Rojales is located just off the CV920 between Guardamar del Segura and Orihuela and is about 35 minutes drive from Alicante airport and 30 minutes drive from Murcia (San Javier) airport.
Once at the airport you have a range of different airport transfer options to Rojales including private shuttle buses, taxis or Rojales car hire.
Below we guide you to the most important sights in Rojales and we finish with a great interview of local estate agent Sue Clark who gives lots of tips and advice if you are thinking of moving to Rojales.
The video below shows you all the best photos, images and sights in Rojales:
This inland town is situated near Guardamar del Segura on the Orihuela Costa on the southern Costa Blanca of Spain, with an all year round population of 16,000. We have a handy Rojales map page.
Tourist Attractions, Sights and Things to Do
Rojales is a small Spanish town close to Benijofar, Ciudad Quesada, Almoradi and Torrevieja. Many championship golf courses are nearby and most importantly Rojales is just 10 minutes away from the fabulous sandy beaches of Guardamar and 15 minutes from Torrevieja’s beaches.
Weather
Throughout the year, Rojales, Spain enjoys great weather conditions. In the summer, daily temperatures average over 30°C, and even during winter, temperatures rarely drop below 15°C, making an apartment in Rojales ideal for golfing holidays in the winter sun. See our Rojales weather page for more details.
Cave Houses
The town is famous for the beautiful cave houses 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.
Another day out and excursion from Rojales is visiting the caves of El Rodeo. These caves were built into the hillside with these being the homes of 19th Century people.
Azud Dam
The Azud is a stone dam, dating back to the 16th century and still in operation. It’s 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.
Salt Lakes
The town of Rojales is a haven for nature lovers, with the Natural Park of the Lagoons of Torrevieja and La Mata (also known as Torrelamata) just a few miles away from Rojales rental accommodation.
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.
Markets
The lively weekly market means that taking self catering accommodation here is a real pleasure too.
Make sure you visit the local market selling fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other locally-made goods and produce – market day in Rojales is on a Thursday.
Below: Video showing Rojales market
History and Landmarks
What makes Rojales so interesting is its heritage and history. Rojales dates back to the Moors during the Moorish occupation of Spain from the 8th until 13th Centuries A.D.
The Moors were famous for setting up the irrigation systems throughout Spain to water the fruits and vegetables planted making Rojales what it is today.
Rojales is situated on the River Segura and is also famous for the Charles III bridge with its three arches built with fine stonework, consists of three wide arches and was constructed under the reign of Carlos III, finalised in October 1790.
Restaurants
There are many good restaurants in Rojales without the need to drive further afield. For more details see our dedicated Rojales restaurants page to find out more about Asiatico Esmeralda Restaurante, Dos Hermanos Restaurant, El Marques Restaurant, La Perla Roja Restaurant, The Olde 9th Restaurant, Pizzeria Merccini Restaurant, Ronald’s Restaurante and Viloriens Restaurant.
Excursions – Days Out
Not far from Rojales is the large beach town and resort of Torrevieja with a very good market every Friday. Torrevieja is also known for its superb promenade, restaurants and the Habaneras shopping centre. Within drivable distance of Rojales is a water park called Aquapolis.
There are a number of historic cities within an hour’s drive of Rojales – Murcia, Cartagena, Orihuela, Elche and Alicante. Also La Manga and the Mar Menor are well worth a visit.
Rojales Hills
Rojales Hills is the premier urbanization in Rojales. The Hotel La Laguna is a wonderful retreat hotel situated on the breathtaking scenery of the natural park, Laguna de la Mata. The staff at this excellent four star Alicante hotel will strive to ensure that whatever your reason for staying you will leave having enjoyed a memorable and truly refreshing stay.
Rojales is an ideal spot to spend your vacation as it is close enough to the beaches yet is not that busy as a coastal resort will be in the summer months. The nearest seaside resort to Rojales is Guardamar del Segura with its beautiful sandy beaches.
Golf
The neighbouring town of Ciudad Quesada has an 18 hole golf-course and its own Water Park. Rojales boasts its very own excellent 18 hole golf course and clubhouse ‘La Marquesa’.
There are many other golf courses in the vicinity and some are championship standard, such as ‘La Finca’, future venue for the Ryder Cup.
As well as being a golfer’s paradise, there are plenty of other activities here so the holiday villas and apartments of Quesada are rarely empty.
Fiestas
The most important Rojales festival (fiesta) to the locals of Rojales is held on the 29th of June and it honours its patron Saint of Saint Peter. Other fiestas include the Virgen del Rosario in October and the Romeria de San Isidro in May.
Accommodation and Where to Stay
The local tourist office offers a service where they can help you find accommodation in Rojales. There are Rojales hotels, pensions, apart-hotels and hostels.
The most popular hotels in Rojales include the four star Hotel La Laguna Spa and Golf and the Golf Hotel El Corazon. The four star Miranda Villas are located on the urbanisation of Lo Crispin. This complex is made up of twenty villas surrounding a swimming pool that are fully equipped but is recognised as a hotel complex.
The four star Isamar Park Villas are located in Rojales itself and is also a well equipped hotel complex
There are lots of Rojales rentals with plenty of Rojales apartments for rent and Rojales villas for rent.
Rojales Tourist Information Office (Oficina de Turismo)
The tourist centre office in Rojales can help you will local information such as maps, guides, brochures, help with accommodation and they can answer any questions you have about dates for festivals, fiestas, weather information, transport and airport transfers to Rojales.
Rojales Tourist Office
Adddress: Malecón de la Encantada 1, 03170, Rojales.
Telephone: +34 966 715 001
Email: oit@rojales.es
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Moving to and Living in Rojales
If you have any intention of moving to Rojales, you must read our interview below with local Rojales estate agentSue Clark from Sapphire Properties in which we quiz her on many aspects of life in Rojales.
