and drag artists the biggest problem is narrowing down what you want to see on a certain evening in Spain. Paddy’s Point Bar at Zenia Golf Commercial Centre on the roundabout is a personal favourite. They have live bands every evening featuring traditional Irish, rock n roll and contemporary music.

There is always a fantastic friendly fun atmosphere and the bar is full without being too crowded. The staff are very efficient and pleasant, their customer service is superb and you won’t be waiting long for your favourite tipple. Paddy’s Point also offer a vast menu with such a variety of good food that you could eat here every lunch and dinner and never have the same meal twice. And if you’re a sports buff you’ll be lost for choice as they show all the football, hurling, golf, horse racing, tennis and any other sport you could mention.

Another fabulous place and typically Spanish is Alfie’s Place on the Zenia Golf Commercial Centre, they offer breakfast, lunch, tapas and evening menus, competitively priced and very tasty. They have musicians playing in the afternoon which is a lovely way to wile away a few lazy hours in good company.

On other days when you fancy a cold pint in a lovely setting there is the relaxing "Quiet Man”, an Irish Bar just a couple of hundred yards from La Zenia Beach towards the roundabout. There you can sup your pint and chat with the locals and the friendly barman away from the hustle and bustle of a busier venue.

Bus/Taxi Service: There is a very good infrastructure of buses to get from La Zenia to the nearby Villamartin, La Fuente, Campoamor, Playa Flamenca and the various beaches. This bus goes regularly on the hour. There is also a public bus which services from Cartagena to Alicante and stops at Zenia Boulevard Shopping Centre, from this bus you can visit all the little villages and towns and the unspoilt Spanish countryside and beaches along the way. It is very reasonably priced and the service is

almost on the hour during the season. There is a taxi rank outside Zenia Boulevard Shopping centre and another located at Zenia Golf Commercial Centre at Paddy’s Point roundabout. Taxis are still a relatively cheap mode of transport and the taxi drivers are very friendly and will let you try out your new Spanish vocabulary on them!

Sports facilities: At Zenia Boulevard there is a Bowling Alley that is a favourite of my family, we have had many a good evening there with lots of arguing, mostly good naturally about the best method of sending that ball down the lane.

The atmosphere there is light and its busy in the evenings with young people having a good laugh at some of the efforts made on the night!!. This is fun for all the family and quite a cheap evening out too. You can grab a beer as you bowlAdded bonus.

Just beyond the Boulevard, there is the CDM(Centro Deportivo Municipal )sports centre. For the athlete this is a magnificent facility boasting a 25m long heated indoor swimming pool, 3 Padel tennis Courts, 2 Tennis Courts and 2 multisport courts where you can play basketball, handball and volleyball, a football pitch with artificial turf with 2 x 7 a side fields and a running circuit of 500m. The centre has a little cafeteria with terrace, changing rooms and reception.

They offer various classes throughout the year including Pilates, aquarobics, zumba dancing and fitness as well as football, swimming and dance. For those who like to exercise in the open air there is a beautiful coastal walk from La Zenia Beach to Cabo Roig Beach. This walk is about 40 minutes and has the most breathtaking scenery you could imagine as you wind your way along the coast under the overhanging cliffs and looking out beyond the blue sea to the boats and ships in the distance.

Food: Food, glorious Food – Everybody loves to eat and it is a concern with people on their first venture to Spain that they will not find the food items that they are accustomed to buying and cooking in their home country. There is no need to worry about this as there is an abundance of Supermarkets in the La Zenia area including Consum, Mercadona, Lidl and the giant sized Al Campo together with a selection of small grocery outlets that bring in specific delicacies from the home countries that you cannot specifically get here.

The 24 Hour Shop to the right of Zenia Golf Commercial centre has wonderful soda bread, mince meat, Irish sausages and bacon and other delicacies that we take for granted until we move abroad. The fish markets section of supermarkets here are overflowing with gorgeous fresh fish and shellfish, just out of the water and such a variety to choose from. The selection of fruit and vegetables brought in from the Spanish countryside always amazes and gives us every option to eat a healthy, varied and exciting diet; its said that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest in the world- We believe it.

On a Saturday morning there is the large outdoor market just behind Zenia Boulevard, this is a long winding street market with traders of fruit, vegetable, leather goods, table cloths, clothing, shoes, plants, pastries and a variety of other items that you never knew you needed!! It is great fun to pass a few hours here listening to the calls of the traders and it is a wonderful experience to haggle with them. The traders themselves are a nice bunch and do not pester you like I’ve seen in other markets in different countries.

Health: There are several pharmacies in La Zenia, one at the Zenia Boulevard, another across the road towards the sea at Zenia Golf Commercial Centre. Also across from the Zenia Golf Commercial Centre is a health shop which sells the popular vitamins, minerals and such things as wheatgrass and other speciality health items. There are two good dentist practises here also and another dentist across from Zenia Boulevard. The medical centre is about 5 minutes drive at the top of the Cabo Roig strip and is a fast and efficient medical centre. Although the medical staff do not have to speak with you in English most of them have a good knowledge and will try to explain things to you as clearly as possible. There is also a private medical practise in Cabo Roig where the doctor is of

German/Irish descent and was educated in University College Cork. This area of Spain is renowned to be one of the best places to live to enjoy good health due to the excellent weather and climate conditions and the abundance of fresh foods.

Weather: Well what can I say about the beautiful weather?

Sunshine more than 320 days a year, average temperatures of 21 degrees, blue skies and cool breezes makes life such a picnic! What a delight it is to awake each morning knowing that the sky will be blue, the temperature will be warm and a brisk walk through the fabulous foliage, colourful flowers and delicate scents of Jasmine lingering in the air will give you such happiness. Just grab your t-shirt and shorts and go!!

Necessities of life: There are always the mundane things to look after whether you live at home or abroad and that is no different in Spain. The upside of this is that all you need is available at La Zenia from Insurance Offices, Legal Services – all your requirements taken care of at Spanish Solutions from buying a house to changing your driving licence to hiring a specialist interpreter, Accountants and Tax advisors, Architects, car hire, and home design, Estate agencies (actually there are others, not just comaskey properties, but we only recommend ourselves!!).

People: From my own experience people in the La Zenia area are very happy and cheerful. I put it down partly to the temperate weather and the constant blue skies which definitely improve the mood but it is also, I think, due to the adventurous nature and natural optimism of people who travel and are willing to move out of their comfort zone and live in a foreign destination. It does not take long here to become a "local” and hear greetings called as you stroll to get your morning coffee. It is this friendliness and camaraderie that makes you feel so at home here after such a short time and makes you thoroughly enjoy the experience of living in an exciting, vibrant and beautiful area of Spain, The Costa Blanca, the best place to live. I just love La Zenia and the lovely life my family and I have here! So many people talk about living in a nicer climate, dream about strolling to the local patisserie for freshly brewed coffee and bagel but how many realise that dream? Do it now, grab life by its collar and make that move – happiness guaranteed.

Have I covered everything in this article? Absolutely not, I would need to write a book to describe everything that La Zenia offers, tease you with the smells and sensations of walking along the beach on a breezy summers evening, listen to little kids giggling and laughing as they climb the frame on the beach and play chase beneath the cliffs, watch the old men and ladies gather on a dusky evening to catch up on the daily events over a game of boules. A mixture of sensation and senses brings La Zenia to life and having spent time here it remains in your soul forever.

LAS COLINAS Las Colinas Golf and Country Club, Avenida las Colinas.

So much has been said on this web site about our love of Las Colinas Golf and country club. It’s good enough to host PGA events (for example a qualifier for PGA School in November 2015) yet our golf society can run massively successful events here too. Paddys point golf society info can be found on Facebook by the way.

There are multiple tee boxes on las Colinas which change the outlook on every single hole depending on your level of expertise.

The club house is a touch of class and the open air terrace here is a fantastic spot for a cold beer after your round while watching the approach shots to the 18th green splash into the water which protects it!

