GUARDAMAR DEL SEGURA

Surrounded by citrus fruit orchards and fertile vegetable gardens, the ancient settlement of Guardamar, at the mouth of the Segura river, is a thriving small town and summer resort. Inhabited first by the Iberians at their settlement of Cabero Lucero, the area was occupied by the Romans before becoming a major Moorish religious centre, known as Rabita Califal. The Christians ousted the Moors in the 13th century, built a castle and a church, and the village developed into fishing and agricultural centre, its peace only disturbed by an 1829 earthquake, when it was rebuilt further away from the river. Guardamar is surrounded by the Dunas, rolling sand dunes planted with eucalyptus, palms and pines, making its beaches some of the loveliest on the coast The spring and summer see a string of festivals; you can learn more local history at the Museo Arqueologico y Etnologico, and there is a lively market each Wednesday.