Guardamar, which is a small town between Alicante and Torrevieja has a great front to walk along with the usual selection of bars and restaurants. Many restaurants serve local cuisine.
Creative sand carvings on the beach
The sand is always clean, parking is readily available, and it has some inexpensive hotels, if you want to stay the night. It also has a lively street market.
Beach lovers will really enjoy Guardamar (also known as Guardamar del Segura) for its 10 km of fine sandy beaches. It also boasts a number of beautiful parks. Water sports abound, You will find windsurfing, scuba diving, fishing, water skiing, and many more. There is also a municipal sports complex where lots of sports are featured. Guardamar is an excellent location for the more active types.
For those who are more used to places further north, such as Benidorm, you will find Guardamar del Segura very different. It is far more laid back, more “Spanish” which no doubt is due to the fact a lot of Spaniards themselves take their holidays there, and some have holiday homes in the town. One can only be impressed by the lack of British style lager louts who have spoiled so much of the Spanish Costas. It is nothing unusual to see whole families of perhaps three or even four generations of Spaniards walking along the front late at night. Sadly something not always seen in some of the more commercialized resorts of Spain. For expats like us it was one of our favourite places because it had the peace and quiet, or if we had wanted it a choice of sports activities, and plenty of good shops and eating places.
If you have got young children a visit to one of Guardamar’s parks, the Park Reina Sofia, is a must. If you haven’t got kids, go anyway, you will love it.
The Park Reina Sofia is quite large with lots to see. It is easily accessible, and is just a km or two from the beach. Apart from the exotic plants and flowers, there are lakes, ponds, and a waterfall. Among the varied wildlife you will see swans, ducks, peacocks, squirrels and terrapins. This really is a nice park, very relaxing, and a great place to enjoy a picnic.
Along the coast, past Torrevieja, a little place called Cabo Roig is always worth visiting. There is a restaurant overlooking the sea, looking down on a yacht club, with a nice walk into Torrevieja, stopping off at the Hotel La Zenia for a drink. Then make your way back and select from 2 or 3 eating places for an afternoon snack.
About 12km inland from Guardamar is the charming village of Los Montesinos which is well worth a visit, and is a wonderful place to wind down.