Planning a day trip to Santa Pola and not sure what to do? Then I suggest you read on!
Santa Pola is a lovely little town near Alicante in Spain, famous for its flamingos and salt flats. Yet, I was surprised that there are so many things to do in Santa Pola besides bird watching.
With a town center castle offering a free museum to learn about Santa Pola’s history and maritime past, a beautiful coastline, and the proximity to Tabarca Island, it’s truly worth staying more than one day in Santa Pola. Therefore, I’ll add some suggestions for what to do if you have more time at the end.
Besides, this is an intensive one-day in Santa Pola itinerary which doesn’t include going to the beach. If you have more time, I would spread this itinerary over several days and make space for beach time and getting to know the town a little better besides going on a few day trips.
Read on to find out what to do in one of Spain’s most charming beach towns.
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Hi, I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Brainy Backpackers. I’ve been based in Spain for the last 10+ years, and travel locally and abroad whenever I have a chance. I’m passionate about responsible travel, slow and off the beaten path travel, and outdoor activities, especially hiking. I’m currently slow traveling in my van Persistence (Persi among friends) with my fiancée Mohammed and rescue puppy Atlas. I’m excited to help you explore this planet responsibly!
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Things to do in Santa Pola in one day
Note, that when I go on a day trip to Santa Pola, I park at the marketplace and walk down to the town, which makes this itinerary perfect.
If you travel to Santa Pola in a different way or stay there for a few days, starting with the ruins of the Roman Villa might not be ideal and you can decide whether you see it later in the day or if you skip it altogether.
Roman Villa
Start the day by going to the Parc de Palmerar where there are some interesting remains of a Roman Villa dating back to the 4th century.
There were once 7 rooms, a courtyard, and large columns in the villa and it is said that a Roman noble family lived there. There was also a dedicated area for worshipping the Gods, especially Venus who was the Goddess of the Fishermen.
The villa is fenced in without access to the public, but you can still see from the outside and I especially loved seeing the incredible mosaics (best seen from the upper part).
Santa Pola Castle
Santa Pola Castle dates back to the mid 1500s and was designed in a Renaissance style by Italian military engineers giving it the fortress style you can still see today.
The castle was part of a defense system on the coast communicating with smoke signals in the daytime and fire at night to protect the coast from pirates.
After the castle declined in the 18th century, it was eventually restored and used by the Spanish Crown before it became the Town Hall.
Today, the castle holds a museum where you can learn about Santa Pola’s history and maritime history.
It’s free to enter and I was surprised that it was even pet-friendly, so Baby Atlas went on his first ever museum visit which he loved.
Take pictures of the traditional fishing boats at the marina
From the castle, walk down to the beach and you can take right to the marina to check out the cute, traditional fisherman’s boats.
I love walking there and taking pictures.
There’s also a larger boat on land, “Esteban Gonzalez”, which is set between the beach and the marina.
Stroll along the promenade and beach
Next, go for a stroll along the beach promenade, there are restaurants and bars near the center and a nice coastline further ahead.
We even found a 5-armed palm tree that surprisingly was marked on Google Maps.
If you don’t feel like walking too far, grab a drink at a beach bar and enjoy the views before you head to lunch.
Lunch
There are plenty of restaurants where you can have lunch. We really enjoyed Good Mood where they had a great selection of vegan empanadas that were so tasty.
They have covered outside tables and are not too far from the beach.
Explore Cabo de Santa Pola
Cabo de Santa Pola is a fossil reef that was formed millions of years ago, about 5-6 kilometers north of Santa Pola town.
If you have a car, I suggest driving there as it’s going to take 1.5 hours to walk each way. Alternatively, take a taxi.
There’s a lighthouse and a walking path that leads out to El Mirador del Faro de Santa Pola viewpoint. It’s a really beautiful view and you can see all the way to Tabarca Island.
Top Tip! If you can’t get out to the cape, book a round trip to Tabarca Island instead. You can book boat tickets here.
