Orihuela Spain. Then it gets worse: which Russian cities are governed least effectively. Entertainment and attractions of Orihuela

I continue to talk about Orihuela Costa, where we decided to relax a little, and where our Russian friends have lived for many years.

Orihuela Costa is a kind of summer residence Spaniards living in "mainland" Orihuela.
The town consists of small areas with the same type of buildings in each, called urbanizations - Cabo Roig, La Senia, Playa Flamenco, etc.

Here is the urbanization where our friends live:

Many Russians and English live here. There are unused houses. For example, this house of a Russian family, but they haven’t been in it for a long time - the neglect is obvious.

There are also many empty houses in our area of Cabo Roig.

The Spaniards value the yard most of all in a house, and when buying, they often turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of the interior if the yard is large. In this area the courtyards are small:

Almost every home always has a lemon growing. They have it like our apple tree or cherry bush. The house we rented also has a lemon. Fresh, without fertilizers, very tasty and sweet :) Someone else's food is always sweet, right? :))

On Saturdays in Playa Flamenca, one of the main streets turns into a huge market.

They mainly sell junk for tourists.

Prices are also tourist prices. But that doesn’t make it less crowded.

Chinese watches for 3 euros:

Moroccan bags:

Newspapers for every taste:

Hehe, Russians have for some time become one of the main sources of income for the coast. The Russian language in Spain is becoming more and more common. Just like business. And on the beaches, Russian speech can be heard everywhere.

But we didn’t come to the market for newspapers and bags. Here you can buy inexpensive fruits and vegetables.

Not always ideal looking, but good for eating.
These are very fresh oranges, straight from the tree. Now the first harvests of lemons and oranges are being harvested in Spain - we saw it ourselves when we drove past the gardens.
3 euros for 4 kg - you can get fresh juice every morning.

Strawberries are not the same as ours. More plastic, or what? Maybe it’s not ripe yet and it’s easier to transport?

Giant potato the size of a kitten:

It’s not yet the season for local grapes - imported and tasteless:

Greetings from Russia:

Dried apricots, by the way, are very expensive.

We bought it for only 3 days - we paid about 10 euros. It’s normal, huh... You can live here.
In general, for grocery shopping there are normal supermarkets: Lidl, Mercadona and Auchan (here it is called Alcampo, more expensive than the first two). All delicious goodies should be bought there. Everything is crazy cheap - I’ll write about this separately sometime, for now I’m just taking pictures of the counters :) Today, for example, they stocked up a cart of food - meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, alcohol... They paid 32 euros.
For clothing shopping there is a new huge city-shop "Zenia Boulevard". Most famous labels have boutiques there. The prices are also very good.

In the market, everyone is trying to make money as best they can. Remember that street violinist from Belgrade?
Here's a Spanish street violinist for comparison:)

Another musician:

School nearby where will he go study son of friends. They teach in Spanish, of course.

I’m already starting to get used to the features of European parking:

Quiet seaside streets. Many English and Germans live here.

On May 25, the UEFA finals took place in London and all local sports bars were filled to capacity with sick tourists.

National highway passing through Orihuela Costa:

This is a free road connecting all coastal towns.

All night life- along it:

And trade too:

It's good that our house is far from this road :)

This was the norm in Serbia :)

Spanish children:

Europe is experiencing abnormally cold weather and Spain is no exception. A strong north wind negates the Sun's efforts to warm up this region.

You can sunbathe, but you shouldn't swim - the water is a little cold. Although I don’t care, I swam in Sviyag in December, after the 8th couple... You scrape off the ice and dive.

The next part will contain photos from the sea and the beach :)

If you don't have a vacation this year, it's better not to read, then you'll hate me even more :)

And now about the beaches of Orihuela Costa, as promised.

In Spain, all beaches are open and free - this is the “party policy”. The country is facing tourists, and not f..y, like Crimea.

Of course, they cannot be compared with the beaches of the Maldives (which I have only seen in pictures), with their impeccably clean, white sand. But it’s definitely cleaner than our Volga and Anapa ones. In addition, palm trees are the main source of sand clogging here :) But this is a natural product, so we will continue to consider Spanish beaches clean and well-groomed - every evening I personally saw how the sand was combed and leveled with special equipment. And once again I saw men with the FBI inscription on their backs and metal detectors :) Although everyone who is not too lazy goes around with these devices in the evenings - another way to make money on sluggish tourists.

