Santa Pola is a former fishing village now known as a popular tourist beach resort on Spain’s southern Costa Blanca.
The attraction as a tourist resort lies in its closeness to Alicante airport and its miles of golden sandy beaches combined with the tremendous climate of the Costa Blanca.
Below is a video showing some of the popular places in Santa Pola.
Of course in the summer it fills up mainly with Spanish holidaymakers, you won’t find many English restaurants or bars like you would a bit further south (Torrevieja area).
Getting to Santa Pola
Road access to Santa Pola is very good. The AP-7 autoroute (motorway) comes down from Alicante airport which is only 15 minutes drive away and goes south to Murcia San Javier airport.
Once at the airport you have a range of different airport transfer options to Santa Pola including private shuttle buses, taxis or Santa Pola car hire.
Also the N-332 goes right past the outskirts of Santa Pola and this also goes from Alicante airport in the north all the way down to Murcia San Javier airport to the south.
To the south of Santa Pola is La Marina, Guardamar del Segura and Torrevieja. To the north of Santa Pola is Alicante.
Are you an expat in Santa Pola? What do you like/dislike about it? Let us know in the comments box at the bottom of the page.
What to See and Do
Santa Pola is a great location for a beach holiday, you won’t need to go anywhere else, as everything you need for a great family holiday in the sun is right here in Santa Pola.
Santa Pola has a rich history with its first settlers dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. Pirates once used the island of Tabarca which you can visit by catching one of the hourly ferries leaving from the port of Santa Pola.
Santa Pola also has a number of watchtowers and a castle which was built in 1557.
The port of Santa Pola is still very much a working port, each evening you can see the fishing boats return with their catches. The port also has a fine marina with many boats moored here.
Santa Pola’s main square is called the Plaza de la Glorieta. This is a great place to gather in the evening, there are many stalls serving Spanish treats, ice cream, drinks and selling gifts.
Golf
The nearest golf course to La Marina is at the small town of Ciudad Quesada which has its own golf course called La Marquesa golf and country club. Further south are a few golf courses nearby including La Finca golf course, the Royal Campoamor golf club, Las Ramblas de Orihuela golf club and Villamartin golf club.
Hotels
Hotels in Santa Pola include the Hotel Restaurant Polamar which is located on the Calle Astilleros, the three star Hotel Summa Stella Maris which is located on the Avenida de Zaragoza, the four star Hotel Patilla which is located on the Calle Elche, the four star Hotel JM Santa Pola which is located on the Carretera Alicante Cartagena, for the budget conscious Hostal Picola which is located on the Calle Alicante and the Golf Santa Pola which is located on the Ronda Norte de Santa Pola.
Rates are available from twenty nine euros a night and some more budget friendly hotels include the one star Quatre Llunes, Hotel Michel and Arenales Playa.
Beaches
Santa Pola’s major attraction is clearly its beaches which run for over 11 kilometers and are of the highest quality with plenty of facilities.
Running up the coast to the north of Santa Pola are the beaches of Vardero Beach and Levante Beach (which is at the heart of Santa Pola so it’s a very popular beach).
Running down the coast to the south of Santa Pola are the beaches of Gran Playa (the main beach of Santa Pola), Pinet Beach, La Gola Beach, Playa Lisa Beach and Tamarit Beach.
Most of the beaches of Santa Pola are very wide and so you can always find a bit of space even in the height of summer. There are lots of space for playing beach football and beach volleyball.
Markets
Market days in Santa Pola are Saturdays and Mondays.
Excursions and Days Out
If you are going on a holiday to Santa Pola, here are some of our ideas for tourist excursions so you make the most of your trip to the Santa Pola on the Costa Blanca South:
1. From Santa Pola go inland to the town of Elche (Elx) famous for its palms.
2. Take the ferry from Santa Pola’s port over to Tabarca Island once inhabited by pirates.
3. The historic city of Murcia is not far to the south of Santa Pola.
4. If you want history, nearby Rojales and Orihuela have old towns and cave houses.
5. Torrevieja is still very Spanish and has wonderful beaches and promenade.
Real Estate Agents
Whether you’re looking for a place to rent or to stay at permanently, you can take advantage of the services from the real estate agents in Santa Pola who are more than willing to help you in finding your ideal residence.
You can contact Alicante Sol Inmobiliaria (www.alicantesol.com, Tel. +34 965 415 054) and Santa Pola Inmobiliaria (www.inmobiliariasantapola.com, Tel. +34 965 416 562).
Ernes Iglesias of Alicante Sol Inmobiliaria explains why Santa Pola is a good choice of places to live:
“Santa Pola still keeps the atmosphere of a typical Spanish fishing town on the Med coast that most other places lost long ago.”
Read Ernes’ great interview further down the page where he gives good information about Santa Pola and its current property market.
Tourist Information Office (Oficina de Turismo)
Santa Pola Tourist Office
Address: Calle Astilleros 4 – Junto al Ayto, 03130, Santa Pola (Alicante – Alacant).
Email: santapola@touristinfo.net
Website: http://www.turismosantapola.es/
Santa Pola Tourist Office Plaza Constitución, s/n, 03130, Santa Pola.