LAS COLINAS GOLF RESORT Las Colinas in Campoamor, Costa Blanca is best known for its golf course which has just been voted Best Golf Course in Spain at the World Golf Awards ceremony held in Portugal. This beautiful lush course is always the number one favourite of locals and visitors alike and no golfer to the Costa Blanca should leave without at least playing it once. The unusual lie of the land here has been used to develop a versatile course with the width of its fairways and the large undulating greens and generous numbers of tees making it suitable for both professional competitors and enjoyable and pleasant golf for the average player, like me.

The upscale residences of Las Colinas which are eco friendly are set in the heart of the Golf course offering visitors and residents beautiful views over the landscape of the course. This is a low density development of quality homes and apartments and offers select country

living with access to all the amenities a short drive away, a 3km scenic walk through the many orange and lemon groves of the area and a chance to quietly connect with nature at its best as you wander through the gorgeous parkland.

Easily accessed from the AP7 motorway, Las Colinas is like a well kept secret, an unspoilt serene location close to the magnificent Mediterranean. Sport facilities here include tennis courts, paddle courts, a gym, swimming pool and an International School of Falconry, where qualified instructors will teach you to fly a trained hawk and marvel at his wondrous flight. Las Colinas also offers a Beach Club located in Campoamor which includes an infinity pool looking across the beach and the blue Mediterranean Sea. This is an amazing location, a getaway from it all location to enjoy on a warm sunny afternoon. Las Colinas boasts two restaurants in its clubhouse with large terraces offering spectacular views. One restaurant offers sophisticated International cuisine while the other gives the option of Japanese cuisine and sushi. These restaurants are open to both golfers and visitors. I highly recommend buying property here especially through our new friends at Comaskey Properties.

LAS FILIPINAS Las Filipinas is a wonderful quiet area of Villamartin, located in Southern Costa Blanca, Spain. This is a location where you will feel you have escaped from it all. Las Filipinas is quiet and tranquil but at the same time only 10 minutes from the lively Villamartin Plaza and up the road from the hectic La Zenia commercial and all around fun location. Beaches are 10 minutes away and there is a choice of several Blue Flag Beaches including Campoamor, Cabo Roig and the previously mentioned La Zenia.

Here you can try all the water sports available including kayaking, jet skiing, paddle boarding, swimming and diving. Our friends Marc and Natty at Sun-Sea adventure Paddle boarding promise to really take care of you and the family. My 9 year old nephew had the best day of his holiday there last summer!! You can find them on Facebook. Properties here in Las Filipinas are spacious and roomy and it is a great choice for those who like to take or leave the busy bars and restaurants of other more built up commercial areas.

There are four world class golf courses on your doorstep – Las Colinas which is rated in the top 100 in Europe, Las Ramblas, Campoamor and Villamartin. The up and coming commercial centre of La Fuente with its many bars, restaurants and shops is only a 5 minute walk. Check out the Stray sod if you are thinking of heading gout for a match on TV.

LAS RAMBLAS Here you will find a beautiful development of homes around the ever challenging well known golf course Las Ramblas. Built in 1991 this course includes natural pines and ravines and certainly took imagination and dedication to build. With its wild landscape and many trees this course tries many a golfer’s patience! The large greens offer little respite as they offer alternately fast and gentle slopes. With a superb modern practise area near the clubhouse there is no excuse not to improve your game at Las Ramblas. When you’ve had enough you can always wander into the lovely new clubhouse and have your lunch on the wide terraces while watching how the other golfers fare out! The restaurant offers good quality at reasonable prices in a beautiful setting.

The housing development at Las Ramblas is now fully matured and is a delightful place to live, offering unrivalled walks among nature, with paths meandering through the natural palms, shrubs and pine trees of these 2000 hectares of natural reserve. There is an abundance of wildlife to be seen here also including

squirrels, rabbits and all types and colours of birds. This is country living at its best but yet the stunning blue flag beaches of Campoamor are only a 10 minute drive as too are the lively commercial centres of La Fuente, Cabo Roig and La Zenia where you can visit the hairdresser, get your beauty treatments, visit the pharmacy, supermarkets , bars and restaurants.

Shopping is a 10 minute drive also at the massive shopping mall – Zenia Boulevard. Alicante Airport is only 45 minutes and San Javier (Murcia ) Airport a short 15 minutes.

LO PAGAN

LOS ALTOS

Lo Pagan is a beautiful, very picturesque village just past San Pedro del Pinotar on the N332, in fact with property growth in the past few years it has almost merged with San Pedro now. (especially new developments). It is located 50 minutes from Alicante Airport and 15 minutes from San Javier (Murcia) Airport. With a backdrop of the north side of the Mar Menor, Lo Pagan has stunning scenery, a beautiful long promenade, long sandy beach and a small marina. In the distance you can see the outline of the La Manga region with its many new builds and the fabulous La Manga resort, home to the rich and famous.

Los Altos is a suburb of Torrevieja located north of Punta Prima just off the N332. It is easily accessible as it is only 35 minutes from Alicante Airport to the north and 25 minutes from San Javier (Murcia) Airport to the south. Set is a quiet hilly location Los Altos is very popular with Spanish holidaymakers as they come from Madrid and further north to make it their home during the month of August.

This was one of their traditional get out of the city locations!

Lo Pagan is most famous for its "mud baths’ (Banos de Lodo) which are said to have medicinal properties and purported to cure many ailments including any skin disorders, aches, arthritis, gout and rheumatic type pains. It is also said to be excellent for throat complaints. The therapeutic values of mud have been well documented since the time of Hippocrates in 460 BC. Regular studies of the mud and waters around the Mar Menor are carried out

by Murcia University. The last analysis carried out in 1995 found that there were high levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium and fluoride as well as chlorine and sulphur. This is far superior to normal waters and contributes to the healing process.

The wide paved promenade goes out to where the mud baths are, and here people travel far and wide to rub the dark black mud all over their bodies, allow it to dry in the sun, and then wash it off in the beautiful clean waters of the Mediterranean. If you continue along the promenade past the mud baths there is a cycle and walking route that makes it appear like you are heading directly out to sea.

During the summer months there is a children’s funfair and play area alongside the marina and plenty of water sports and activities on the beach. The sea at Lo Pagan is especially calm and excellent for families.

Lo Pagan has plenty of bars, restaurants, banks, pharmacies and shops. There is an abundance of fiesta’s held in this area, which we often attend, in particular the festival of the Three Kings where the kings arrive by boat, and the Easter Procession has been declared an item of Regional Tourism Interest. There are many restaurants situated along the front at Lo Pagan but one that I would recommend is Ruby Restaurant. You would almost pass it by as it is one amongst so many but it is definitely worth a visit. With a Mexican and Indian influence they have a varied and unusual menu, I can recommend their curry, the flavour is fabulous and the prices are reasonably priced. With a wonderful location looking onto the beach and across from the windmill and friendly service this is a great place to have a bite to eat after frolicking in the mud and whetting up an appetite.

A quiet area you can embrace the local night life with a short walk to Punta Prima where there are several very good restaurants offering delicious foods with beautiful sea views. The famous Nautilus is one such restaurant, set on the coast and designed to resemble a ship complete with porthole windows it is top class. Its stunning in th evenings, watching the fishing boats leave the Torrevieja port, the lights lighting up the Spanish sky. The lower "deck’ has timber floors and is set with several "port holes’ which look out to sea. The upper floor has glass walls which open back during the beautiful evenings where you can imagine that you are on a luxury cruise, sipping your cava and awaiting the tempting delights the restaurant has to offer.

The beautiful beaches of Punta Prima are nearby and you can also travel a little further into Torrevieja itself to enjoy the other Blue Flag beaches that the Costa Blanca is known for. Just behind McDonalds (Yes, I did say McDonalds!! Its here too!!) is the Patio Andulaz, this restaurant has flamengo dancing and traditional Spanish nights and is a must when you are in this area. This was one of the first restaurants we were told we just had to visit when we moved to Spain first in 1998 and its still super popular today.

Los Altos has many new build developments which due mostly to the discounted pricing are very popular with investors. One can really get bang for your buck in terms of new builds here in Los Altos.

LOS BALCONES Los Balcones is a small urbanisation set between Punta Prima and Torrevieja, quite close to the new Torrevieja Hospital. (actually on the back road form La Zenia to Torrevieja).