See the Civil War bunkers
Just before reaching the lighthouse, there are several bunkers and artillery batteries from the Civil War on trails in both directions.
If you’re interested in history, there are some information boards next to the different sites.
It’s possible to go inside a couple of small shelters, but they’re only a couple of meters deep. These were part of a larger coastal defense system in Alicante.
Go to the salt flats and see flamingos for sunset
Above the town, there is a vast area of salt flats where there are large groups of flamingos roaming. There are some paths you can walk on, but most of the land is closed off to protect the birds and their habitat.
With a car, you can park in a pocket on the road towards Torrevieja by the tower on the right side (there is a pocket in the opposite direction, but I’ve never had much luck seeing flamingos there) and a small dirt pocket further down the road past the big one.
Top tip! Bring binoculars and/or a zoom lens to see the birds up close.
What to do in Santa Pola if you have more time
As I mentioned above, I suggest that you spend 2-3 days doing the above activities, eg. spend one day exploring the town and the castle museum, one day going to the lighthouse, and one day seeing the flamingos.
Slowing down gives you time to relax on the beach, eat all the food, and savor the laidback energy of Santa Pola. Besides this, here are some things to do in Santa Pola and its surroundings if you have the time.
Explore Tabarca Island
Going on a boat trip to Tabarca Island is by far one of the best things to do in Santa Pola, but on a day trip, it gets tight.
So if you don’t choose away some of the suggestions in the above one-day itinerary, spending an extra day to explore the tiny island is well worth it!
Tabarca Island is the only island inhabited by the Valencian community and has a long history of pirates. In the 18th century, Carlos III built a city there, and since then, it’s been inhabited.
There’s also fantastic snorkeling around the island and I highly recommend going on this snorkel trip if you’re there in the warmer months. I highly recommend this snorkeling trip to Tabarca Island.
Go hiking by the lighthouse
Besides seeing the bunkers and the viewpoint by Santa Pola Lighthouse, there are several walking trails you can explore. If you’re an outdoor lover, a day out in nature is a great experience combined with history and beautiful views.
Take a day trip to Alicante
Taking a day trip to Alicante is a fantastic idea if you stay a few days in Santa Pola.
The province’s capital city has plenty to offer and on a day trip, you’ll get enough time to visit the hilltop castle to take in the magnificent views and learn about the city’s history, stroll along the beachfront, the marina, and the palm-lined promenade with permanent market stalls, and explore the old town.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the Town Hall, Concatedral de San Nicolás de Bari, and Basilica de Santa Maria. Finally, Alicante’s charming Santa Cruz neighborhood is home to some of the most picturesque streets in the city.
Whether you visit Alicante in winter or in summer, there’s plenty to do and each season has its own charm.
Not convinced it’s worth the day trip? Read my top reasons to visit Alicante.
Go to the Pink Lake in Torrevieja
Only half an hour from Santa Pola, you can explore the Pink Lake in Torrevieja. Though the salt flats in Santa Pola sometimes turn pink, they’re nothing compared to Torrevieja’s Pink Lake in Parque Natural de las Lagunas de la Mata y de Torrevieja.
The phenomenon of the pink water comes from a pigment that is found in water that contains a high amount of salt.
It’s such a cool and utterly unique place to see and there are some trails you can walk on and viewpoints with sweeping lake views.
Go hiking in Sierra de Crevillente
Costa Blanca is full of epic hiking opportunities, but I really like the trails in Sierra de Crevillente, right behind Santa Pola.
The natural beauty is fantastic and you can explore the remains of a pre-historic city as well as an old Roman aqueduct.
Trails range from a couple of hours to full-day hikes of different difficulty levels. It’s best to get there by car as the trails are a bit above the village itself.
Final thoughts
Summing up, Santa Pola is a fantastic travel destination whether you go on a day trip or spend your entire vacation there and use it as a base.
I love the diversity of nature and the village itself is vibrant with nice things to do. It’s a lot more laidback than nearby Torrevieja and is perfect for a tranquil trip.
Happy travels!