Ciudad Quesada – Rojales – Guardamar – Torrevieja
Information about Ciudad Quesada
Ciudad Quesada is a twenty-minute walk from the Villa, an urbanization in the municipality of Rojales. In the province of Alicante, in the Spanish autonomous region of Valencia. Ciudad Quesada is located about six kilometers from the great beaches of the Costa Blanca and has about 11,000 inhabitants. It is located on a hill in an attractive natural environment. Many of the local residents are of European descent.
The airports of Alicante and Murcia are a relatively short distance from Ciudad Quesada, 35/40 minutes. So after your arrival in Spain, you don’t have to wait long to relax in your home. In the immediate vicinity you will also find natural beauty, beaches, a wide range of restaurants and top quality golf facilities.
Ciudad Quesada (formerly Villa Quesada) was founded and expanded by Justo Quesada, a building developer from the area. There used to be not only houses, but also a golf course and an airport. In 1989 he founded the golf club Club de Golf Quesada, which would later be called La Marquesa Golf.
Both in the urbanization itself and in the immediate vicinity there are many recreational opportunities, nice towns and attractive beaches. Fun family activities in Ciudad Quesada include golf, bowling and mini golf and the Aqua Park.
There are many, many beaches along the Costa Blanca, all a short drive away. However, Guardamar del Segura beach is only 8 minute’s drive from the Villa and the La Mata beach 10 minutes and the beaches of Torrevieja are only 15 minutes drive.
Ciudad Quesada officially belongs to the municipality of Rojales.
Restaurants, Bars and Golf in Ciudad Quesada
The town is full of lovely Restaurants and Bars, serving amazing cusine at very reasonable prices. The Restaurants include Traditional Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Hungarian and a host more.
Along with these lovely restaurants, there are a number of coffee shops and bars, all within a walk of the Villa.
Play golf in Ciudad Quesada
Quesada is Golf paradise with a host of golf courses within minutes of the Villa. La Marquesa Golf, founded in 1989 by Justo Quesada, has eighteen holes. Other excellent alternatives in the area are La La Finca Golf, Las Ramblas Golf and Las Colinas Golf & Country Club.
Weather in Ciudad Quesada
Ciudad Quesada is located near the Costa Blanca, a coastline with one of the best climates in the world. Throughout the year, Ciudad Quesada enjoys great weather conditions. In the summer, daily temperatures average over 30°C, and even during winter, temperatures rarely drop below 15°C. This, in combination with the influence of the nearby salt lakes, ensures very healthy climatic conditions for a holiday or permanent residency. People with health problems such as rheumatism will greatly benefit from the pleasant climate in this part of Spain. It seldom rains in Ciudad Quesada, and the sun shines an average of 330 days of the year.
Information about Rojales
Rojales is a typical Spanish town, located just off the CV920 between Guardamar del Segura and Orihuela and is 10 minutes drive from the Villa and 35 minutes drive from Alicante airport and 30 minutes drive from Murcia (San Javier) airport.
This town serves the area with the Town Hall and Council. The population is 16,000.
Places to visit in Rojales
Cave Houses
The town is famous for its beautiful cave houses or Cuevas del Rodeo, which are located in the hills to the south of the town.
The best-kept-secret tourist attraction in the Rojales area – the Casa de Las Conchas is by the lowest entrance to the caves area in Calle Vilatona. Over many years the owner, Manuel Fulleda Alcaraz, has decorated his house with patterns of shells, tiles and mirrors. It’s quite spectacular to see.
Azud Dam
The Azud is a stone dam dating back to the 16th century and is still in operation. Its purpose was to raise the level of the river to direct the water into the irrigation trenches and onto the water wheel.
Gasparito Wells
The Gasparito Wells date back to the 1920’s, these two subterranean wells excavated from the mountain sandstone were designed to collect and store rainwater to supply the surrounding areas.
Water merchants used to visit the wells and stock up with ‘skin bags’ full of water then return to their villages where they could then sell them. The West Well is now an exhibition gallery and to this day the East Well is still in operation.
Markets
The lively weekly market sells fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other locally-made goods and produce – market day in Rojales is on a Thursday.
