Where it is
Guardamar del Segura is a small town north of Torrevieja, at the mouth of the River Segura. According to its tourism website (owned by the town hall), the municipality has more than 11 km of coastline: sandy beaches, dunes and pine forest. The southernmost beach, Les Ortigues, borders Torrevieja and La Mata.
Blue Flags 2026
According to ADEAC’s official 2026 list, five Guardamar beaches hold a Blue Flag (Bandera Azul): Centre, Dels Vivers, Ortigues-Campo, Del Moncaio and La Roqueta. The Ortigues-Campo flag was awarded under a transitional arrangement and depends on the beach continuing to meet all the criteria.
Beaches from north to south
Lengths and descriptions come from the Guardamar tourism website. Services are listed only where the source mentions them.
| Beach | Length | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Els Tossals | 1661 m | North of the Segura river mouth, wooden walkways through the dunes; naturist beach |
| Els Vivers | 1210 m | Fine golden sand, next to the Rábita Califal and La Fonteta archaeological sites; Blue Flag |
| La Babilònia | 1060 m | Between Centre and Els Vivers beaches |
| Centre | 427 m | By the town centre and Reina Sofía park, promenade with restaurants and terraces; Blue Flag |
| La Roqueta | 1164 m | In town, adapted for people with reduced mobility; Blue Flag |
| El Montcaio | 1451 m | Umbrellas and sunbeds, lifeguards in summer, walkways, toilets, beach bars; Blue Flag |
| El Camp | 2021 m | Southern dunes, no buildings nearby; Blue Flag together with Les Ortigues |
| Les Ortigues | 1457 m | Fine golden sand on the border with Torrevieja |
Dunes and pine forest (Parque Alfonso XIII)
The forest, known locally as La Pinada, covers about 800 hectares of once-shifting dunes. A dune stabilisation project led by forest engineer Francisco Mira y Botella was approved in 1897, and between 1900 and the 1930s more than 600,000 pines, palms and eucalyptus trees were planted. The area is protected as a Site of Community Importance (LIC); stay on the marked paths.
The main signposted circular route is 6.5 km long and suitable for all ages; in total the park has more than 8 km of paths for walkers and cyclists, also used for dog walking. Along the way you pass the nursery and forest house from the planting years, the Phoenician town of La Fonteta (8th–6th centuries BC) and the 10th-century Islamic complex of La Rábita Califal, a listed heritage site (BIC).
Parks: Reina Sofía and Parc de les Nyores
Reina Sofía park, on Avenida dels Pins and Calle Enginyer Mira a few minutes from the sea, is known as the “duck park”: its ponds are home to ducks, swans, geese, fish and turtles, and peacocks and squirrels live among the pines. There are playgrounds, pétanque courts, picnic areas, a café and an open-air auditorium for concerts.
In the south of the municipality, about 200 m from the sea, is the 4-hectare Parc de les Nyores: a playground, a fenced dog area, a viewpoint and woodland paths.
The castle
The castle on Castell hill was the walled old town from the Christian foundation in 1271 until the earthquakes of 1829, after which residents moved downhill and its stone was reused for the new town. The Baluarte de la Pólvora bastion and parts of the walls and towers survive; it is a listed heritage site (BIC) with views over the whole district. The “Memoria de Arena” guided walk starts at the castle and continues through Parque Alfonso XIII to La Rábita and La Fonteta (about 1.5 km, two hours); check prices and dates at the tourist office.
Practical information
- Tourist office: Plaça de la Constitució, 7; tel. 96 572 44 88; Monday–Saturday 9:00–14:30, closed on Sundays.
- C.S.I. Guardamar del Segura health centre: Calle Molivent, 1; open 24 hours; tel. 965 290 285, urgent care 965 290 295.
- The town hall posts beach conditions on its beaches page; in summer there are lifeguards at Montcaio.
- For intercity buses and lines to Torrevieja and Alicante, see our bus guide.