Things to do in Santa Pola, a complete & up-to-date guide

For friends & family in Santa Pola

11. Visit amusement park Pola Park

Pola Park is an amusement park in Santa Pola designed for families with children. The park features more than 25 rides, including a roller coaster, a whitewater raft, bumper cars and miniature golf.

12. Stroll along the promenade of Santa Pola

Along the port of Santa Pola runs the Paseo Marina Miramar, a wide promenade on Paseo Adolfo Suárez. You’ll find a park and several restaurants overlooking the harbor basins on this promenade.

The route forms the link between the center and the wharves where pleasure boats and fishing boats are moored.

13. To the beach in Santa Pola

14. Going to the market in Santa Pola

• On Saturdays, the market consists of stalls selling fresh vegetables, fruits and other food items. This market is open from 09:00 to 14:00;

• On Mondays & Saturdays at the same location you will find the Mercadillo ambulante de Santa Pola, a real “flea market” with clothes, shoes and household items. This market is open from 08:00 to 14:00.

15. Shopping in Santa Pola

Most stores and local boutiques in Santa Pola are located in the center around Calle Elche and the surrounding streets near the castle.

For a larger selection of clothing and well-known brands, visit the Polamax commercial center on the outskirts of the village.

Are you looking for an extensive shopping experience with major retail chains? Then drive 15 minutes to the nearby L’Aljub shopping center in Elche or the commercial zone of Gran Alacant. There you will find stores from well-known chains, supermarkets and various specialty stores.

Nature & adventure in Santa Pola

16. Pictured with the letter monument of Santa Pola

The Santa Pola letter monument stands on Paseo Adolfo Suárez, the port’s promenade.

You will find this property right where the ferries to the island of Tabarca dock and where the fishing and sailing boats are in the harbor.

17. Pictured with the Osborne bull in Santa Pola

Along road N-332, near the salt flats, stands a specimen of the Osborne bull. This 14-meter-high black silhouette is a well-known symbol found in various places in the Spanish landscape.

The location is directly accessible from a parking lot along the roadway and serves as a point for taking photos with the salt lakes in the background. From this spot, a path leads towards Tamarit beach and the surrounding nature reserve where water birds and flamingos can often be seen.

18. Walk to the observation tower in Santa Pola

The Torre de les Escaletes, also known as Torre del Pep, is a 16th-century watchtower in the Sierra de Santa Pola. This historic watchtower was built around 1571 to protect the coastline from pirate raids.

From this point you have a panoramic view of Santa Pola Bay and the island of Tabarca. The tower can be reached on foot by a zig-zagging path from Avenida del Catalanet or by a flatter road leading from the residential areas to the top.

There is also a walking path of about 2.5 kilometers that connects the tower with the Santa Pola lighthouse.

19. Engage in sports in Santa Pola

In Santa Pola, most of the sports facilities are located on the northwest side of the village. The Polideportivo Paco Hernández is an extensive sports complex with facilities for different disciplines.

Here you can train on the soccer fields, use the tennis and padel courts or play sports in the indoor gymnasium for basketball and indoor soccer.

The complex also features an athletic track and spaces for fitness and gymnastics. Because of its location near the coast and the salt flats, this place is a starting point for runners and cyclists training in the outlying area.

Local sports clubs make daily use of these fields, and during the vacation seasons the complex is regularly visited by international athletes who use the mild winter months for their training sessions.

Events & culture in Santa Pola

20. Visit the Muestra de Cocina de Santa Pola

During this gastronomic event, local restaurants present special menus dedicated entirely to local seafood.

The goal is to show visitors the culinary traditions of the fishing port and the use of local produce. You can taste dishes specifically created for this period at various locations around the village. This event offers an overview of the fishing culture that forms the basis of the local economy.

21. Participate in the Media Maratón Internacional Santa Pola

This annual running event in January is one of Spain’s most important half marathons. Thousands of national and international athletes complete a 21-kilometer course that runs through the city center and along coastal boulevards.

The event is known for its flat course and the presence of many spectators along the route. For both participants and spectators, this race is a pivotal sports moment in the resort’s winter season.

22. Watch the Tabarca Santa Pola Swim

During this July open-water event, hundreds of participants swim the distance from Tabarca Island to Santa Pola beach.

It spans nearly 6 kilometers of open sea and ends at the Playa de Varadero. It is one of the busiest swimming competitions in the region and attracts many spectators to the finish line on the shore. The organization focuses on promoting the sport of swimming and the connection between the island and the mainland.

23. Visit the Aquarium in Santa Pola

The Santa Pola Aquarium at Plaza del Castillo is a municipal museum that displays the flora and fauna from the immediate waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

In the various pools, you will see local fish species and marine animals brought in by fishermen from the region for educational purposes.