The Windmill
The remodelling of the Windmill to provide it with all the necessary mechanisms for its perfect operation is a unique opportunity to know one of the most characteristic buildings of the Spanish East since most of them are in a ruinous state. Its traditional façade and the natural environment that frames it, on a small hill form a unique picture that makes the visitor go back to the days when their blades turned with the wind to grind the grain and obtain the flour that supplied the whole town.
Information about Guardamar del Segura
Guardamar del Segura is a quiet town in the province of Alicante, in the Spanish autonomous region of Valencia. This seaside resort on the Costa Blanca is only 8 minute drive from the Villa and has almost 16,000 inhabitants, and extends over an area of 35.58 square kilometres.
Guardamar, as it is often called, is especially notable for its breathtaking coastline of eleven kilometres. The municipality also has a lot of greenery, and a large part of the area along the sea is protected. North of the city centre, the River Segura flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
History and what to do in Guardamar del Segura?
Due to the good location of Guardamar del Segura, different cultures have been present throughout it’s history. Remains have been found that indicate the presence of, among others, the Phoenicians, Iberians and Romans. Remarkable was the discovery of the Dama de Guardamar, a bust of 50 cm, at the archaeological site Cabeza Lucero from the time of the Iberians. The Guardamar Archaeological Museum is open daily.
From the time of the Phoenicians, the settlement of the Phoenician port city of La Fonteta stands out. This piece of cultural heritage is one of the best-preserved Phoenician settlements around the Mediterranean. The Fortaleza fenicia del Cabezo Pequeño de l’Estany site also dates back to the time of the Phoenicians. Nearby there is a piece of Islamic heritage with the Rábita Califal. What is special is that it is the only monastery complex from the Andalusian Umayyad Caliphate that has been almost completely preserved.
At the end of the nineteenth century, a total of more than 600,000 trees were planted, which means that today you will find a good portion of untouched nature on the coast of Guardamar. Las Dunas y Pinada de Guardamar del Segura – as this area is called – is a wonderful place to walk and is one of the most beautiful natural areas on the Costa Blanca.
The ruins of Guardamar Castle, with their magnificent view, the church of Sant Jaume, the Casa-Museo Ingeniero Mira, and the beautiful Reina Sofía are all just a short walk.
Restaurants and bars in Guardamar del Segura
On a culinary level, you will find plenty of excellent restaurants and bars in Guardamar, many offering local gastronomy, strongly based on fresh fish and other delicacies from the Mediterranean. But also a host of Thai, Chinese, Indian, Italian and French.
Information about Torrevieja
The large town of Torrevieja is only 15 minutes drive from the Villa. It is a large bustling town, more on the scale of a small city, with shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and an extensive coastline.
Torrevieja has some interesting sights. Such as the Jardín de las Naciones – with a scale model of the map of Europe – and the Museum of Sea and Salt (Museo del Mar y de la Sal). This museum takes you through the world of salt production in Torrevieja. Not far away is the Parque Natural de las Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja.
Not too far away at Mar Menor, is a lagoon just across the border with the province of Murcia is the world-famous Mud Baths, where people go and cover themselves in the lagoon mud, bake in the sunshine and then wash off in the ocean, its alleged to have infinitive health benefits.
Salt Lakes
The town of Torrevieja is a haven for nature lovers, with the Natural Park of the Lagoons of Torrevieja and La Mata (also known as Torrelamata).
The Natural Park of the Lagoons is a vast region of salt marshes, lagoon waters and reed beds which are filled with migratory birds, especially flamingos. The park is crossed by a large number of marked trails for both walking and cycling, which take you to some of the finest sights in the park and the best hides for seeing bird life.
Habaneres and La Zenia Retail Centres
La Zenia shopping centre is 25 minutes from the Villa and is an open-air centre with retail brands such as Media Mart, Decathlon, Leroy Merlin, Zara, Pull and Bear, Primark, Bershka, Adidas, Ale-Hop, H&M, and C&A, with indoor bowling and a host of restaurants.
Habaneres shopping centre is 10 minutes from the Villa and is a fresh semi-open-air centre housing retail brands such as Zara, Pull and Bear, Bershka, H&M, and C&A, local indoor fun park and cinema.