A small village situated near to El Campello and Alicante on the Costa Blanca, Spain, Busot has a population of just over 3,000 and is a traditional Spanish village with an old world charm. Its biggest event of the year is its Moros y Cristianos festival which takes place on the weekend after Easter, the entire village is included in the celebrations. Most visitors to Busot will pass only on their way to the well known local attraction – the Cuevas del Canelobre, a system of caves which occur half way up a mountain rather than underground, as you would expect. The Cuevas del Canelobre, feature a huge main cavern with stalagmites and stalagtites which have been formed over millions of years and take on various shapes including one like a candelabra (canelobre). Busot is well signposted from El Campello, finding the caves from Busot is a little more tricky.
October 25, 2009
October 23, 2009
Club de Golf Oliva Nova
Located between the northern Costa Blanca towns of Denia and Oliva, the fine Oliva Nova golf course is an 18 hole, par 72 course, which is gently undulating with numerous water hazards. The course was designed by the famous Spanish golfer Severiano Ballesteros, and was built to be challenging for golfers of all standards, it has a playing distance of 6,350m. A championship course, the Oliva Nova Golf has held various important tournaments including many for Spanish professionals.
October 18, 2009
The Weather on the Costa Blanca Spain
Enjoying one of the finest climates in all of Spain, the Costa Blanca attracts holidaymakers all year round. Boasting over 300 days of sunshine every year and having some towns with unique micro-climates, such as Torrevieja, Santa Pola and Calpe, which are listed amongst the healthiest places on earth to live, the Costa Blanca weather making it a popular area for relocation, especially for north Europeans, attempting to escape the dismal, wet climates of their own countries. The summer months June to September are especially hot and very little rainfall is experienced during these times, the worst months to visit are generally November, February and March, the most pleasant months to visit being May and October, when nice weather can be expected without the high temperatures. Map of Costa Blanca.
October 7, 2009
Algorfa Costa Blanca
Situated between Almoradi and Rojales in the Vega Baja region of the Costa Blanca, Spain is the tiny citrus farming village of Algorfa. Located on the banks of the River Segura, Algorfa lies on rich and fertile land, its surrounding countryside is full of orange and lemon groves. Algorfa enjoys spectacular views both to the mountains and to the azure blue Mediterranean Sea.
A Jesuit archaeologist from Orihuela made an interesting discovery in 1903 in the area of Algorfa which gives evidence of settlers as long ago as 3,000 BC. The remains of twelve humans and some tools and implements are all that is left of Algorfa’s early inhabitants.
When a privilege was granted by king Alfonso II in 1328 the municipality of Algorfa officially came into being and the village consisted of 15 homes and 15 families. After the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) Felipe V withdrew the privilege, though it was later restored king Carlos IV towards the end of the 18th Century.
Modern day village life in Algorfa centres mostly around the pretty village square, this is where most of the traditional local fiestas take place and also other activities and celebrations. The square is also where the Town Hall is located, together with the church and the police station. The village square is a popular place to enjoy a quiet drink or a snack. Algorfa is an exceptionally friendy place and visitors are always welcomed with a smile.
Sunshine is the order of the day in Algorfa and its inhabitants can expect to see over 300 days of it during an average year. Rain is scarce and usually limited to the cooler winter months (the most common months for rain being February and November), and an average yearly temperature of about 19 degrees centigrade is normal.
Also worth seeing whilst in Algorfa are the quaint cave dwellings at nearby Rojales, the Parque Natural de La Mata y Torrevieja (a fine Natural Park with walking routes and rich wildlife), the substantial gardens at the Palace of the Marquis de Fontabla at Jacarilla and the 19th C neo-gothic church on the road to Benejuzar.
Algorfa is an excellent location for sports and leisure pursuits, there are some fine walking and cycling routes in the area, superb water sports facilities in the coastal towns and a beautiful golf course nearby. There is a fine recreation centre in the village offering various sporting facilities such as tennis, swimming, squash and five-a-side football. The golf course is at La Finca Golf Club, an excellent 18 hole, par 72 course set in wonderful surroundings with stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
For those who like the beach and the sea, the coastal town of Guardamar del Segura is just a short drive away. Guardamar has some beautiful sandy beaches which are very popular during the summer months.
Thus ends our little trip to Algorfa – the tiny Costa Blanca village with a big heart.
Get more information on Algorfa here: http://www.algorfa.my-costa-blanca.co.uk
Fires Near Altea Spain
After a long spell of dry weather, a fire broke out on the Sierra de Bernia, close to the Costa Blanca town of Altea. The emergency services were soon on hand to fight the blaze and worked throughout the night to bring it under control, which they achieved by early light, but remained on hand in case the fire re-started. In all 2 helicopters, 4 air tractor planes and forestry brigades were used in the operation. The area where the fire occurred is luckily largely uninhabited so few properties were threatened, though 4-5 hectares were damaged by the fire, Altea itself was unaffected.
September 8, 2009
Calpe Costa Blanca
Penon de Ifach Calpe
One of the northern Costa Blanca’s major holiday destinations, Calpe is located north of the massive resort of Benidorm and south of the more laid back resort of Moraira. Calpe boasts one of the Costa Blanca’s best known landmarks in the form of the Penon de Ifach rock formation, now a protected Natural Park. Calpe was formerly just a small fishing village and was originally the site of Iberian settlements, the Romans arrived there during their conquest of the Iberian Peninsular and founded a fish salting factory near the present day beach, remains of which still exist in the form of the Queen’s Baths. The Penon de Ifach was always important for the town as a watchtower and was also the location of the town of Ifach which was later destroyed during the War of the Two Pedros. Calpe itself grew after this and developed as a walled town often attacked by pirates. During the mid-twentieth century a small tourism industry developed and this grew into a major earner for the town by the 1970’s. Attracting those seeking a slightly more laid back atmosphere than its neighbour Benidorm which is one of the world’s major seaside resorts, Calpe is still more developed than many of the areas other towns and has a good range of facilties. Map of Calpe.