It is self contained community offering the resident or holidaymaker all the facilities needed including supermarkets, hardware stores, sports, pharmacies, banks and a number of local bars, cafes and restaurants. The centro comercial of Los Balcones is popular with Spanish and ex pats alike.

The beaches of Punta Prima and Torrevieja are a short 5 minutes drive, as are all the amenities offered by a multi cultural city like Torrevieja which is only 3 km away. La Zenia is a short trip down the 332 as well. Made up of beautiful villas and apartments this is an area of Costa Blanca, Spain where there are a large number of full time residents all year round, again Spanish mixed with foreign.

The gorgeous mild climate and sunshine for more than 300 day annually together with the ease of access makes this area highly desirable for both permanent residents and holidaymakers. The cinema of Torrevieja which shows newly released English movies daily and the aquapark are a short drive away.

Los Balcones properties tend to be larger than the typical Costa Blanca property. We have sold many detached villas here more so than the normal two bedroom apartment. If you want value for your euro, Los Balcones is worth investigating, with detached property averaging 275,000 euro in price for a four bedroom place with a 700 m plot for example.

LOS DOLSES A small commercial centre surrounded by nicely set urbanisations can be found mid way between La Zenia and Villamartin on the Costa Blanca Spain, this is one way of describing Los Dolses. Perhaps a better description would be an urbanisation set around a commercial centre which has been well thought out to cater for every need that the residents might have. With choice of supermarkets, butchers, banks, a school, as well as pharmacies, drapery, garden centre and computer store there is no need to travel for any of your needs.

There is a nice choice of bars and restaurants also in the Los Dolses commercial centre. One such restaurant that is great value and has a lovely terrace delicately decorated in orange and yellow tones is the Greek Restaurant El Greco.

This does the best Mossaka in the region and should be put on your bucket list. Once you do go there you will return again and again as there is much to try on the lovely menu. They often have a greek musician playing whilst you eat and it is a really lovely evening out. The supermarket in front of the local school Dialprix has a fabulous array of fresh foods and a superb meat counter giving an excellent choice for your al fresco dining in the wonderful summer weather.

The location of the new developments in Los Dolses makes it a perfect area for people looking to move to Spain. Resale property is popular naturally but new builds make up 80% of our sales in the region.

The La Zenia Boulevard, casino and commercial centre is a few minutes away and its close enough to La Zenia that we

can call Los Dolses a Spanish beach resort. You do need to walk over the motorway that divides La Zenia and Los Dolses to get to the beach but there is a very safe walkway now to make this a simple stroll.

Los Dolses property sales, especially as we mention all the time, new developments, are hot in 2016.

LOS MONTESIOS With a population of approx 6000 and growing with people coming here to buy property every day, Los Montesinos is proving to be one of the most popular destinations for new ex-pats moving to the Costa Blanca region of Spain in the last few years. The population is broken down approx 50/50 between Spanish and Ex-pats and the best of both cultures has been incorporated into this self sufficient town.

Los Montesinos has the entire infrastructure needed for a large community to thrive including schools , a school of music, sports facilities, bowling, churches and plenty of shops, bars and restaurants. Tourism would be the main industry here but it also has a thriving agricultural industry due to the farms surrounding the town including orange and lemon productions as well as local vegetables such as artichokes. The colors of the farms look stunning year round! Los Montesinos is only 8 km from the Spanish city of Torrevieja with its wonderful choice of beaches and promenade walks and cafes. Again the salt lakes of Torrevieja influence the healthy aspects of this town in a very positive way, one of the reasons people choose to come and live here. The town has a gorgeous Spanish style square where you can wile away the hours at one of the cafes or bars that look onto the square.

The Spanish gather here in the evenings to review the day’s happenings and it has a lovely relaxed feeling reminiscent of days gone by when life was not so busy and rushed! There is a mix of Spanish , Italian , Indian and many other restaurants on the square but one excellent English bar/restaurant is Carls Bar where the quality is fabulous , staff are friendly, location on the square is great for watching the world go by and the atmosphere is lovely and relaxing.

A Spanish bar that I would recommend is Rincon de Miguel which offers authentic Spanish food with plenty of flavour and has a very reasonably priced menu Del dia.

This restaurant is down a side street so you may have to search around for it, it’s not so exciting from the outside but once you enter it you enter another world, spacious, bright with beautifully set tables – a hidden Los Montesinos treasure. The market on Fridays is also a lovely place to spend a few hours and purchase your fruit and vegetables direct from the growers as well as haggling over an abundance of handcrafts on offer.

The large lake Torremendo is nearby where you can swim, boat and fish, and use the vast number of walking trails to keep fit. Quad biking , horse riding, pony treks, scuba diving, snorkeling and guided walking excursions are also available here at the wonderful Casa La Pedrera where you can also use their pool and children’s play area to complete your day. Check out any of our many blogs on the very close Casa de la Pedrera- Tell Derek and Jenny we sent you!

We had our Children’s Christmas party there this year, many quads trips with the family and even last summers staff day out.

Restaurante La Herradura can be found on the outskirts of Los Montesinos complete with wonderful gardens and plenty of parking. They offer evenings complete with high quality gourmet food, including a coeliac friendly menu, enjoyed while watching Spanish traditional flamenco dancers and passionate Spanish guitarists showing you Spanish culture at its best. They also offer cooking courses regularly and it is wonderful to attend to get the tips that change your cooking attempts into the real deal full of Spanish gusto! The course attendees sit down to enjoy the cooking after with a glass of wine and it is a lovely friendly afternoon/evening where there is an opportunity to make new friends.

MIL PALMERAS The meaning of Mil palmeras is 1000 Palms, and that is indeed what it has alongside a lengthy soft sandy beach with many beach bars offering cool drinks, burgers, salad and chips to the hungry holidaymakers.

Mil Palmeras is a small resort set on the coast just off the N332 between Cabo Roig and Pilar de la Horadada, ten minutes drive from San Javier airport.

It is like a secret hideaway that you will wish you had discovered sooner and we often take a Sunday drive

tot eh beaches here. With typical winding narrow Spanish style streets it is a pretty picturesque place with wonderful sea views from the roads and walkways that rise above the soft sandy beach and clear clean waters of the Mediterranean Sea. It is quiet and tranquil during the winter months but the winter in this area is very short due to over 300 days of sunshine each year on the Costa Blanca.

Mil Palmeras really comes to life when the good weather comes in. A family resort, the night life is relaxed and serene and most of the liveliness occurs in the lovely plaza by the white church which is surrounded by a choice of places to eat and drink.

Residents from the busier Cabo Roig, La Zenia and further visit here to stroll about, take in the views and take in the quieter pace of life that Mil Palmeras enjoys. Developments here are modern in design and set out to make the most of the views offered. We offer new developments and well as re sale property in Mil Palmeras.

Beach sports are plentiful with volleyball nets, pedallos and jet skies for hire. On a Friday afternoon you can hear the dulcet tones of popular local singer/entertainer Richie Alexander as he gets the crowd joining in with his rambunctious performance.

He is so popular that you need to book seats in advance at the beach bar where he performs. As you turn off the N332 to visit Mil Palmeras there is the best WOK Restaurant in the Costa Blanca, you cannot miss it as it is painted a deep red and its huge!! Here you can choose all you want to eat for approx 10 euro including prawns, oysters locally grown, mussels, chicken, beef and pork together with a selection of the finest and freshest vegetables and salads. You can watch the chef cook your meal on a large open hotplate and go back for seconds if you want.

Mil Palmeras is a super popular location especially for investors who come to Spain looking to buy new build property.

MURCIA

shopping street with all the usual high street shops and a large number of unique boutiques also.

Murcia is a beautiful city, easy to get around but large enough to offer all types of activities and experiences to its residents and tourists. Steeped in history it is the capital of the Murcia region and boasts many fine architectural buildings from Gothic to Renaissance to baroque to modern designs. The highlight is the amazing Cathedral in the centre of Murcia – Plaza Cardinal Belluga – This took so many years to complete, started in 1394 and finished in 1792, that it was started using one style of architecture and completed when another style was in fashion, or when there was a different ruler in charge! But the styles merged and look great and you could spend hours in this cathedral marvelling at the craftsmanship and wonder how they built this church in days gone by without the scaffolding and mechanical equipment that we take for granted today. The 18th century Bishops Palace also stands in the same plaza and is also very interesting.