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The swimming season here usually starts at the end of May. But this year we were lucky and until the end of May Spain was flooded with cold rains. That's why Spain met us cold water(13-14 C) and strong north wind. Therefore, we devoted the first week of our voyage to road trips deep into the country - looking for non-tourist places, good adventures and watching how ordinary Spaniards live. We found plenty of everything :)

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But almost every day there were such waves at sea that any novice surfer would be happy. And in our house we found a special board for riding the waves (on the belly). I have seen such boards on the beach more than once. Apparently, strong waves are a feature of these places.

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Otherwise, we were lucky with the weather - the sweltering heat had not yet set in, but we could sunbathe well during the day.

Sun loungers on the beach are paid, vacationers use them little, bringing with them folding chairs, blankets and umbrellas.

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There were 3 beaches in the place where we lived. One large, along the road, and two smaller ones, closed on all sides by hotels and rocks. The one near the road is very convenient in terms of parking - you park the car, take everything you need from the trunk and go to the beach.

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On the beach everything is equipped for a comfortable stay. Free, clean toilet:

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There are wooden paths and stations for washing hands and feet everywhere - very convenient. True, on Saturday and Sunday there was no water in the pumps for some reason :)

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Although in general all of Spain, at the legal level, remembers the Sabbath day in order to keep it holy. Even shops are closed on Sundays (except for Chinese ones).

While the water in the sea is cold and tourists do not fill the area, you can safely go fishing via the Internet:

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Build sand castles. True, in the evening they will still be leveled by a soulless machine :)

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Run:

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Play a game popular among the Spaniards:

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What is it called?

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Or just walk along the beach with a camera, like me.

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There are traces of airplanes in the sky. There is a flying school nearby, near the Mar Menor.

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There is a cool walking path above the beaches for evening walks and transporting your body on sand-free feet to the car :)

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The path below is covered with communist symbols - this is the third largest political party in Spain.

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There is a bigger promenade.

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True, in some places it is quite littered with domestic dogs on a walk and uncontrollably bred cats, which are methodically fed by tourists.

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At all, local residents They're a little crazy - despite the prohibition signs, they easily allow their pets to shit right in the middle of the sidewalk.

On the slope above which the promenade passes, there is a small reserve where a yellow flower, rare for Spain, grows. The Spaniards protect his peace as if they were their own and have made a special path for curious botanists.

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All exits and entrances to it are furnished with information boards telling about the yellow flower and its role in the life of Spain.

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All this consists of hard sandstone, in which the constantly raging sea has made craters and holes.

But it’s cool to just sit here and listen to the sound of the sea surf.

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And the view here is good.

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During the day the beach is completely international. With so much Russian speech on one of the beaches, you begin to forget that 4500 km separates you from home. And according to Ukrainian language, you begin to imagine yourself in Crimea. There is also a lot of English, German and, of course, local Spanish.

Tell me, on the city beaches of which country there is not “hot, young corn” and “baklava”??? I will go there.

“Corn and seeds” are represented here by sunglasses, T-shirts, pirated compacts with films and music, which are carried by African-Americans packed in clothes even in the heat, and massages offered by representatives of distant Asia. But all this is unobtrusive. The main thing is not to look them in the eyes and then you won’t have to say “But, gracias.”

For such lovers underwater world Like me, the beach has several natural rock formations. This is where I unleashed the Cousteau inside me :)

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The local underwater world is not as rich as in the Red Sea (which I saw only in pictures), but a little richer than the coastal underwater world of the Black Sea. I discovered and caught one type of crab that quickly ran along the stones and hid in crevices:

Sea hares are hermaphrodites and usually mate in a chain. So the individuals in the middle of the chain perform alternately male and female functions with those in front or behind - very convenient.

The nervous system of a sea hare consists of only 20,000 nerve cells. They are so large (can reach up to 1 mm in diameter) that they are visible to the naked eye. Aplysia nerve cells are clearly distinguishable visually: they are painted in different colors. It was these advantages that Nobel laureate Eric Kandel used in his research on the physiological mechanisms of memory. To this day, Aplysia remains one of the popular model organisms for studying the functioning of the nervous system.

Aplysias love to attach themselves to rocks in shallow water, swim like stingrays and look like huge snails (which they are). They can also release ink in case of danger, like octopuses.

I observed several colored fish underwater. Perhaps on greater depth there is something even more interesting, like octopuses. But I didn’t risk diving deep with a mask in the waves. No live jellyfish were seen.

// alexio-marziano.livejournal.com

Have a long summer everyone! :)

alexio_marziano
18/08/2013 15:00

The opinions of tourists may not coincide with the opinions of the editors.