As a museum, this site provides an overview of the marine life and biological richness of the coastline surrounding the village.

24. Visit the Museo del Mar

The Museo del Mar is located in the castle fortress in the center of the village and is dedicated to the history of Santa Pola.

The collections are divided into several rooms highlighting maritime archaeology, fisheries and the importance of fortifications.

You will find objects from prehistoric to modern times, including artifacts from the Roman port of Portus Ilicitanus.

This museum offers an overview of the development of the local fleet and the techniques used in fishing over the years.

25. Check out the Museo de la Sal

This museum is located in an old salt mill in the Natural Park of the Salt Pans. The Museo de la Sal shows the entire process of salt extraction, from the evaporation of seawater in the basins to the final processing.

During a visit, you will learn about the importance of the salt industry to the local economy and the operation of the historic machines. The site also serves as an information center for the nature park, where you will learn about the flora and fauna of the area.

26. Visit the ship museum Esteban González

In the port of Santa Pola is the Esteban González, an authentic fishing vessel that has been converted into a museum ship. Here you will have the opportunity to go aboard and see how the crew lived and worked while fishing at sea.

Areas such as the wheelhouse, hold and sleeping quarters have been preserved to give a realistic picture of the daily operations of a fishing vessel. This sailing museum shows the village’s connection to the maritime industry.

27. Special holidays in Santa Pola

• March/April: Semana Santa(Holy Week), during this week various religious brotherhoods roam the streets with solemn processions depicting the passion of Christ;

• June: Noche de San Juan(Saint John’s Night), on the evening of June 23, people celebrate the arrival of summer on Santa Pola’s beaches with bonfires, music and a communal dip in the sea at midnight;

• July: Virgen del Carmen, on July 16 the fishing community honors its patron saint with a maritime procession in which decorated boats go out to sea for a floral offering;

• September: Fiestas Patronales de Moros y Cristianos, from Sept. 1 to 8, celebrates the main fiestas in honor of the Virgen de Loreto with historical parades, reenacted landings on the beach and large-scale fireworks;

• December: arrival of the Virgen de Loreto, on December 10 the village commemorates the arrival of the statue of the patron saint in the port with a reenacted landing and various religious activities.

Things to do from Santa Pola

28. Visit the palm gardens of Elche

A 20-minute drive from Santa Pola is Elche, known for the largest concentration of palm trees in Europe. Here you walk through the(La Rambla) city park or the private garden Huerto del Cura, where thousands of date palms and Mediterranean plants grow.

The gardens represent a historic agricultural system still in use for growing palms and dates. This site offers a green environment in the city and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tip: Read more about the palm gardens in Elche

29. Explore the caves of Cuevas del Rodeo in Rojales

About a 25-minute drive south, you will find the Cuevas del Rodeo in Rojales. This is a complex of cave houses carved into the rock from the 18th century that are now used as artists’ studios.

You can enter the various dwellings to view craft art or study the architecture of the underground spaces. In addition, its location against the hill offers an overview of the surrounding Vega Baja landscape.

30. Visit the castle of Alicante

The Castillo de Santa Bárbara is about a 25-minute drive from Santa Pola and is located at the top of Mount Benacantil.

One of the largest fortifications in Spain, this medieval fortress offers sweeping views of the city of Alicante and the coastline.

You can tour the castle’s various halls, prison cells and gun towers to learn more about the region’s military history. The fortress is accessible both on foot and by elevator from the city.

Tip: Learn more about the castle of Alicante

Nice places in the surroundings of Santa Pola

31. Altea: (about 1 hour away)

Altea is near Albir, making it easy to take a walk or bike ride along the waterfront. Altea is beautiful with its white streets, the iconic blue dome of the church that towers over the town, and its many art galleries. Stroll through the old town and enjoy the view from the Plaza de la Iglesia.

32. Villajoyosa: (about a 40-minute drive)

Villajoyosa is the chocolate city to discover with its recognizable colorful coastline. Don’t forget to visit historical sites such as the Torre de Sant Josep and the archaeological site La Malladeta.

33. El Castell de Guadalest: (about 1 hour and 15 minutes away)

Guadalest is a village perched atop a mountain, offering spectacular views of an azure reservoir and a green, hilly landscape. Guadalest ‘s castle is a highlight, as are its ancient streets and the various museums you’ll find here.

34. Calpe: (about 1 hour away)

With the famous Peñón de Ifach, the rock that towers high above Calpe and is a symbol of the Costa Blanca. Climb the rock for breathtaking views, explore the historic downtown and enjoy the delicious seafood restaurants in the harbor.

More tips for your visit to Santa Pola

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