La Zenia – Another of the Orihuela Costa resorts which has grown up due to heavy property development along the Costa Blanca, is the area called La Zenia. Not a traditional Spanish village in the real sense of the word but a popular area none the less, La Zenia has two fabulous ‘blue flag’ beaches (Cala Bosque and Cala Cerrada). La Zenia has a decent range of bars and restaurants, with a new commercial centre being built near the motorway. Popular with Irish holidaymakers, its famous pub, Paddy’s Point, is claimed to have been the first Irish pub in the region.

Torrevieja – Every year thousands of holidaymakers from Spain and indeed all over Europe head for the Costa Blanca town of Torrevieja. Its great range of facilities, its excellent sandy beaches and its lively atmosphere all help to make it a popular choice. Formerly a small fishing village, Torrevieja became one of the major salt exporters in the world thanks to the two huge salt lakes located behind the town. An explosion in property development during the 1980’s and 1990’s caused the town to grow at a phenomenal rate.

Ciudad Quesada – The story of Ciudad Quesada is completely different and unique to that of any other town or village of the Costa Blanca, or in fact the whole of Spain. It is not a story of ancient settlers, nor of bitter wars fought between Arabs and Christians, Ciudad Quesada does not have a medieval fortress or an age-worn parish church built over the course of a hundred years. Ciudad Quesada is the result of one man’s childhood dream, a dream to build his own ‘Holiday City’ where people could live together in harmony, prosper and enjoy life to the full. That dream of one Justo Quesada Samper finally became a reality in 1972 when the city of Ciudad Quesada was begun and had reached fruition by 1999 when it boasted its own Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) and its own Mayor.

Playa Flamenca – Located in the Orihuela Costa district of the southern Costa Blanca, Playa Flamenca could not be called a traditional Spanish village, in fact up until the early 1970’s it was just an area of barren coastline. Developed by a group of Flemish investors, Playa Flamenca has become one of the most popular destinations along the coast, the newly improved beach and promenade have given the resort a much needed facelift. The busy Saturday market is one of the big attractions of Playa Flamenca and thousands of shoppers head there every week looking for a bargain or two.

Punta Prima – At the northern end of the area known as the Orihuela Costa is the beautiful coastal resort of Punta Prima. Best known for its huge palm trees, lined behind its ‘blue flag’ beach, Punta Prima is a popular location for holidaymakers from all over Europe. Lying close to the bustling town of Torrevieja, Punta Prima is perfectly located for a wide range of facilities, handy for the golf courses of Villamartin, Campoamor and Las Ramblas, Punta Prima is also a great area for water sports and fishing, the Go-Kart track along the N332 is very popular with the children.

Formentera del Segura – Originally a Moorish village, Formentera del Segura was conquered by the Christian king Jaime I (‘The Conquistador’) in 1242, the village changed hands a number of times over the prevailing centuries until 1730 when it came under control of Nicolas Pérez de Sarrio (The Lord of Formentera), who gave the village its current name. Largely destroyed by the great earthquake of 1829, Formentera del Segura was re-built by 1840 culminating in the building of the parish church. Relying mostly on agriculture and citrus farming for its survival Formentera del Segura benefits from an irrigation system put into place by the Moors centuries ago. One of its most popular fiestas is ‘The Day of the Bicycle’ featuring a race involving many of its inhabitants.

Benijofar – Located on the banks of the River Segura between Orihuela and Guardamar del Segura is the tiny village of Benijofar. The name of the village which means ‘son of pearl’, harps back to the days of the Arab Occupation (8th – 13th Centuries). Benijofar is an agricultural village surrounded by rich, fertile land, irrigated by the Segura river, the population of the village is only around 3,600 and it covers an area of just 4.4 km2. The 17th Century church of Saint James was mostly destroyed during the 1829 earthquake which shook this region, but a few parts of the old Baroque church still remain within the re-built structure.

This excellent article about the southern Costa Blanca resort of La Zenia and some of its neighbouring towns, villages and resorts was written by Steve Locke who lives in Cabo Roig. To read more about La Zenia and many other Spanish towns click here:- http://needahandspanishproperties.com/la-zenia.html and to learn about neighbouring Cabo Roig look here:- http://needahandspanishproperties.com/cabo-roig.html

Source: www.articlesbase.com