Orihuela Costa (Spanish Orihuela Costa) – picturesque resort area, part of the Spanish Costa Blanca ( Costa Blanca), part of the Autonomous Community of Valencia and located in the southwest of the province of Alicante. The city and municipality of Orihuela itself is located 20 km from the coast Mediterranean Sea. Orihuela Costa is considered a developed, ecologically clean agricultural region, rich in Mediterranean architectural heritage.

Orihuela is located on the Segura River and is divided into 2 districts - historical and modern. central District the city has the status of a historical and artistic ensemble, represented by the medieval Baroque; Also, this is where the main attractions are concentrated. Despite the fact that the administrative department and the city itself are located somewhat away from coastline, Orihuela's urban real estate enjoys in great demand from buyers.

The advantages of the acquisition are obvious. Firstly, this is an excellent resort area for both seasonal holidays and permanent residence. Secondly, this is a profitable investment, because modern apartments, townhouses and villas are rightfully considered here to be some of the best in the whole country. And thirdly, the chance to touch rich history and the cultural Spanish heritage preserved here both in architectural styles and in many attractions of ancient times.

Transport infrastructure

The Orihuela Costa area is only half an hour's drive from international airport Alicante ( El Altet) and 20 minutes from Murcia International Airport ( San Javier). This resort area The Costa Blanca connects to the European road network through several motorways, high-speed routes and national highways.

For the convenience of passengers, a couple of kilometers from the city there is Train Station And bus station. The railway connection makes it possible to travel at the regional and national levels. National routes connect the suburb with the cities of Alicante and Murcia, and the regional level leads to Valencia, from where it is easy to reach Barcelona and France, in particular the city of Montpellier.

Nature and climate

In Orihuela Costa you can enjoy the original Mediterranean landscape - valleys that have preserved plantations of Moorish origin, mountain pine and oak groves, meadows, rich in the aromas of various fragrant plants. The surrounding salt lakes are an invaluable source of an important mineral, as well as therapeutic mud. Laguna Salada Ave – the largest salt Lake region and nearby reserve park– a must see for any tourist.

Orihuela is characterized by very soft climatic conditions. Precipitation here is very small and irregular, mainly in spring and autumn. Storms crossing the Iberian Peninsula from the Atlantic reach Orihuela with only minor storms, and in summer the Mediterranean breeze cools the coast and makes the dry subtropical climate more pleasant. Thanks to average annual temperature about +20°C, beach holidays are available almost all year round.

Beaches of Orihuela

Orihuela Costa has 16 km of beautiful sandy coastline with turquoise waters, coves and marinas. The width of the beaches here reaches 70 meters and there is practically no noise from the highways.

The lion's share of the beaches are decorated with the main award - the European Blue Flag for the crystal clearness of coastal waters and high-quality amenities. All recreation areas are equipped with sun umbrellas and sun loungers, there are locker rooms and showers, there are sports grounds for beach football and volleyball, rental equipment for water sports: surfing, diving, wakeboarding, scooters, sailing.

Entertainment and attractions of Orihuela

The main attraction of Orihuela is undoubtedly the Gothic Cathedral, near which there is also a baroque bishop's palace. A little to the north rises an important military structure - the ruins of Orihuela Castle. Almost half a kilometer northeast of the cathedral is located large complex the monastery of Saint Dominic with its baroque church, cloisters and prominent tower. It is worth mentioning the church of Saints Justa and Rufina, the Cathedral of Saint James, the sanctuary of Our Lady of Montserrat with the image of the city’s heavenly patroness. Just a couple of hours away, Valencia hosts the famous Formula 1 race every summer.

January 23rd, 2014 , 10:37 am

I already talked about Spanish once resort town Orihuela Costa, on the Mediterranean coast. Palm trees, sea, sand, hotels, bars, restaurants, tanned/burnt bodies of tourists. But there is another Orihuela in the province of Alicante - 30 kilometers from its beaches.

A city where there are not so many vacationers. A city with shabby houses, poverty, old age, history and ordinary life Spanish province.

Orihuela small town- only 80 thousand inhabitants. But it is considered cultural capital province of Alicante. Despite the rather obvious impact of the crisis, the town is well-groomed and tidy.

The Segura River divides Orihuela into two parts. The Segura used to be one of the most polluted rivers in Europe. But in last years The situation was significantly improved by the introduction of water treatment systems.

Now the fish feel quite comfortable in it...

And turtles:

I was surprised to learn that the Spaniards do not eat river fish - they do not like its swampy smell.

The high embankment was made for a reason - Segura is famous for its unpredictable character, and severe floods occurred here every 6-9 years.

This is the more modern part of the city:

Business districts, banks, offices, parks.

However, after walking literally 300 meters, the picture changes.