Bars and restaurants are plentiful and there one to suite every taste and every pocket. If you have a few extra euros in your pocket you must try El Pasaje de Zabalburu, famous for its seafood and Mediterranean menu with well presented, extraordinary quality and great on the taste buds. If you are vegan there is also a speciality restaurant for you – El Jardin de Los Dragones.

This restaurant produces creative delicious foods for vegetarians and vegans, the staff are very friendly and the busy restaurant always has a lovely ambiance.

From the old to the new and seeing the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) which was designed in the modern era by the great Spanish architect Rafael Moneo, set in the same plaza can seem strange and local opinion is divided but I think they blend together well. There are many other historical buildings and also many museums including a Bull Fighting Museum and an Architectural Museum. Murcia is a fertile region of Spain and agricultural is one of its mainstay industries. The Segura River crosses the city and irrigates the countryside around. It became wealthy some centuries ago through the production of handmade silk which was sold throughout Spain and also exported. Unfortunately when machines were invented to do the same job, the silk industry ground to a halt.

The Easter processions are a highlight of Murcia City and they are taken in great seriousness with much pomp and ceremony. Colourfully clad bishops and priests lead the procession through the streets and the people gather to join in or just watch the spectacle. The energy of Murcia is young and vibrant, particularly due to the two universities and the vast numbers of young students calling Murcia home. There is a fabulous

There are several large shopping centres around Murcia including Thader and a very popular shopping destination – IKEA! There is also a centre for Artisan Crafts located in Calle Francisco Rabal which showcases pottery, leather goods, crafts and jewellery made by local artists. This is a lovely place to find that special souvenir of a trip to Murcia. A day is never enough in Murcia, if you can plan to spend at least two nights to try to see all the wonderful things it has to offer.

The bull ring in the city centre has hosted concerts by acts such as R.E.M, Queen and Paul Rdgers and is a great landmark.

Property sales in Murcia are mostly centre on New Builds as resale property is not so plentiful.

ORIHUELA For those of you who love history, Orihuela City has to be on your list of places to visit in Alicante, Spain. It is easy to get to being 30 minutes from both Alicante and San Javier Airports. Set about 25 minutes inland from La Zenia, this very Spanish city boasts many religious buildings and museums showing the rich heritage of the area from the Romans who were the first settlers to the different inhabitants down through the ages. It is said that in the 15th century King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel stopped in Orihuela to gather forces to help them fight the Moors in Granada!

The Iglesia Santa Justa church constructed in medieval times is a beautiful example of intricate architecture and is a joy to spent time there, another church worth a visit is the gothic styled Catedral Del Salvador y Santa Maria. This church is quite small but has a fantastic choir and organ and is a lovely example of cloister buildings. There are several other churches here too done in fine gothic or baroque style. The Spanish Poet and dramatist Miquel Hernandez was born here, he was jailed for his anti-fascist opinions and in fact wrote his best works from prison. His home is now a museum dedicated to him showing some of his personal belongings and photographs.

In February Orihuela celebrates its rich culture and history with a week-long medieval festival which includes music, tournaments and games. This festival brings visitors from far and near and is full of colour and excitement. We love it. The Rio Segura River runs through Oriheula city and has lovely walkways alongside. There is plenty to see and do in Orihuela including a visit to the theatre "Teatro Circo’, an evening at the Casino, or dine in one of the many bars and restaurants throughout the city. One excellent Spanish tapas restaurant is Casa Pepe, centrally located, a small but lovely Spanish owned bar/restaurant. The food is excellent quality and very innovative with a modern twist and service is excellent and quick.

Going slightly more expensive but with excellent European cuisine is the Restaurante El Divino which is highly recommended by the locals and deserves its excellent reputation. From seafood done in pancakes to entrecote steaks beautifully tender this restaurant will have something to suit every taste. The service is very good and the atmosphere is lovely. This is definitely one that you will go back to again and again. For sport lovers there is the Palacio Del Aqua which is a fantastic municipal sports centre which has tennis, paddle, and football as well as a swimming pool. Here you can find different classes including aqua aerobics, Zumba and keep fit.

For shoppers there are many unusual speciality and gift shops selling items by local artists and craft makers. The fabulous boutique Torero Orihuela is a beautiful unique shopping experience, great for finding that special outfit that you know nobody else will have. They also carry beautiful accessories in a great choice of colours. There is

also the Ociopia Shopping Centre with all the high street fashion stores alongside cafes and restaurants. This centre also has a cinema with all the latest releases and a gym and spa. It is within walking distance of the town centre and is set out over two floors. This is a very easy city to explore and parking is plentiful although there are parking meters in some of the city centre streets.

Market day in Orihuela is Tuesday where the local traders ply their trade, selling everything from arts and crafts to clothing to leather goods to fresh fruits and vegetables from the surrounding orange, lemon and almond groves and agricultural lands.

For those of you not so lucky, the local courtroom is also located in Oriheula. Hopefully you’ll buy your property in Spain through a registered agent like Comaskey properties so that should help you avoid a day out here!!!

PILAR DE LA HORADADA Pilar de la Horadada is a charming little town with winding streets that lies about 10 minutes south of Cabo Roig along the N332. It is a small, very Spanish town with a lively and interesting market on Fridays. The local golden beaches of Torre de la Horadada are a 2 minute drive away and stretch 5 km along the coast with beautiful calm waters and plenty choice of water sports. These beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag Award which signifys the top condition of the beach and the waters. Pilar is located centrally between Valencia and Murica and has seen many battles down the ages for supremacy. It has some lovely historical buildings including a watch tower situated in the beach area of Torre de la Horadada which was built in the 15th century.

The locals are very proud of their history here. The lovely church in the town plaza "Nuestra Senora del Pilar’ (Our lady of Pilar) replaced an older one but the original Bell Tower remains and there are many religious artefacts and beautiful religious paintings by local artists. Pilar, like other Spanish towns, has many fiestas and festivals throughout the year, the month of October is a continuous celebration of the Virgin Mary and the highlight is the floral tributes on 11th October.

The sports centre in Pilar is fantastic- We played 7 a side football here for many years, before the legs gave up and I still take advantage of the olympic pool, tennis and paddle courts and the gym Sports Area fitness club.

Our little man goes to the kids school here, Martin Artego and he loves it! Its Spanish school and his integration was seamless into the educational systemWe love it!

Lo Romero golf course (Pilar de la Horadada) 5 minutes outside the town is the well known golf course Lo Romero. This is a very popular course and is suitable for all standards of golfers from beginners to the more experienced players. Check out our blog on Lo Romero where we have started selling new builds in 2016.

We have been playing golf in Lo Romero long before we started selling property here.

In fact in the days before the Spanish property bubble burst, we used to take our inspection trip clients who were buying property in Spain here to show them how could the golf on the Costa Blanca actually was.

Lo Romero Golf is a wonderful 18 hole golf course, with a great variety of holes designed around the protected Spanish landscape, with some spectacular vistas out to the Med as far as La Manga. It’s hard to write about Lo Romero without mentioning the par four, 356 m, 18th.

The 18th tee shot is played from an elevated tee which looks down onto the island green, less than 400 meters in the distance yet it may as well be a mile away. It’s a good hit to avoid the sand on both sides of the fairway and leave a relatively short iron to the green. The lake surrounding the 18th is a golf ball and score card graveyard. Two good hits, two putts and hit the bar!

PLAYA FLAMENCA Playa Flamenca is a large coastal area with rocky coves, large cliffs, sandy beaches and fabulous views of the Mediterranean sea. It is easily accessed by two airports, Alicante Airport about 30 minutes away and San Javier Airport (Murcia) 20 minutes, it is accessed via the AP7 motorway or the N332 Road network.

