Orange and lemon groves, Spanish traditions, a Roman road, and a growing British expat community are all part of life in the village of Los Montesinos. The La Herrada urbanization on the outskirts of Los Montesinos is home to most of the expats living there. La Herrada is very self-contained, with shops, restaurants, large supermarket, pubs and bars.
Los Montesinos is located on the Costa Blanca in the Alicante province. It is about 56km from Alicante airport, a little closer to Murcia airport. Although it is steeped in history it is firmly in the 21st century, its economy relying heavily on tourism and property development. New Los Montesinos and the old live happily side by side. There isn`t a lot of nightlife, but for those who like peace and quiet this is a great place to be. However, anyone who is into good food and flamenco will enjoy a visit to Restaurante La Herradura on the outskirts of the town.
Flamenco at Restaurante La Herradura
There are a number of fiestas which take place around the year when things do hot up a bit. Roughly 5,000 people live in and around the village. Friday is their market day.
For British expats who enjoy the sun most will enjoy the temperate winters and the lovely long hot summers.
For anyone wanting to buy plants and other garden supplies Los Montesinos has an excellent garden centre very close by, as well as two or three good furniture shops. In the centre is the traditional square, surrounded by cafes, which we went to a couple of times. There is a nice restaurant which after you had your meal you went out into the courtyard and a Spanish guitarist played.
Los Montesinos lies on the northern side of one of the two natural salt lakes in the area, the “Salinas de Torrevieja.” The other lake, the “Salinas de La Mata”, lies a little further north east. If you ever get chance to visit the area then depending on the time of year you will possibly be able to see pink flamingos among the hundreds of species of bird which call the lakes their home. The lakes form part of a Spanish nature reserve.
To the west of Los Montesinos just off the CV95 lies the protected reserve of the Pedrera Reservoir. This is a beautiful blue lake that is a hidden jewel as the colours of the waters are always amazing shades of blue & turquoise. The Casa La Pedrera, The Grand Design House, borders on this lake, and has become a tourist attraction in its own right, and has been regularly shown on a number of TV programmes.
This area is well worth a drive out to appreciate the views, or to stop over in the tea garden which overlooks the lake, or even to enjoy walking on the many tracks and trails that run around the lake. Outdoor activities are also offered, which are suitable for all ages. These include Horse & Pony Treks, Quad bike excursions, canoeing, archery & even air rifle shooting.
For those who want something away from the beach the Pedrera Reserve is well worthwhile paying a visit, and is only minutes from the AP7 motorway and the CV95 which is the main road linking Torrevieja & Orihuela.
For more on this slice of the ‘real Spain’ along with excursions and guided nature and wildflower walks phone Jenni Ray on 660816620.
Torrevieja isn`t too far away from the village, about 8km, with its miles of white sandy beaches. It`s amazing to think that Torrevieja started off as a salt mining and fishing village. The town has grown almost out of all recognition over the years, being very popular with tourists and others who live there all year round. It is the type of place too that a considerably number of Spaniards themselves have holiday homes in. In fact due to the fact that a lot of the earlier residents came to Torrevieja from Madrid it became known as “la playa de Madrid” which translates as `The Madrid Beach.` Apart from the Spanish themselves British expats make up the next largest group of residents in Torrevieja. The town still has a thriving fishing industry, and it is very popular with boating enthusiasts.
If you are into golf then a place I can recommend is the Greenlands Golf and Leisure Complex. It is located by the Los Montesinos to Benijofa Road (near the Zocco Sunday Market). We have been there a number of times, and taken visitors there to enjoy some time on the driving range. Greenlands also has a swimming pool on site, which again we`ve swum in, a bar, cafe and restaurant. They also hold tournaments of bowls. There is a good selection of both cold and hot sandwiches served daily. There is also a fully qualified golf instructor on site for anyone wishing to polish up their game.