Many houses have been occupied for a long time and are simply slowly being destroyed by rain and winds. Most likely, they decided to preserve the facade for history, but there is no money for restoration.

Door of one of the old houses:

The ancient quarter at the foot of the mountain:

It feels like time forgot this street 200 years ago.

The old Spaniard left the house to bask in the sun and listen to the silence of the forgotten street. We turned out to be rare visitors to these places.

Lanes:

Some houses on this street have already collapsed, freeing up land that no one needs.

Orihuela dates its history back to 223 BC - the Carthaginians built a fortified settlement on the bend of the Segura River. After 100 years, the city becomes part of the Roman colony and receives the name Orcelis. Well, in the 5th century AD, Orihuela was taken over by the Visigoths and became the capital of one of the eight provinces of their kingdom.
Later the city becomes the capital of the Muslim State of Teodemir. The city flourished until the 18th century, after which its decline began.
In 1829, a powerful earthquake caused numerous casualties and destruction, and the ruins of the castle were also damaged.

A descendant of the famous Spanish gypsies-kale, with a stamp of hopelessness on his face, wearily wanders along a narrow alley.

The siesta here lasts all day.

The street leads to a busier place - the square near the monastery of San Domingo and the house-museum of the famous Spanish poet Miguel Hernandez.

Entrance to the museum is completely free.

Look how ordinary Spaniards lived 100 years ago:

In 1546, the Spanish religious leader, Patriarch of Antioch, Fernando de Loases decided to found in his hometown Orihuela is an educational institution under the leadership of the Dominicans. Construction work began in 1553. In 1569, the college received the status of a public university on a par with the universities of Valencia and Salamanca. The work was completed only by 1646. At the same time, Philip IV awarded the institution the status of a “royal public university.”

In 1835 the university was closed. Then the monastery was also closed. The building later became the property of the Diocese of Orihuela, and until 1956 it housed a Jesuit college. Today it houses the Diocesan College of Orihuela, where you can receive primary general education, secondary education and bachelor's degrees.

We arrived at the monastery with a small group of Spanish tourists.
However, they were almost immediately kicked out by the caretaker for taking photographs. Nobody warned in Russian :)

College students before a physical education lesson:

Nobody forbade photographing the architecture and interiors of the monastery.

I wonder what function this grid serves? Does it protect students from falling pieces of architecture or from falling from the second floor gallery?

We stand and listen to a fascinating story about the monastery in Spanish:) I understand only one word - “iglesia” (church), it is heard more often than others.
At this time, a guy comes up from behind and asks in Russian if we like the excursion? :) The guy turned out to be from Chelyabinsk, and in Spain he lives with his aunt and studies Spanish. Rides with Spanish tourists, immerses himself in the language environment.

He has already translated the caretaker’s demand not to use a camera behind these doors, addressed to me personally :)
Behind these doors is a very beautiful Catholic church, with an organ.

We walked around the monastery for some time, talked with our new acquaintance and went to see the city quarters.

One of Orihuela's famous attractions is the palmeral, or palm forest. However, it cannot be compared in any way with the more famous palm groves of Elche, which I will talk about in one of the following parts.

Streets of Orihuela:

The Citroen Dyane is a supermini car produced from 1967 to 1983.

- one of the oldest cities in Valencia, perhaps even older than Valencia itself. It is interesting for its numerous medieval churches built in the popular Baroque style. Among all the architectural diversity, the Gothic Cathedral, which is also a museum, attracts many eyes. The museum at the cathedral contains many works by Spanish artists, including the famous Velazquez.

The city, which is the administrative center of the municipality of the same name, is located 20 km. from the Mediterranean coast. It is divided by the Segura River into two parts - historical and commercial. The historical part is represented by interesting medieval baroque architecture, miraculously preserved to this day. About 87 thousand people live here, among whom there are enough big number foreigners. The combination of ancient history, rich architecture with the beaches located in the south of the municipality is a distinctive feature of Orihuela, because perhaps no other city in the surrounding area can boast such a historical baggage, while at the same time being of interest to beach lovers. More on this later.

Beaches of Orihuela Costa

Despite the fact that the administrative center and the city itself are located some distance from the coast, Orihuela real estate is also represented near its beaches. It is on the coast that Orihuela Costa real estate is located, and this is the main area of interest among buyers. Beaches of Orihuela Costa stretched for as much as 16 km. along the sea, there are a great many of them - Playa de Punta Prima, Playa Cabo Roig, Playa Flamenca, Playa del Capitan, Playa Barranco Rubio, Playa Mil Palmeras, Playa Zenia and Playa de Campoamor. Actually, the names of the beaches come from the names of the urbanizations (cottage developments) near which they are located. Most of the townhouses and villas in Orihuela Costa are located along the coast, not far from beaches that have deservedly received the Blue Flag of quality, which, however, is traditional for the beaches of the Costa Blanca.

