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Santa Pola is a lovely little seaside town, approximately 10 minutes by car from the apartment (15 minutes by bus). The boats still sail into the harbour and bring fish of all shapes & sizes straight to the outdoor fish markets. There are plenty of good restaurants in Santa Pola; seafood/fish restaurants, tapas bars, pizzerias and other international cuisine - something for everyone!
Santa Pola is extremely popular during the summer months, and has a great atmosphere throughout the town. The fabulous sandy beaches stretch for nearly 10 miles. There are two main beaches (Playa Grande & Playa Levante) which are separated by the harbour. Days in Santa Pola are usually spent here on the beach, and the locals may not even think about lunch until around 3.00pm/4.00pm in the afternoon. Evenings you will find the place buzzing with life until the early hours of the morning. The Spanish love nothing better than a "paseo" - a stroll along the promenade, with no aim or destination in mind; it's simply a chance to see and be seen - and there's no better place to people watch than in Santa Pola! In the centre of the town stands the most impressive castle and fortress in the area - Castillo Fortaleza de Santa Pola. It dates back to the 16th century and is still used today. It now houses an impressive museum as well as a chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto. Entry to the castle is free but there is a small charge for the museum (which is closed on Mondays). Opposite the entrance to the castle is the Plaza de la Glorieta, a 20th century construction that offers shade and somewhere to eat and drink. At night the plaza comes alive as all the locals meet here to chat. From the harbour of Santa Pola you can take boat excursions over to the island of Tabarca (the only inhabited island in the Land of Valencia), for around 10 Euros. It is the ideal place to enjoy a quiet day by the beach or an unforgettable weekend. Tabarca itself is less than 2 miles long and its maximum width is 400 metres. Its underwater nature reserve, established in 1986, is much appreciated by divers (although underwater fishing, scuba diving without permission, and anchoring boats are all forbidden within the limits of the marine reserve).
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