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Town and municipality in Spain
Photo: Zeisterre, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Santa Pola is in the province of Alicante, around 20 km south of the city. The main attractions of Santa Pola are its historical remains, its port, its salt flats and its beaches with the blue flag, a symbol of environmental quality awarded by the European Foundation for Environmental Education.
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A 16th-century castle in the centre of the town built in 1557 to protect sailors against attacks by pirates and corsairs. Inside are the Sea Museum, the Fishing Museum, the Virgen de Loreto Chapel and the Municipal Exhibition Hall.
Villa romana del Palmeral
Roman villa from the 4th century, which contains polychrome mosaics in a geometric style. This mansion was the residence of a wealthy family, which carried out its activity in the Portus Illicitanus.
Remains of a Roman port, called by ancient geographers Portus Illicitanus (4th century AD).
Salinas de Santa Pola
Wetland declared of international importance. The Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park has an area of 2,470 hectares. To enjoy them you will have to have a car, since they are outside the municipality.
Torre de Tamarit
Coastal watchtower built in 1552. It is located in Las Salinas de Santa, so it is necessary to have a car to get there.
Torre de Escaletes
Also known as Torre del Pep. It is a watchtower from the 16th century. It has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
Museo de la Sal
Located in an old salt factory, the museum allows us to discover the salt extraction process and its history, as well as information about the Salinas Natural Park.
Acuario
The aquarium shows marine species from the bay of Santa Pola and the island of Tabarca. Check the price and schedules on the website.
Barco Museo Esteban González
The Esteban González is a ship-museum where you can see what life was like on board the fishermen of Santa Pola. The museum can be seen with a guided tour and can be reserved at the Santa Pola aquarium or by phone or email. The entrance costs €3, but combined with the entrance to the aquarium it costs €5.
Tabarca is the only inhabited island in the entire community. It is perfect for spending a day at the beach in summer. A 15-minute boat journey from the harbour, with tickets from about €10 (early 2023).
Mercado de abastos
It has different shops where you can buy fresh products from the area. It was built in 1935 on top of a church from the early 19th century that was demolished as a result of an earthquake.
It is a popular destination, especially on Saturdays, offering a wide variety of products in its more than 300 stalls.
By plane
Santa Pola is a 15-minute car journey from Alicante-Elche Airport ( ALC). The official taxi operator is Radio Taxi Elche (cars marked with "ELX") who have a taxi rank outside.
By taxi
Taxi Santa Pola are a taxi firm based in the town, offering return journeys to the airport for around 28€ - 30€ (early 2025).
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Alicante · International · ALC
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