Places of interest in Spain – Santa Pola
This little coastal village in the Valencian province with a population of about 30000 people is also very close to Gran Alacant. Now, it is one of the busy harbors of Spain. Separate area is reserved for the tourists to relax on the beach. For the convenience of the tourists, water sports like skiing, surfing, diving, boating, etc. have been provided. The port is blessed with beautiful picturesque scenery.
Like many other places of Spain, even Santa Pola was under the rule of Romans. In support of this statement many buildings built in Roman architecture can be seen in Santa Pola. Although it was a fishing harbor, later it was developed into a harbor for trading. Apart from this, salt extraction remains one of the major activities of Santa Pola. This small village has many places of interest, some of which are described here:
This Park spread over an area of about 2500 hectares attracts large number of tourists. Some of the rare species of plants are grown here. Preference has been given to a balanced ecosystem. One of the major attractions is the pink flamingos which habitat in the wet and marshy area of the park. It is a pleasure to watch these birds.
Castle:
This little village has one of the most beautiful castles of Spain. This castle is said to have been built in the 16th century in the Renaissance architecture. This well laid out castle is now being used as a museum of fishing. Most parts of the castle have been preserved in their original form. The castle has a chapel where the statue of Virgin of Loreto has been installed. The chapel has sculpture works that are very intricately made.
The other places of interest are the watch towers which are named Tamarit and Escaletes. These watch towers are believed to have been built in the 15th and 16th Centuries. These were used to guard the city against attack by pirates or from any other enemies taking the sea route.
Light house:
The light house was constructed in the 19th century on the eastern side of Santa Pola. It was constructed on the ruins of the watchtower called ‘Atalavola’. This watch tower is believed to have been built by Romans. The light house is beautifully designed and it is certainly a place worth visiting. This light house is closed for the public.
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