Costa Blanca information...

The Costa Blanca, situated on the South East coast of Spain, is known as the "White Coast", and is a favourite holiday destination for the Spanish themselves. The area from Alicante in the North, and then Southwards to the Mar Menor is a region of contrasting gentle landscapes and rugged coastline covering every aspect of Spanish life from bustling cosmopolitan towns to traditional Spanish villages.

It has a superb climate with over 300 days of sunshine a year, and an average temperature of 20 degrees, which enables the farmers to produce four harvests of fruit and vegetables per year. It is also a very healthy, dry climate as there is no heavy industry in the area, and the salt lagoons situated 2 kms from Torrevieja draw the moisture from the air, making the climate ideal for people suffering from arthritis, psoriasis and asthma. The benefits are almost immediate, and is the reason why the WorId Health Organisation recommend it as one of the healthiest places to live. 80 beaches in the Valencia region of the Costa Blanca fly the "Blue Flag". This is only awarded to beaches which meet the stringent requirements for cleanliness and facilities. Most have a beach bar open in the summer season and they vary from secluded sand dunes to long flat sandy beaches.

Nature lovers will be enthralled by the region's wildlife in the many protected reserves and parks and only a few minutes drive from the coast will take you into the open, glorious unspoilt countryside. The nature reserve of the lagoons at La Mata and Torrevieja, are one of the most important marshlands in Valencia and serves as a habitat for numerous protected species of bird such as the greater Flamingo, and Montagu's harrier. These two beautiful lagoons, known as Las Salinas, the salt flats date back to the 12th century and are currently one of the most important in the whole of Europe.

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