Culture
There are a variety of sights to see in the vicinity of the apartment, through which you can get a feel for the Spanish culture. When staying in the Costa Blanca, there are a few sights you simply mustn’t miss:
Palmeral
La Marina d’Elx is a coastal town in the province Elche. In Elche you can find the largest concentration of palm trees in Europe. There are over 300.000 palm trees which were planted by the founders of the region: The Moors. The historical palm-garden of Elche was declared a world heritage sight by UNESCO in 2000. In the fall of 1884, this garden was visited by Empress Sisi of Austria. She was fascinated with the seven-armed palm tree which was renamed to the Palm Imperial to honour her.
This park is perfect for a walk and aside from a restaurant you can visit a visitors-centre names El Huevo (the egg), which can be recognised by its oval white shape.
Museums
In Elche there are many different museums such as the Arab baths (los Baños Árabes) built around 1150 and other archaeological and paleontological museums. The museum of La Dama de Elche cannot be missed when visiting this city. More information can be found at: visit Elche.
Museo de la Sal
Museo de la Sal gives you a unique insight into the history of salt mining.
Tarbarca Island
Take a boat trip to Tabarca Island, located 12 kilometres from the coast of La Marina d'Elx. It is the smallest island in Spain where people live all year round. In the summer, this island is often visited by tourists, making it the main source of income. A visit to the island of Tarbarca is definitely worthwhile!
Nature
The Costa del Sol has a varied nature. You can find steep cliffs, plenty of beaches, mountains, and salt plains. Because of this varied nature the Costa Blanca has a few nature reserves which are worth a visit.
Parc natural de les Salinas de Santa Pola
North of La Marina d’Elx are the local salt plains. These plains form a protected nature reserve and a protected area for birds. In the 14th century the production of salt started and is still done here to this day.
Nature reserve Salinas de Santa Pola is located in the coastal area and spreads out over 2.470 acres. The park was included on the RAMSAT-list, which makes it a protected nature reserve of international importance and was proclaimed to be of vital importance to birds. Here you can see large groups of flamingos forage the waters. These birds feed on invertebrates and small fish that accessed the salt lakes.
Dunes de La Marina
The dunes of La Marina are a beautiful vast area for walking. There is a wide variety of pine trees (pinos) that give the dunes a unique character.
El parque natural El Hondo
The El Hondo Natural Park is part of the ancient lagoon of Elche, which was created by the mouth of the Vinalopó River. The lagoon was almost completely dried out between the Middle Ages and the 18th century with the aim of turning it into arable land. In 1994 the area was declared a Natural Park by the Generalitat Valenciana. There are several hiking trails and observatories that give the visitor the opportunity to discover the park and observe the numerous birds.
And more..
Restaurants
Several restaurants can be found within walking distance of the apartment. We have selected a number of restaurants that we recommend so you don't have to look any further! Of course there are other restaurants in the area. You can easily find these online:
Once a year the 'Ruta de Tapa' takes place where you can get acquainted with the gastronomic cuisine of Spain.
Kids
There is plenty to do for children in La Marina d'Elx and the surrounding area. Have fun romping around and building sandcastles on one of the beaches. Play in one of the playgrounds. Rio Safari Parc Elche is a nice zoo and also has swimming pool with several slides. There are plenty of other fun activities for kids. More information can be found at: Visit Elche Familia
Shopping
Elche is traditionally known as the shoe city of Spain. You will find many shoe factories, including Panama Jack. There are also several shopping malls in the area.