The most famous beach of Orihuela Costa is Playa Zenia. More precisely, it is a chain of several beaches that smoothly merge into each other. As on other beaches, snow-white sand, wooden paths and clear water act as catalysts that attract even the jaded here beach holiday residents of Torrevieja.

Another famous beach of Orihuela Costa, located in the south of the coast, is Mil Palmeras (Thousand Palms). Quite famous in narrow circles is also the nudist beach Playa Libre, which begins immediately after the beaches of Mil Palmeras. It is visited by those who are not inclined to adhere to the beach dress code and strive for complete unity with nature.

Each of them has changing cabins, sun loungers and umbrellas, a medical aid post, a rescue post and an observation tower, equipped areas for playing beach soccer and volleyball, rental equipment for diving, surfing and others aquatic species sports. The beaches of Orihuela Costa are quite spacious, in some places their width reaches 70 meters, and the good news is that there is practically no road noise here. On the road to Orihuela from the coast there are 3 golf clubs that are popular both among amateurs and among professionals.

Shops and markets Orihuela Costa, Spain

As in most cities on the Costa Blanca, Orihuela Costa and the surrounding villages have many places where you can buy all the goods necessary for everyday life and recreation.

One of several Orihuela markets located on Playa Flamenca, which is open to visitors every Saturday from morning until lunch. It stretches for one and a half kilometers along the coast, and among the goods presented you can find food, fresh meat and fish, toys, clothing and household goods. The market near the Mercadona supermarket is not so popular among visitors, so the products here are cheaper. It is open on Tuesdays, and you should come here early - then you have the opportunity to choose the freshest vegetables and fruits, as they say, only picked from the garden. In general, many markets in Orihuela Costa regularly change their location, and you can learn about their movements from local newspapers. Therefore, to keep abreast of events, also visit newspaper shops.

For those who want to buy everything in one place, it is more convenient to come to a large store. Local supermarkets sell fresh seafood, wine, cheeses, baked goods, but you can also buy household goods. The only drawback is that such large stores here are not open on Sundays, with the exception of tourist season, and do not work at night. Among the variety of supermarkets presented in Orihuela Costa, the popular Mercadona chain in Spain, as well as the French supermarket chain Carrefour, should be noted. The first ones are located in almost every district of Orihuela Costa - there are chain stores in Playa Flamenca, and in the La Zenia area, and in Compoamor, and in mall Los Dolses. A Carrefour supermarket is located on the N332 highway in Playa Flamenca, another is located on the same road a few kilometers away, namely in Torrevieja, in the Habaneras shopping center.

Small shops, souvenir shops, fruit stalls and other retail outlets - all of this is available in the required quantities directly in Orihuela. But if you need large centers where you can regularly go shopping, the shopping giants of Torrevieja and Murcia are at your service, and the road to Alicante will not take more than half an hour.

Holidays in Orihuela Costa, attractions and entertainment

Coming on holiday to Orihuela Costa, do not forget that this is one of the golf centers in Spain. 3 golf clubs located here allow you to practice your favorite sport when there are not the best ones for it in your homeland weather. The golf clubs Las Ramblas de Orihuela, Campoamor and Villamartin are located just along the road from the coastal urbanizations to the administrative center of the municipality. Beginners are offered courses with professional trainers, while experienced players will be able to appreciate the local courses. Championships are regularly held here, attended by famous players from all over the world.

The surrounding lakes, which became the main source of salt on the tables of Europeans, are also of interest not only as a source of this mineral, but also as a storehouse of healing mud. Laguna Salada, the largest salt lake in the region, and the protected park next to it are worth a visit on the way to Torrevieja.

Nightclubs, restaurants, bars and themed cafes are an attribute of all coastal villages of the Costa Blanca, and Orihuela is no exception. Having visited several establishments, you will definitely be able to find a corner to your liking, and also taste many interesting dishes of Mediterranean cuisine.

By the way, two hours' drive from here, in Valencia, races of the famous Formula 1 races are held annually in the summer, so you can join the action that attracts the attention of many millions of viewers around the world to their televisions.

, Spain- this is the confidence that you are making an excellent investment in modern houses and villas, which are rightfully considered one of the best on the Costa Blanca. At the same time, you have the opportunity to join the rich history and cultural traditions of Spain, which are represented here not only in architecture, but also in many attractions that have come down to us from the depths of centuries.

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