South Costa Blanca

South Costa Blanca

The South Costa Blanca begins beneath the city of Alicante.
This coast is much drier and flatter than Norther part of the Costa Blanca.
The southern part of the Costa Blanca is flatter and is has the beautiful large sandy beaches.
South Costa Blanca is also well-known for its good golf courses . Most of the best golf courses are situated around Orihuela.

This part of the region of Valencia and a small part of Murcia is much drier with very beautiful sandy beaches. The vegetation consists of palm trees, orange trees and lemon trees. The south Costa Blanca is also more typical “Spanish”.  The coastline of the South Costa Blanca is flat  with salt lakes and even mud lakes.
The touristic regions can be found in Torrevieja, Cabo Roig, Villa Martin , La Zenia, Campoamor. Mil Palmeras. The Spanish tourist can be found in Lo Pogan, Pilar de la Hordada, Santiago de Ribera. All villages nearby the Mar Menor .

Alicante is the gateway for most people who arrive in Alicante airport.
Starting from Alicante airport people take the road to North Costa Blanca  towards Benidorm, Altea, Valencia….. or South towards Orihuela and Torrevieja….or West towards Castilla La Mancha.
The region of Castilla La Mancha ( towards Madrid ) is the region of many old towns and castles.
It is the region of the legend of  Don Quixote from Cervantes. The important cities are Albacete , Ciudad Real , Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo.

In the South of Alicante, Santa Pola  is located with endless sandy white beaches.
Santa Pola is an old harbor where you can take the boot to the island of Tabarca.
South to Santa Pola is the first salt lake of Santa Pola , the Salinas de Santa Pola.

Further away there are many coastal resorts. All with nice names like : La Marina , La Escuara, Bonavista , Las Oesqueras , the village of Guardamar del Segura,  Portic Playa , El Moncaio, Portic Medeterani, Pinomar, and nearby Torrevieja La Mata .

 

Map of the South Costa Blanca
Map of the South Costa Blanca

Map of South Costa  Blanca

Inland the south Costa Blanca,  is the town of Elche also called Elx famous for its thousand palm trees and  Dama d’Elx. Dama of Elx of the Lady of Elche is a piece of Iberian sculpture from the 4the century BC with Greece influences.
Nearby there are different golf and country clubs well-known by the expats . The village of Rojales is surrounded by orange and lemon trees . Buts Rojales have very attractive cave houses.
Ciudad Quesada is a modern town built for tourist since the ’70.

Nearby the coast line after the salt lake of Santa Pola, there are two salt lakes nearby Torrevieja : the salt lake  of la Mata and the salt lake of Torrevieja .
One of the salt lakes is blue -green color the other is an impressive pink color.
These salt lakes are a natural park with a rich fauna and flora  but also the storehouse of the winter salt of Western Europe.

Both lakes are very nice locations for walk  or picnic and superb photos !
The are a lots of developments inwards in the area of Torrevieja like Lomas de Don Juan, Los Dolses, Villa Martin, San Miguel de Salinas, Los Montesinos,  Las Calas, Los Balcones.Castillo de Don Juan, …

The area of La Zenia is know for its golf courses. The most famous golf courses in La Zenia are:  the well-known Villamartin Golf Course, the Campoamor Golf Course and Las Ramblas golf Course .

Near the coast line beneath Torrevieja are Punta Prima, Playa Flamenca, Zenia Mar, La Zenia, Cabo Roig , La Regia, Campoamor and Mil Palmeras.

The next town of the South Costa Blanca is the town of Pilar de Horadada with many beautiful beaches popular by the locals .

When you reach Pilar de Horadada in the south Costa Blanca , you are leaving the region of Valencia and are entering the region of Murcia. All the next towns and villages are situated near the Mar Menor , a large inside sea, The first town in Murcian region is San Pedro de Pinitar, Lo Pagan, San Javier , Santagio de la Ribera , Los Alcazares and finally  the coastal strip of the Mar Menor La Manga

The Mar Menor, or Little sea , is a unique area in South Costa Blanca, and have the fortune to have at one side the Mediterranean Sea and at the other side the salt water lake. The Mar Menor is the largest salt lake in Europe.  Over the last hundred years the region of the Mar Menor has become very popular among tourist. One of the most important and oldest attraction are the mud bath of Lo Pagan , because they have a therapeutic value for ages.

San Javier Jazz Festival

The San Javier Jazz Festival is an International Festival that is being held yearly since 1998.
The festival has been declared an Regional Tourist Interest.
It is held every year in the month of July.
The jazz festival brings national and international Jazz legends to San Javier.
The Festival is held in cities auditorium of the Almansa park which has a  capacity of 2000 People meanwhile ensuring good visibility for everyone.  The build structure where the festival is being held is similar to a Roman Theater.
The Jazz Festival get more and more attention each year and tickets are sold out each year.
The Spanish tv also broadcasts the Jazz Concerts on Television

Enjoy some of the Footage of the Jazz Festival earlier edition at San Javier in 2011
Wynton Marsalis & Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra – Jazz San Javier 2011 by listening this short track.

