General environment
Welcome to Guardamar del Segura, a tourist destination with a natural environment (formed by various ecosystems) next to the Mediterranean Sea. Which make it that special place you are looking for, where cultural tradition and the beauty of the landscape come together with a cosmopolitan population with privileged tourist infrastructures.
Guardamar del Segura is located in the south of the Spanish Costa Blanca, 30 km from the international airport of Alicante. The magic and beauty of the Mediterranean merge in this city with more than 11 km of beaches and dunes forming a unique natural forest in the Mediterranean on the seashore.
Guardamar is located at the mouth of the Segura River, in a strategic location where the great variety of local natural resources and the ease of communications have resulted in the favorable setting where different cultures have settled from prehistoric times to our days, thus treasuring a rich archaeological legacy, product of its privileged location and variety of ecosystems.
The registered population is about 17,138 inhabitants in an area of 35 km 2. It is far from Madrid: 415 km, Valencia: 220 km, Alicante: 35 and the nearest airport of Altet is 30 km away.
Climate
Guardamar enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate thanks to its close proximity to the sea with an average annual temperature of 21 ºC. And with its own and characteristic autochthonous microclimate that allows you to enjoy mild and warm winters; in contrast to humid and cool summers.
Our Beaches
The spectacular image of its beaches, characterized by their fine golden sand, is determined by an extensive coastal park of more than 800 hectares of dunes covered with pine, eucalyptus and palm trees that prevent the advance of the sands that border its 11 Km of beaches.
From north to south, the coast begins with two natural beaches next to the mouth of the Segura River whose sediments, together with marine currents, form the origin of the dunes where a modern marina is located.
From there, the coast is a succession of beaches with all kinds of services among which stand out: Centro and La Roqueta, these being the most cosmopolitan; and the wildest and most solitary are: Els Tossals (naturist beach), El Campo and Las Ortigas located in the extreme south, with a total extension of more than 3 km that reach the limit of Torrevieja. Due to its fine sand and clean waters, these beaches are the ideal setting for leisure, enjoyment and water sports.
Nature
The natural environment of Guardamar del Segura is made up of various ecosystems that give rise to a unique landscape.
The dunes, formed from the sand contributed by the sea, form a dune cord that covers the entire coastline of the municipality, from north to south.
This set, previously mobile and threatening due to the action of the wind, was established through a large reforestation project, begun in the year 1900, which gave rise to the current coastal forest.
This forest area covers 800 hectares and was originally a set of mobile sand dunes that were fixed by planting various plant species such as pine trees, palm trees, cypresses and eucalyptus trees.
The more than 600,000 trees that were planted over four decades not only achieved the desired objective but also created a landscape environment of extraordinary ecological, tourist and cultural appeal.
The Segura river and its traditional orchards make up a unique natural space where vegetables, fruit trees and citrus trees create a beautiful setting.
The Segura flows into the sea in the area called “la Gola del Segura”, where the Marina de las Dunas sports and fishing port is located.
The mouth and final stretch of the river make up this unique natural space that facilitates the nesting and stay of various species of waterfowl.
In addition, we must highlight the roads and trails attached to the river that are ideal for hiking and cycling.
To the south of Guardamar is the Laguna de la Mata Natural Park, a wetland with an important reserve of seabirds. It is an outstanding example of a wetland of high ecological value due to its flora and vegetation. A multitude of migratory birds rest here, such as the black-necked grebe, the flamingo, the stilt, the montagu's harrier and the avocet.
The park has an area of 3,700 hectares and part of it is within the limits of the municipality of Guardamar.
History
The strategic situation of Guardamar, next to the mouth of the Segura and the natural resources of its surroundings have favored an almost uninterrupted settlement of men and cultures, highlighting the Phoenicians, Iberians, Romans and Arabs.
Archeology
Guardamar treasures a rich archaeological legacy as a result of its privileged location, variety of ecosystems and continuous and uninterrupted settlement of men and cultures.
The Phoenicians founded the port city of La Fonteta, one of the best-preserved urban complexes in the Western Mediterranean.
Iberian culture is represented in the Cabezo Lucero, where its most emblematic figure was recovered: the Lady of Guardamar.
In the dunes, next to the mouth of the Segura, a unique and exceptional Islamic religious complex has been exhumed: the Rábita Califal.
Guardamar has an Archaeological Museum located in the basement of the Casa de Cultura, inaugurated in 1989 and recently updated, which promotes knowledge of the different cultures that have left a historical mark on the municipality. Among the exhibited pieces, the replica of the Lady of Guardamar (4th century BC) and samples of the cultures: Phoenician, Iberian, Islamic and late medieval stand out.
The Path of History
Guardamar offers an exciting history that can be discovered through its archaeological sites. From the Tourist Office you can experience this historical and natural heritage through the guided tour 'La Senda de la Historia'. Where the traveler can discover a Phoenician port city, a Caliphate Rábita, the medieval history of Guardamar and the entire dune repopulation process.
Gastronomy
Guardamar's gastronomy represents the most genuine essence of Mediterranean cuisine and is based on fresh products provided by the garden and the sea: fruits, vegetables and the exquisite white fish from the bay.
Although the main protagonists are the ñoras, a pepper dried by hand in the dunes that with its flavor and color enriches our stews and rice dishes, and the precious Guardamar prawns.
These two products give their name to the “Ñora and Prawn Gastronomic Week”, an annual event held in the second half of June and an unmissable event for the best cuisine on the Costa Blanca.
Popular Festivals
Guardamar's traditional festive calendar spans the course of the entire year.
Christmas, Holy Week, the Bonfires of San Juan in June, the festivities in honor of the Virgin of Fátima in September and those of the patron saint, the Virgen del Rosario, in October.
The Moors and Christians festivities stand out in the second half of July, with splendid parades.
Leisure and sports
Guardamar has a wide offer aimed at culture. Throughout the year, the Casa de Cultura offers a program that includes exhibitions, concerts, theatre, cinema, dance and conferences. And in summer, musical evenings in the open air at the Reina Sofía Park Auditorium.
There is an extensive sports infrastructure: soccer fields, basketball courts, athletics, indoor soccer, tennis and fronton. It also has a covered pavilion, an outdoor pool and a heated indoor pool.
The marina offers a wide range of water sports, diving courses and fishing contests. You can play golf in the 5 courses located less than 20 km away, as well as hiking and cycling along the Segura river and through the dunes and pine forests.
Transport and comunication
Guardamar's strategic location makes transport easy and comfortable in optimal communications by land, sea and air.
Guardamar is located about 30 km from the international airport of Alicante, as well as its fishing port and train station. The AVE train line that connects Madrid and Alicante in just 125 minutes has recently been inaugurated.
There is another form of direct transport from Alicante to Guardamar that connects these cities through an extensive network of bus lines with a wide variety of trips and schedules.
Guardamar also has its own local bus line that runs throughout the town and its urbanizations.
Services
Guardamar has a multitude of organizations and services.
- City Hall
- 2 Churches
- Wide variety of hotels, bars and restaurants
- City Library
- Archaeological Museum
- Ingeniero Mira House Museum
- House of Culture
- Musical Auditorium
- Tourist Office
- 3 large supermarkets and a wide variety of local shops
- Medical Center. About 15 km from the General Hospital of Torrevieja
- Bus Station
- 2 public schools and 1 secondary school
- 3 Notaries
- 1 Land Registry, Etc.