Sue, what are the advantages to living in Rojales compared to other towns on the Costa Blanca?
The location is superb, being only 30 minutes from Alicante airport, 10 minutes from the beautiful coast line of Guardamar and Spanish town like Orihuela only 20 minutes away, in addition, you are able to able to enjoy walks along the river Segura.
The climate speaks for its self, with the World Health Organisation listing the region as one of the top 10 places in the world to live for natural health benefits. There is also a lovely blend of Spanish locals and ex-pats from across the globe
Would the Rojales area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
Parts of the Rojales such as the Quesada can be hilly, so access for people with walking difficulties could be a problem, but Rojales town center its not affected by this
What proportion of the local population in Rojales are Spanish?
The local Spanish population is approximately 50% of the overall population
What are your favourite things to do in the Rojales area?
Golfing, cycling, sampling the numerous cafes, bars and restaurants, walking through the local park, there is plenty to do within the region.
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants in Rojales?
There are numerous bars located in the Rojales region including Quesada. The Aurora Lounge, Spanglish, Bar 10, Harrys bar, The Bridge bar to name but a few all of which are in different locations and offer different aspects for the clients including quiz nights, live music and live sports. The Aurora lounge is centrally located in the heart of Quesada and has a restaurant attached to the bar, but both are also managed separately, there is a form of entertainment on most nights here throughout the week
Are there many facilities in Rojales such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
Yes, as you would expect of a thriving town such as Rojales there are emergency medical centers, private & public doctors, dentists. There are main stream supermarkets (Consum, Lidl, Aldi, Masymas) the majority of which have customer loyalty cards/schemes in a similar manner to the mainstream supermarkets in the UK, in addition there are specialist UK shops (Johnsons) who specialise in UK imported products, so you don’t have to miss out on any favorites from the UK
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
San Fulgencio, Los Montesinos, Daya Vieja & Daya Nueva, and Algorfa all of which are no more than minutes by car from Rojales
What are the nearest international schools to Rojales and how good are they?
We are lucky to have The Willow international school in Rojales, as well as a dedicated Norwegian school, in addition there is an additional international school called El Limonar school in Villamartin, located approximately 20-30 minutes drive from Rojales
Is crime in Rojales an issue for expats?
No more so than in any other areas of Spain, of course there is crime as there is across the world, but Rojales is a safe and secure place for a holiday home or permanent living
What is the market for buying property in Rojales like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?
Prices have risen on average between 2-4% since 2015, the market has remained buoyant whilst negotiations for Brexit were being held and the start of 2020 indicates that the market is improving and getting busier
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
It is always a good time to buy, providing you “do you homework”. Use an agent who is reputable and established in the region, where possible look for agents who are members of the AIPP (Association of International Property Professionals). Repossession properties are available, however, just exercise caution here and ensure that you have a local based solicitor (abogado) to check the property is free of any debts, or that any debts associated to the property will remain those of the vendors.
How much are the typical property prices in Rojales for apartments, villas etc?
Apartments start from 60,000€ up to 100,000€
Townhouses vary from 110,000€ up to 160,000€
Villas start from approximately 180,000€
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
There are number of “urbanisations” with Rojales, the largest being Quesada. Quesada is actually larger than Rojales and within Quesada you can find a variety of smaller urbanisations (Dona Pepa, Lo Marabu, Lo Pepin, Central, Quesada Golf)
The main difference between the urbanisations is really the type of property
Do you have any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Rojales or the surrounding area?
If possible use an agents that is a member of the AIPP, this is an independent body designed to ensure that there is honesty and transparency in the market. Give your agent an outline of what type of property you are looking for and more importantly what you budget is, the agent will have a network of agents and business partners they work with and will search for properties for you, a good agent will also accompany you to the bank to help you open your non-resident account and introduce you to an independent solicitor.
Use a regulated currency exchange company such as Currencies Direct for the currency exchange, they offer better rates and commission free transfers and are easier to work with then your bank
How much does it cost to rent in Rojales for an apartment or villa on a long-term rental basis?
Obviously this depends on the type of property, apartments start from 350€ per month, whilst townhouses or villas start from 500€ per month (not including bills).
Is Rojales a good place to consider renting in the wintertime on a longer-term rental basis?
Yes, Rojales in the winter is lovely, day time temperatures can still reach over 20 degrees, so its still possible to enjoy relaxing walks around Rojales or drive down to the coast and enjoy being the only person on the beach. Cook your Christmas dinner on the BBQ and enjoy an outdoor dinner sat around the pool, even if you are listening to songs about Frosty the Snowman!
Even on the shortest day of the year, the sun doesn’t set until 6.00, if you are lucky enough to live and work in the region, then days of going to and from work in the dark and thankfully in the past.
How is the cost of living in Rojales for people thinking of retiring to Rojales?
The costs of living on the Costa Blanca are certainly cheaper than back in the UK. The Spanish equivalent of Council Tax for a 3 bedroom. 2 bathroom villa with a private pool is approximately 300€, per year!
Food shopping for a family of two varies from 60 – 80€ per week, there are even two local English butchers in the Quesada urbanisation.
Sue, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you enjoyed this interview we also have a related interview from John Clark of Sapphire Properties about moving to nearby Ciudad Quesada.
Sapphire Properties
Business Address:
Local 22, Avda de Las Naciones 1a
Ciudad Quesada
03170 Rojales
Alicante
Rojales Page Summary – This page contains unique content about the small town of Rojales, a growing town on the Southern Costa Blanca coast of Spain close to Torrevieja and Guardamar del Segura.
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Linda quinn says
Looks good to me.think of coming to live in Spain next month