Boasting four main commercial centres and several smaller ones, it also has several beautiful sheltered beaches to enjoy the sunshine and water sports, this is a very desirable area to live or holiday in for us ex patriots. You don’t have to travel far to get all you need and it has been voted as one of the healthiest places to live in by the World Health Organisation due to the fabulous climate, more than 320 days of sunshine each year, average temperatures of 21 degrees, the healthy Mediterranean diet and the relaxed pace of life.

According to the medical "Journal Lancet” people living in Spain have a life expectancy of 2 years more than Britain and Ireland.

Therefore - Don’t you think it’s time you were buying a property in Playa Flamenca?

Beautiful white washed houses in quiet and elegant urbanisations are just several minutes stroll away from the lively nightlife, of Playa Flamenca (and even Cabo Roig / La Zenia) excellent shopping, sports facilities and of course, the gorgeous sands of the local beaches.

Playa Flamenca beach front commercial centre is full of fabulous little bars, delicious restaurants and many shops. Located just a 2 minute stroll from the sheltered Playa Flamenca Beach, Playa Flamenca has clear unspoilt views across the Mediterranean Sea and also towards the city of Torrevieja. You can walk from here through La Zenia and on to Cabo Roig all along the beautiful coast or cliff walk.

This walk is very popular and is highly scenic, not to mention good for you after indulging in the beautiful pastries, sangria and other delicacies on offer in the local eateries. Located in this centre is the famous Lobster Restaurant, occupying a front line position with glorious sea views, this cosy restaurant offers modern, gastronomic cuisine. It is famous for its lobster probably for the past ten years and seafood offerings but they do have a selection of meat dishes also. They open for lunch and dinner but they are happy to serve a cup of delicious Italian coffee if you just want to enjoy the ambiance and sea views.

Around the corner from the Lobster Restaurant you will find Surfers Bar & Grill. Surfers also enjoys clear sea views and tourists return here year after year for the lovely reasonably priced menu, quality food, friendly staff and the children’s menu. There is also a pool table in the bar which is great fun for the whole family after a pleasant day at the beach. Another lovely spot on this commercial centre is Sunny Jim’s Bar Cafe. This has the feel of your local café at home, offers snacks, coffee and drinks and friendly banter across the tables or with the lovely friendly staff.

We really have to give a quick mention to Anthony in Cafe Del Mar too- Between the lobster restaurant the Surfers- It’s small, tiny in fact, but if you get lucky and grab a seat, the service is only matched by the viewFantastic!!

On the other side of the centre is The Mail Room which is Irish owned and operated and offers stationery, gifts, postage and rental of post boxes- Like Mail boxes etc would do in the U.S. It is very conveniently located right next to the Main Post Office (Correos) of the region. If you are in a hurry do not even think about the post office- Speedy service is not a thing they will be accused of. This centre also has a beautician/hair salon, Belgian Butcher, speciality gift shop with a selection of stone jewellery and spiritual pendants and ornaments plus a preloved clothing store. (actually a charity shop, we often frequent!!)

During the summer evenings there is a market set up on the promenade in front of this commercial centre which is a very nice way to pass an evening. Often there will be Spanish music live on the stage too.

Overhead of this centre are apartments with the best views on the Costa Blanca.

These apartments are always snapped up very quickly if they come to market and it would be rare to see one advertised for longer than a couple of weeks.

Flamenca Beach Commercial Centre is located on the opposite side of the N332 and is a very lively centre with an abundance of excellent entertainment available nightly in the lively bars and restaurants. Two of the great late night bars are Legends Bar and The Lansdowne Bar, both Irish bars that offer live bands nightly and also have a happy hour so you can get even better value for your money. Holidaymakers travel from distance to enjoy the exciting, madcap atmosphere that these two bars offer and to partake in the Karaoke which several of the bars offer. You can dine upstairs in this centre in the well-known Spud Murphys, an upmarket chippy that offers both sit down and takeaway and include home-made chips on their menu – delicious! It’s run by Irish ex pats Shawn and Lisa and a very friendly welcome awaits you if you do choose to visit them.

Close by is the very popular The Papaya Tree Restaurant. It is advisable to make reservations at The Papaya Tree as it is often fully booked out several days in advance and the Thai food is absolutely authentic and full of flavour.

This is a large commercial centre and has hairdressers, beauticians, Laundry, Hire Shop for Children’s

equipment and a range of clothing and gift shops.

Here you can have great fun buying your "Michael Kors’ fake or a genuine "fake Rolex’ from the traders who call to the bars and restaurants with their wares.

There is plenty of terrace space and a children’s play area making this a family friendly centre with children making new friends on the playground as their parents look on. As there is no passing traffic, Parents really can relax while keeping one eye on the kids and one eye on the entertainment!

On the upper floor of this centre is another lovely family run international restaurant called Rustica. Only newly opened this restaurant is already making its name as a place for great food, attentive service and a very welcoming attitude. They have a selection of children’s meals including pizza which is amazing, my own favourites at this restaurant are the goat’s cheese starter and the duck but the menu is superb and caters to all tastes and prices are affordable for such quality wholesome food.

Further along from this centre, parallel to the N332 is Rocky’s Arena Bar, a fast food outlook with spectacular views across palm trees to the sea. This is very popular with younger members of the family.

Also the "sports bar” on the corner is good fun, especially if Newcastle are playing on the TV. The whole area is serviced very well with supermarkets including Mercadona, Consum, Lidl and Al Campo along with numerous small grocery shops.

In addition to the numerous commercial centres Playa Flamenca is also home to Zenia Boulevard Shopping Mall. Only three years old this mall has more than 150 shops and retail outlets. There is a stage area on the ground floor and there are different performances here regularly, including shows, dancing, live Bands and Parades. At Christmas, Santa visits, at Easter, it’s the Easter bunny- you get the idea.

There is plenty of seating areas around the centre to take in the colourful scenes as people go about the business of shopping, and you can watch the little children squealing in delight as they dash through the little waterfalls on a hot summer day. In this shopping mall there is everything you need for your home from mats to ornaments to furniture.

Here is housed the largest Primark store in Europe, they tell me. There is underground parking available as well as plentiful parking on each side of this large shopping centre. It is beautifully laid out and it is lovely to spend a day here even if you have no intention of buying anything.

Just beyond the Zenia Boulevard Shopping Mall is the location of the world famous "Playa Flamenca Saturday Market”. This market holds happy memories for tourists for the past twenty years and continues to be a very popular destination on a Saturday morning as the marketers begin their stall set ups from 7 am and trade continues to about 3 pm. It’s just past the Celtic Isle bar. You can do all your weekly grocery shopping with a variety of fabulous fresh fruits and vegetable stalls competing for your custom. The olives stall will give you free tastings as will some of the fruit stalls to show you how sweet and succulent their naturally grown fruits are.

There are various coffee stalls with seating available along the route and I’d highly recommend stopping for a coffee and just watching the hustle and bustle of a busy market on a gorgeous day with blue skies and not a cloud to be seen. T-shirts, shorts, leather jackets & goods, table cloths, toys, kitchen utensils, plants, flowers, home baking are some of the excellent goods on offer. Here you can buy your paella dish and get an authentic recipe for the best paella of the region!

For families who relocate to Playa Flamenca there is an excellent Spanish school there, at the top of the Saturday Market Street, close to Zenia Boulevard. This school which is made up of both Spanish and foreign nationals offers a wide range of subjects within the Spanish education system to children from age 3 to 17.

For those who would like their children to sit exams in the English System doing GCSE’s and A Level examinations, there is El Limonar International School at Villamartin, a 10 minute drive from Playa Flamenca.

Another excellent facility in Playa Flamenca is the CDM Sports Centre. This centre was opened in 2010 and offers swimming, football, tennis, basketball, soccer, handball and paddle. It also offers classes in the following; pilates, yoga, aerobics, keep fit, zumba, etc. You can also practice activities in the heated indoor swimming pool, not just the swimming, but also Aquagym, Aquaerobic, Aquazumba, etc. There’s no excuse not to keep fit in the Playa Flamenca region of the Costa Blanca- you can never blame the weather or the facilities, that’s for sure.