 

San Javier

San Javier is a small typical Spanish town in the region of Murcia, located next to the Mar Menor.
The Mar Menor is known as the small sea, which is the biggest salt lake in Europe.
This lagoon is definitely worth a visit for the nature lover it features wildlife, flamingos, natural heated Mud Baths.
San Javier consists of two smaller villages named Santiago de la Ribera and San Pedro.
Both villages are a paradise for the water lover.
Many kinds of sport can be practised on the Mar Menor or on the nearby Mediterranean Sea.
Combining this all together with the Jazz Festival you will never forget your visit to San Javier.

San Javier Jazz Festival Lineup 2015

Friday July 3Th=CMD & THE NOMADS.
JOHN HIATT & THE COMBO.

Saturday July 4th = TONY DESARE QUARTET.
FLAMENCUBA CON ANTONIO CARMONA.

Monday July 6th= JACKSON BROWNE.
Friday July 10th =JETHRO TULL’S MARTIN BARRE.
LARRY GRAHAM & GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION.

Saturday July 11th = GINESA ORTEGA Y RAYNALD COLOM CUARTETO.
LYNNE ARRIALE, GRACE, KELLY & CÉCILE VERNY PRESENTAN: “CINEMA”.

Sunday July 12th =KENNY “BLUES BOSS” WAYNE & THE DREW DAVIES RHYTHM COMBO.
                                 JANIVA MAGNESS.
Tuesday July 14th =BRAD MEHLDAU TRIO.
Friday July 17th= BILL CHARLAP.
Saturday July 18th =PICAZO DE LERA, CUCCIARDI AND FRIENDS.
RICHARD GALLIANO QUARTET “.

Wednesday July 22nd =DIANNA REEVES.
Friday July 24th= ENRIQUE NEGRI, JERRY GONZALES.
NETTWORK FEATURING: CHARNETT MOFFETT, STANLEY JORDAN.
JEFF “TAIN” WATTS & CASIMIR LIBERSKI.

Saturday July 25th =CARLA COOK & ALBERT BOVER TRIO.
ROYAL SOUTHERN BROTHERHOOD.

Friday July 31th =SPANISH HEART FEATURING: CARLES BENAVENT TRIO + ANTONIO SERRANO Y                                            TOMASITO. JOE LOUIS WALKER.

San Javier Jazz Festival
San Javier Jazz Festival

In 2015 Multi Grammy award winner Dianna Reeves which is famous among the Jazz loves performed.

 

Dianna Reeves is one of the best female vocalist.
She is one of the great jazz divas. The other female jazz vocalists are Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan.
This is the 3th performance  of Miss Reeves in San Javier Jazz festival.

Prices for the Festival start at 15 euro and go up to 125 euros for a full season pass

Hours
The Concerts start at 9:30 PM, but always make sure to check the official website to be sure if any changes are being announced.

San Javier Jazz Festival Lineup 2016

Practical information for the date and the exact locations and place is not available for this moment.
It will be confirmed in spring 2016.

You can always check out the official website.

 

Game of Thrones filming in Spain

The popular tv show from HBO Game Of Thrones will be partially filmed in Spain in the province of Andalusia.  Parts of the show seasons 5 will be filmed in Spain in Seville Alcazar in the old moorish fortress.  It’s should resemble the wealth of people of Dorne and will be the Palace of the House of Martell. Also Osuna is being mentioned as one of the locations where they are filming the new season. The Bull ring in Osuna has been visited by the cast and filming crews so we are wondering if will recognize it in the Tv show.

Game Of Thrones filming in Spain House of Martel Dorne Palace
Game Of Thrones filming in Spain House of Martel Dorne Palace

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due to the popular success of the series the regions tourism is now booming. Hotels are being booked like its new year and are fully booked until the Beginning of November. Also the City embraces the actors and tv show and announced that they will extend the opening hours of the Tourism Information Centre and there are even some rumours about a Game Of Thrones museum being built.

This is also major news for the area of Seville because previous locations of Game of Thrones have led to an increase in tourism to the areas. There should be an increase of 15 % of visitors.

Even the local restaurants are going crazy for the show. Game Of Thrones menus are showing up all around the region and are a huge success.

They offer 8 different dishes according to a Character.  especially the Baratheon menu is fun because he was hunting  boar.

Game Of Thrones Tapas Menu
Game Of Thrones Tapas Menu

Game of Thrones job offers.

Lately there has been 600 jobs offers for people who are willing to take part in some of the tv shows scenes. This has been a huge success among the Spanish people and European People and had led to 86 000 people showing up for a part in the tv show. The show itself will generate around 1000 direct jobs to the people of Andalusia.

On Previous locations Game Of Thrones generated over 19 million euros for the regions when being filmed there.