Telephone: +34 966 696 052
Email: santapolacentro@touristinfo.net
Santa Pola Tourist Office
Address: Plaza Diputacion s/n. 03130. Santa Pola. (Alicante – Alacant)
Telephone: +34 966 692 276
Email: santapola@touristinfo.net
Opening Times: From June 25 to August 31, Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 20:00 h. Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 h. Rest: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00 h. and 16:00 to 19:00 h. Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 h. Closed 24, 25, December 31, 1, January 6 and May 22 Santa Rita.
Santa Pola Tourist Office (Gran Playa)
Address: Avenida Valencia, Gran Playa, Santa Pola.
Opening Times: From June 27 to September 1. Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 14:00 h.
Important Phone Numbers
Town Hall: 96 541 11 00
Post Office: 96 541 30 37
Fire Brigade: 96 598 22 22
Local Police: 96 541 12 87
Guardia Civil: 96 541 12 90
Health Center: 96 541 29 40
Moving to Santa Pola
If you are thinking of moving to Santa Pola, then you must read our expat interview with Ernes Iglesias of Alicante Sol below:
The location being close to Alicante city and airport. Also the calm waters in the bay, suitable for children and elderly people.
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
Santa Pola has restricted opening hours for bars, pubs, etc, and they close not too late at night. Also there are no important or big clubs and this means young people searching for nightlife would need to move to Alicante city.
What proportion of the local population are Spanish?
Around 80 percent.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
Walking along the sea promenades, visiting the Salt Lakes at sunset (superb views), visiting the Cabo de Santa Pola lighthouse and its skywalk and go for paragliding. Snorkeling in Tabarca Island pristine waters located 5 kilometers off the coast.
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
You can find real good restaurants in Santa Pola but can be pricey: Batiste, El Faro, Casa Joaquín, Varadero among others.
Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
Healthcare center located right in town. For major assistance Elche is 15 kilometers. Santa Pola has all kinds of shops and services such as banks and supermarkets.
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
I’d recommend to drive 45 minutes north and discover the inland villages located in Marina Alta.
What are the nearest international schools and how good are they?
There are a few of bilingual schools in the area with a high level such as Laude Newton College and The British School of Alicante.
Is crime an issue for expats?
Santa Pola has an extremely low crime rate. You can walk on the street anytime at day or night without hassle. Also breaking in a house is very uncommon.
Coming onto buying property, what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?
Prices have stayed in the bottom for about 2 years now but this could change soon. Prices could go up next year.
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
It is an excellent time to buy now thanks to the combination of low prices and low mortgage interest rates.
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
If you are looking for an apartment that is cheap to maintain, close to amenities and beach on flat land, then Santa Pola town is the place. If you are looking for a newer town house despite of being a bit far from the beach then Gran Alacant has many options.
How much are typical property prices in Santa Pola for apartments, villas etc?
2 bedroom apartments range between 60,000 to 120,000 euros. Villas and detached houses more than 200,000 euros.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Santa Pola or surrounding area?
It is very important to think what time of the year the property will be used to choose the right area. Some areas in Santa Pola and Gran Alacant get pretty lonely in winter time or super busy in summer. Also look for a reputable estate agent and get independent legal advice before buying a property.
Ernes, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact him, you can find his details below.
Av. Fernando Perez Ojeda, 31-under
(Front Tabarqueras)
03130 Santa Pola, Alicante
Tel. +34 965 415 054
Email: ernes@alicantesol.com
Website: www.alicantesol.com
Arenales del Sol office:
C/ Av San Bartolome de Tirajana, 22
03195 (former Front Hotel) Arenales del Sol
Tel. +34 966 910 159
Email: arenales@alicantesol.com
Contact us to be featured – we want more expat interviews for our newsletter and website. You don’t need to be an estate agent, we want to hear from anyone who lives in Spain whether you are working or retired.
Tourist Information – Page Summary – This page contains unique content about the beach resort of Santa Pola, a popular tourist destination on the Costa Blanca coast of Spain.
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Angela says
I am actually in santa Pola and I have just rented an apartment from the best inmobiliario provocador they speak spanish english Slovak and probably other languages they call you back when you leave a message they show you apartments and are very helpful as for inmobiliario Del sol don’t bother after calling and getting no response even tho I spoke a bit of spanish ( as I’m english) they were rude especially the dark haired girl in the office of Santa Pola because I said a wrong word in spanish called me stupid she didn’t seem to be able to speak english at least I was trying but at 50 years old and well travel with 3 other languages behind me who is the stupid one. They had 2 apartments for 475euro but kept saying they were to busy to show me it was the only agency that was always empty so avoid go to provocador in calle antina 31, Santa Pola 03130 who are very helpful they show you apartments and always call you back. Within the 7 days of my holiday I had sign contact and got my keys thankfully I found this agency on the Wednesday and got keys thurs if I had left it to the other agencies I would have returned disappointed. I now rent in Santa Pola thanks to provocador.
P. McCarthy says
Hola y buenos días. After 9 months of living in Santa Pola, what are your thoughts both good and bad, particularly our of the tourist seasons?
Thank you y Saludos.
Mac