For the adventurous there is a Go kart track along the N332 which offers the excitement of motor racing with the fun of a little competition among the drivers. There is a café bar attached for those who take their leisure time a bit more relaxed. For the golf enthusiast there are three main Golf Courses within a 10 minute drive, Villamartin, Las Colinas and Las Ramblas- We’ve spoken about them before on this web site. These courses are world class and Las Colinas has recently been voted "Best Golf Course in Spain’ at the World Golf Awards in Portugal. High Season on the golf courses is from Mid-February to May and from Mid-September to November, when the price is a bit more expensive but the weather is a little cooler. In La Zenia, next to the newest comaskey office we have a golf shop where you can get really good priced golf all up and down the Costa Blanca.

Torrevieja City is only 4 km away and is a lovely Spanish cultural city. It has a lovely marina where you can wile away a few hours of an evening looking at the amazing catamarans and yachts that

make Torrevieja their home during the summer months. Just in front of the marina is an amusement park with all the fun your children would ever want! Bumper Cars, Chair-o-planes, swing boats and the rest…

Torrevieja is built on the coast and the town planners have made the most of their natural beauty by building a beautiful promenade along the edge of the city by the sea, there each evening you can see people out for their stroll. At the end of the promenade there are traditional huts selling all types of things where you can haggle to get yourself a nice bargain. The promenade has lovely bars, cafes and restaurants where you can stop for a coffee or a nice colourful cocktail or indeed have your evening meal out with splendid views. In Torrevieja also there is a wonderful Water Park, Aquapolis, with its many slides and pools for fun and laughter for all the family.

In closing, Playa Flamenca, is close enough to all the action on the Costa Blanca to be fun, young and exciting yet detached enough to be quiet and peaceful for families and retirees as well.

We sell new builds (new developments) as well as re sales properties- If you are thinking of buying a property in Spain, why not consider Playa Flamenca, Costa Blanca?

PUNTA PRIMA Located on the N332 just 5 minutes south of Torrevieja City, Punta Prima boasts gorgeous restaurants right on the water front as well as apartments with fantastic views right over the Mediterranean. The waters here are some of the cleanest in the Costa Blanca and the beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag of excellence. Beside the beaches are many rocky coves where you can see fishermen casting their nets on a nice evening and plenty of snorkelers exploring the seas and rock formations of the area. Punta Prima is half way between Alicante and San Javier (Murcia) Airport and its approx. 30 minutes from each airport.

The main area on the left hand side of the N332 as you head south has plenty of bars, restaurants and cafes as well as banks, gyms and pharmacies. El Secreto is a lovely restaurant that offers Spanish dishes and the best Steaks you’ve ever tasted. The owners are very welcoming and you can sit inside or out and enjoy the lovely ambiance and the soft music.

Further along towards the sea, Punta Prima Restaurant is a spectacular venue with unrivalled sea views and a lovely modern terrace, weddings are often held here, the dining room and bar are very elegant and photographs would be simply amazing. It is set along a lovely walkway that leads from Punta Prima along the coast to Cabo Roig.

Set on both sides of the N332 like many of the towns along the way, Punta Prima has, on the right hand side heading south, a lovely shopping centre which has a McDonalds – to make you feel at home, a fabulous card shop and an electrical goods outlet which sells washing machines, cookers, televisions and all small house electrics. There is also the popular Timeless Fashions which sells English clothes. Behind McDonalds is the Patio Anduluz, this famous establishment provides delicious Spanish cooking and regularly has Shows incorporating everything Spanish – Flamenco dancing, storytelling and Guitar playing. The area has plenty of supermarkets including Consum , Lidl and Carrefour.

The famous Nautillus Restaurant is located on the Waterfront and is designed to look like a ship and has water views from every table. The food is wonderful with an excellent choice of seafood but there is also good choice for the meat lover. Due to its close proximity to Torrevieja it is easy to visit the aquapark or the markets of Torrevieja, and enjoy all the cultural activities the city has to offer. If you enjoy a good walk it is about 30 minutes to walk from Punta Prima to Torrevieja along beautiful coastal areas dotted with cafes and little beaches.

New developments in Punta Prima sell really well with our clients.

Location, price and superb finishes attract our buyers to this beautiful part of Spain.

ROJALAS Rojalas is 35 minutes from Alicante airport along the N332 road, and is inland from the beautiful coastal area of Guardemar Del Sugura in Spain’s sunny Costa Blanca.

Rojales is a very pretty and attractive town and has the river Segura running through it, the stunning beaches of Guardamar Del Sugura are only 10 minutes away and Torrevieja city is only 15 minutes. It is close to Ciudad Quesada, Benijofer and Almoradi. Rojales was originally a Moorish town built during the Moors occupation of Spain from the 8th to 13th century AD. There is lots of evidence of its historical past everywhere you look.

The surrounding environment is mostly agricultural, with a wide selection of fresh fruit such as Almonds, Oranges and Lemons as well as vegetables including artichokes, cauliflower and broccoli. Outside of the town there are also the traditional cave homes that are a feature of this area of Spain and are an amazing sight.

No, Comaskey Properties do not sell Cave houses, sorry!!! Some of these homes are still lived in today and there are strict guidelines living there as there is a ban on electricity being used within them. Many of them will have an outhouse built nearby with an electricity supply which will be used for cooking and cleaning and the caves are used to sleep in. The caves are ideal in this climate as they maintain a constant temperature of approx. 22 degrees all year round thus protecting from the intense heat of the summer months but still remaining warm enough during the cooler winter months.

The town of Rojales is typically Spanish with a lovely plaza at its centre which has cafes, restaurants and bars from where you can watch the world go by. There is a also a very pretty church and a museum which you can explore while visiting. It has banks and supermarkets as well as hairdressers and beauticians. Market day in Rojales is on Thursdays where it is situated along the river through the town. It is a very interesting and nice day out and you might always catch a bargain!!

One very popular restaurant in Rojales is La Perla Roja (The Red Pearl) with its European and Spanish style cuisine, the food is consistently high quality and the prices are very reasonable. Booking can be necessary particularly during the busier months as it is quite small with no outdoor seating. If you have a Pizza lover in the family there’s nowhere better than Pizzeria 222 which has beautiful home cooked Pizzas and a selection of fresh Italian dishes.

One for all the family.

New Builds are the most popular property sales in the general Rojales region with some super value new developments hitting the market this year.

SAN MIGUEL San Miguel de Salinas is a small Spanish town inland, close to Villamartin that has about 50 per cent Spanish inhabitants and 50 per cent ex pats, mainly British. The approach roads are very picturesque with many lemon and almond groves to be seen. There is a bypass road that keeps the heavy delivery trucks off the main town area, meaning peace for those ex pats who have relocated here.

San Miguel is a quaint small town with narrow streets and a nice mix of Spanish and English bars and restaurants.

Located 15 minutes from the golden beaches of Campoamor it is more typically Spanish than other locations in the area such as La Zenia, Villamartin, Playa Flamenca and Campoamor. It is 50 minutes from Alicante Airport and about 15 minutes from Ryanair’s San Javier (Murcia) Airport. Vistabella Golf Course is only 5 minutes away and the world class Las Ramblas, Villamartin and Las Colinas golf courses about 15 minutes.

The town boasts a medical centre, banks, pharmacies, schools including two international schools that provide access to GCSE and A Level examinations, and plenty of bars and restaurants. There is a superb butcher shop (carniceria) beside the post office (Correos) with choice cuts of different meats and poultry and a variety of sauces

and select wines available as well. A well-kept secret but a must try is the tapas bar Meson de Paco. This amazing restaurant has a vast choice of Spanish food, is very clean and decorated in a lovely Spanish style. The owners are very friendly and the service fantastic. Prices are very reasonable and you can have an excellent meal out for two for less than 20 euros. The local church is on the main road through the town and has a lovely plaza in front where the town celebrates its many fiestas including the festival of San Miquel which is held in September.

Market day in San Miquel de Salinas is Wednesdays and here the locals mingle with the tourists trying to get the best bargains and there is plenty of laughter heard on the streets.

We sell many new developments here and its popularity is increasing, due to the super value new builds on offer.

SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR San Pedro del Pinatar is situated on the Murcia, (Costa Blanca) coast about 50 km from the city of Murcia. It is 50 minutes from Alicante Airport and 15 minutes from San Javier (Murcia) Airport. The N332 passes through the town and the AP7 passes close by. Due to its fantastic location facing the Mar Menor and the wonderful climate it enjoys, it has grown from an agricultural stronghold into one of the main tourist destinations of Costa Blanca. Ex Pats love it here.

This town was built during the Roman times and there have been some remains of Roman houses uncovered in the area. History, history, history.

The town itself is built along the coast and the main activities of the area take place on the promenade. The main attractions are the availability of water sports including sailing, scuba diving and surfing. There are many schools that offer lessons and equipment hire to get you started on your new hobby. We actually did our scuba course here.

The waters and mud banks along the coast are reputed to be therapeutic and offer cures for skin ailments and all sorts of aches and pains, Lo Pagan just beside San Pedro is the most famous region for people to indulge in the reputation that the mud has. San Pedro is very popular with the Spanish Tourist and the town swells during the month of August as Spaniards take their annual months holidays and come in droves to enjoy the climate and healthy waters of the San Pedro area. There are a number of museums to visit which celebrate the history of the region and a very pretty 17th Century Church St Peter’s which has been maintained in excellent condition and is worth a visit. San Pedro celebrates its patron saint St. Peter at a festival at the end of June.

Easter sees big celebrations for Santa Semana with festivals and festivities ongoing throughout the week. The modern four star Hotel Thalasia Costa de Murcia is a delightful place to stay in when visiting San Pedro. It provides fitness, spa and wellness centre with personal trainer as well as an indoor sea water swimming pool and hot tub. It comes complete with a paddle court and children’s play area and is within walking distance of all the amenities of San Pedro. San Pedro has an amazing sports facility called Pinatar Arena which has artificial football pitches, paddle courts, archery and a cracking gym and spa. It has different keep fit classes weekly including Pilates, Zumba, Spinning and running.

All in all this town has everything you could want in a place to call home. Proof can be seen in the numbers of people buying new property in the various new developments here.

TORRE DE LA HORADADA Torre de la Horadada is a small town of about 3000 inhabitants located just beside Pilar de la Horadada on the coast in South Costa Blanca, Spain. An hour’s drive from Alicante airport and 15 minutes from San Javier (Murcia) Airport this is a lovely location to live, invest or spend time in. The "Torre” in the name of the town refers to the 15th century watch tower which stands intact on the entrance and is very picturesque. The watch tower was originally built to protect the town and the coast

from hordes of marauding pirates who frequented these waters. Coincidently the Guardia Civil station is adjacent to the watch tower now.

Water sports feature strongly in Torre with scuba diving being very popular due to the interesting rock formations and sea life under the calm blue waters of the Mediterranean.

In August there is an influx of Spanish holidaymakers leaving the stifling heat of Madrid and other cities to enjoy the balmy weather and waters of Torre de la Horadada amongst other favoured spots. The increase in expats choosing to make it their permanent home has seen the development of modern infrastructure and now the town has supermarkets, banks, pharmacies, a medical centre and retail outlets. There are numerous new developments sprouting up as Spain battles its way out of the Spains property collapse which hit us hard in 2008.

We are well on the way to recovery as you can see by the tower cranes which once again are part of the Costa Blanca skyline.

With two modern plazas surrounded by little bars and cafes this particular town has been designed and planned to retain its character and maintain the feeling of a local small village. In 2011 the Lo Monte complex was built that incorporated hotel style accommodation, 3 swimming pools, a gym and a spa. Its bar/restaurants provides traditional Spanish dishes as well as international cuisine. There are lovely coastal walks starting in Torre, and there is also the well-known Rio Seco (Dry River) at Pinar de Campoverde, a couple of km outside Torre de la Horadada where you can spend an hour walking along a dried river bed marvelling at the wondrous formations that were once under the water as you take in the surrounding greenery of the orange and lemon groves and pine forests.

From Campoverde the dried river bed traces its way to the sea at Mil Palmeras. This is an area frequented by avid hikers due to the unusual scenery but you don’t have to be a regular walker to do this walk, it is suitable for beginners too. This walk can be done at any time of the year but is particularly nice during the hot summer months as you get shade from the pine trees along the way.

TORRE PANCHO Torre Pacheco is a large town set just off the AP7 heading south and is an inland setting. It is only 5 minutes from San Javier Airport (Murcia) and about 70 minutes from Alicante Airport. The train station connects the town to Cartagena and Murcia where you can spend the day exploring and enjoying the lovely roman architecture and the influence of the Moors who governed these cities many years ago. Actually the trains go to Madrid daily from here.

Torre Pacheco has a large town centre with a wide selection of delicious restaurants, bars and shops. The golf courses of La Serena, Roda,Mar Menor and La Torre are nearby and are in top condition. For those who like a little less exercise the town itself has a 9 hole municipal par 3 Pitch & Putt course full of quirky water hazards and bunkers, a favourite with all the family and you can celebrate victory in the small café with its views overlooking the pretty course. The street market is held on Saturday mornings and is a large market selling everything from vegetables and fruit, to shoes and clothing to toys and gizmos and gadgets, it is a fun day out and you can practise your haggling and your Spanish here, the marketers are always in good humour and ready to bargain.

One fabulous restaurant that I’d recommend is El Huerto Del Azafran. It is open for lunch and offers a superb choice of Mediterranean and Spanish dishes. It is frequented by the Spanish of the area, which is always an excellent recommendation for a restaurant. Here you will get imaginative dishes made with the freshest local ingredients. The staff are very friendly and happy to accommodate you if you have any particular dietary requirements. There are a good few more excellent café’s in the town and you will find the owners and staff very friendly and welcoming.

The wonderful Blue Flag beaches of the Mar Menor are a short drive away as is the therapeutic mud baths of Lo Pagan. Due to its mainly flat terrain Torre Pacheco is a fabulous destination for walkers and hikers, it does have one large hill called Cabezo Gordo which has some fabulous trees and shrubs and is a mecca for birdwatchers with a large variety of our feathered friends. The infrastructure of the town is good with plenty of choice of supermarkets, banks, petrol stations and retail outlets.

There are annual festivals in October in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary and nobody does the festivities like the Spanish. A wonderful mix of dance, music and foods of the region. As you explore this area you will see many 19th century windmills, most are just a pretty shell at this stage but four are in perfect condition.

When we started selling Polaris World property in 2003, their head office was located in Torre Pacheco. Despite all that happened with Polaris World and their financial troubles, we have many wonderful memories of taking our clients who had just invested in golf property out for lunch. (and usually drinks!!)

New building stalled here when Polaris collapsed but our clients are again looking at new builds around Torre Pacheco telling us the good times ar e(almost) back in Torre Pacheco!!

TORREVIEJA Torrevieja is a city built on the coast and has a population of approx 108,000- for most of us this is where it all began- in my case on a property inspection trip back in 1998.

It is 48 kilometers from Alicante City and was originally built for fishermen of the region and to harvest the salt from the two great salt lakes nearby. It has a very healthy climate due to the over 300 days of sunshine per year and the micro climate it enjoys. Torrevieja has many popular

beaches including Los Locos, Los Naufragos, La Mata and Playa del Acequion, all with a unique history. It has now developed into a multi cultural city with many nationalities calling it home, and over a thousand bars and restaurants to choose from. The seafront has been built to incorporate a marina and a wonderful long promenade which is very popular with the local population.

There are many water sports on offer including Jet Ski hire and there is a regular boat trip to the Tabarca Island which lies about 30 minutes off the coast. I highly recommend this trip on any sunny day- its is much fun there, and my kids are still talking about the pirates on Tabarca.

The Torrevieja museum of Sea and Salt is located at the water’s edge and shows the history of Torrevieja through the ages. Managed by the Sea and Salt Museum and located in the harbour is the "Albatross III’ a floating museum which once guarded the waters outside the city.

This is a very interesting unusual museum to visit and a novel way to display historical memorabilia. Each evening beside the Torrevieja promenade the market huts open to sell their wares to the hundreds of visitors to the area.

