Santa Pola

Santa Pola is a coastal town situated in the comarca of Baix Vinalopó in the Valencian Community by the Mediterranean Sea. It is located only about 20km/12mi from the Alicante Airport. The town was already known during Roman times and a castle (built in the 16th century) marked the repopulation of Santa Pola. Nowadays Santa Pola is a fishing and tourist town. It is best known for the Salt Marshes Nature Reserve, a fortress castle, the Virgen de Loreto Chapel, a variety of cultural and archeological museums, and a Municipal Aquarium. It has a modern marina and some 13km/8mi of coastline, where tourists can enjoy water activities and scuba diving as well. There are shore and boat diving sites in the area for beginners and more experienced divers alike. At the nearby dive sites, it is possible to explore different types of dives: wrecks, caves, sandy bottoms, rock formations, and swim-throughs. Divers can take an interesting boat trip to the Island of Tabarca.