Street traders offer their wares including ” real designer’ bags and watches and street artists abound. Tourism is now one of its biggest industries and the city has grown in response to this. Property sales in Torrevieja are bigthere are hundreds of estate agents all or mostly all selling very good value new builds around the general area.

It is a good shopping town with a large partly outdoor shopping centre called La Habanaras which houses modern fashion houses, jewellers and other retail outlets and restaurants. In the city centre near to the church, along the main street Ramon Gallud and smaller offshoots, there is an abundance of designer and boutique shops that cater to the affluent and those seeking some unique Spanish pieces. Torrevieja celebrates many religious festivals and holy days with parades and events around the city. From Torrevieja there is a network of good bus connections within the Costa Blanca from Cartagena to Alicanta, National networks and international networks. Buses are frequent and inexpensive out to La Zenia too. If you buy property in Torrevieja, you are in fact entitles to free bus travel!

The Friday market which is cantered around the bus station is one of the biggest markets in the region and here you can buy leather goods, hand crafts,clothing, vegetables and all sorts of souvenirs. The atmosphere is relaxed and laid back.

In April and October Torrevieja celebrates the Ruta de la Tapas. This festival sees the involvement of more than 50 bars and restaurants providing regular and gourmet tapas for approx 2.50 for a tapas and a glass of wine. Entrance is free and the participants are given a free map of the restaurants and what tapas they are offering. It is great fun and an adventurous way to discover new restaurants, make new friends and try some different tapas in genial company. Really you could grannies a Spanish holiday around this event alone.

There are several language schools in Torrevieja so there is no excuse not to learn a little Spanish while you’re in town! I attended the Konigen school when I moved to Spain first. There is a wide choice of sports available in Torrevieja including football, tennis, paddle and a vast number of gyms offering many different types of keep fit classes.

Torrevieja is a short trip to La Zenia and as the prices on New Developments is slightly less than it is in Cabo Roig for example, its a great alternative for those thinking of buying new property in Spain with a more restricted budget.

One thing for sure, whether you invest here or not, Torrevieja is a lovely day out.

VILLAMARTIN Villamartin lies on the southern Costa Blanca in the municipality of Orihuela. It is one of the area ‘s longest established suburbs and is famous for its world class golf course, Villamartin Golf Course. Villamartin is very popular with tourists all year round and has a large population of full time residents of a variety of nationalities – this means that the shops, bars and restaurants are full of life no matter if it is summer or winter.

The hub of Villamartin is the square itself, known locally as Villamartin Plaza – a beautifully designed commercial complex with mosaic tiled benches, mature palm trees and a resident population of African Ring Neck parrots. The square is lined with some of the area ‘s most popular restaurants and bars – many of which have featured on television programmes such as A Place in the Sun and even The Only Way is Essex!

Villamartin Plaza was one of the first purpose built leisure areas on the Orihuela Costa. Its position close to Villamartin Golf Course and”millionaire ‘s row” mansions attracted an upmarket crowd and the highquality bars and restaurants reflected its quality image. Over time the plaza ‘s place in the spotlight had faded but now, after its recent face lift, it is once again claiming its crown as the place to go.

The one-time playground of the rich and famous has been restored to its former glory thanks to a programme of extensive maintenance and refurbishment.

It is a family-friendly, safe and secure and environment where locals and holiday-makers can eat, drink and enjoy sitting out on those long summer evenings. For those who like a little more hustle and bustle many of the bars have weekend discos and entertainment so you can boogie the night away. The committee of owners organise free open air concerts throughout the year, many of which raise money for local charities and all of which are very well attended.

Whatever your appetite and tastes, Villamartin ‘s variety of commercial complexes are bound to have what you are looking for – Indian, Chinese, European, Sushi, Fast Food, Greek, Spanish and much more are on offer all year round. Not only that, but there is a variety of bars and cafes serving cocktails and coffees for every taste and budget.

Villamartin also boasts chemists, banks and shops where you will find English widely spoken.

Villamartin is a golfer ‘s paradise with its award winning, world famous golf club. Designed by Paul Putman, Villamartin Golf Course was host to the Mediterranean Open and has been played by some of the most famous faces in golf such as Jose Maria Olazabal and Paul McGinley. The par of the course is 72 and it measures 6005 metres. The course itself is constructed on hilly ground with the front nine holes being at the highest point of the course offering some spectacular sea views. The second nine are situated lower down with a series of ravines and dips coming into play on several challenging holes. The course enjoys a vast array of mature indigenous trees and shrubs and is home to a surprising variety of wildlife including rabbits, squirrels, hedgehogs, frogs and toads and a range of bird life.

Villamartin is ideally situated to benefit from the many nearby beaches in the surrounding area. Most of the beaches are within very easy reach of Villamartin and enjoy blue flag status and full lifeguard protection in high season.

Aside from the 300 days of sunshine enjoyed on average every year in Villamartin, how does it actually feel to live there? We asked some real residents and property owners their opinions and experiences of the area.

June and David, originally from the south of England told us,”We bought a holiday home here five years ago and have never looked back. Initially we used it for ourselves and our family during the summer months and school holidays. We let it out for two years to generate some rental income (by the way, we highly recommend Comaskey Rentals for this – they managed the whole thing from finding us a tenant, collecting the rent, getting the Energy Certificate and even the cleaning and inventory when the tenants moved out). The plan was always to move over here full time which we did eight months ago. We are so happy we chose Villamartin. It is one of the nicest areas on the Orihuela Costa. We have made friends with many different nationalities and we socialise more than we ever did back in England. There is so much to do, it is sometimes hard to fit it all in!”

Emil and Hanna from Sweden have a holiday villa in Villamartin. They told us,”We use our villa in the

winter months and rent it out in summer. Sometimes we miss Spain and our friends in summer, so we end up coming here anyway and rent somewhere else! Villamartin is a great place to have a property – it is near the beach, the shops and has a great number of places to eat. We don ‘t play golf, but our tenants often do so this is a great selling point when it comes to taking bookings.”

Parents of young children Joanna and Phil from Galway, Ireland, moved to Spain eight years ago. They told us,”We rented for a while first before we settled on Villamartin to buy our house. We wanted to wait until we were sure of where worked best for us in terms of work, location and things for the children to do. We love Villamartin, it is like a little village – always full of life and things going on. We have made friends and have lots of family time to enjoy.”

Ian Comaskey, founder of Comaskey Properties said,”Villamartin is a top choice with our clients. They get a quality property in a nice area. Crime is low, there are good schools and the rental potential is very high given the volume of tourism all year round.

Furthermore, resale value here is good. It is a great choice for a holiday home, a rental investment or even a permanent home.

Villamartin is one of those places that ticks all the boxes and for us, it is always a pleasure to sell or rent a property here.”

VISTA BELLA Vistabella is a country location situated about 5 minutes outside San Miguel towards Los Montisinos, just inland form Torrevieja city. It has an eleven hole golf course which has been designed to accommodate the beginner as well as the more experienced golfer, and the urbanisation is designed to make the most of country living with luxury villas and bungalows making up the main bulk of accommodation. It is in an unspoilt and non commercialised area with Torremendo Lake quite close by with the many activities it offers including quad biking, hiking and many water sports. The club house at Vistabella Golf offers a select menu for all residents and the bars and restaurants of Torrevieja, Los Montisinos and San Miguel are close by.

Ok, we can’t just leave it like that… I did say 11 holes of golf make up Vista Bella resort. There was planning issue as the golf course was located on two different town hall regions. They both gave permission but one of the town halls later pulled this permission, looking for bigger cut of the profits form the new developments on the course. You know what happened, the property came along with the credit crisis and the rest of the course was never finished.

I’ve played it and the last 7 holes are basically new tee positions on the first seven holes. Its still fun to play, just be ready to duck!

The property here is mostly new builds although we have some resale property too. Its good value as the golf course situation dramatically dropped the prices 8 or 9 years ago- still Vista Bella is well worth a look.

c maskey spanish properties

La Zenia Office: Calle Flores I, La Zenia, Orihuela Costa, 03189 Costa Blanca, Spain Tel: +34 966 182 344 / +34 603 165 907 Web: www.comaskey.com Email: enquiries@comaskey.com Š Sunnnier Climate Properties S.L. 2018