Door opening in Guardamar del Segura

Guardamar del Segura: dunes, pine woods and history beside the Mediterranean

Guardamar del Segura is a coastal town and municipality in the province of Alicante, in the south of the Comunidad Valenciana, within the Vega Baja del Segura district. Located at the mouth of the Segura river, it is famous for its extensive fine-sand beaches, its impressive pine wood and its great archaeological heritage. In this guide we go over its most relevant facts: population, economy, festivals, tourism and gastronomy.

General information

According to the official figures of the INE (register as of 1 January 2024), Guardamar del Segura has a population of 18,111 inhabitants. The municipal area has a surface of 35.58 km², which gives a population density of around 530 inhabitants per km². It sits at about 25 metres of altitude and its coastline stretches along kilometres of beaches, some of the most famous in the province. It belongs to the judicial district of Torrevieja and is about 30 km from Alicante-Elche airport.

Demographics and nationalities

The split by sex is very balanced, with an approximate percentage of 50% men and 50% women. Like much of the Alicante coast, Guardamar has a markedly international character, with a large community of foreign residents drawn by the climate and the quality of life. Among the most present nationalities, the following stand out:

• Britons, one of the largest groups.
• Residents from Eastern Europe (Russians, Ukrainians, among others).
• Belgians, Dutch, Germans and Scandinavians.

This diversity coexists with a strong local identity and contributes to the tourist and residential dynamism of the municipality.

Economy

The economy of Guardamar rests mainly on:

• Tourism: the municipality's great driving force, thanks to its beaches, its pine wood and its offer of sun and nature.
• Hospitality and retail: a wide network of hotels, restaurants, apartments and shops.
• Irrigated agriculture: the market garden of the Vega Baja, with vegetables and citrus fruit, and a fishing tradition linked to the river and the sea.
• Construction and residential tourism, closely tied to the demand for second homes.

Emergency and home security services

With more than 18,000 registered inhabitants and a population that soars in high season, Guardamar concentrates an enormous number of homes, holiday apartments and second homes that require reliable locksmith services. Having 24-hour locksmiths is essential in a municipality of these characteristics, where situations such as leaving the keys inside the house, the breakage of a cylinder or finding the door jammed on arriving from holiday are very common.

Our emergency door opening service provides coverage to Guardamar del Segura and to the whole Vega Baja district, with on-call locksmiths available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. By day or in the early hours, in high season or in the depths of winter, there is always a professional ready to act quickly on openings of homes, apartments, storerooms, lock changes and armoured doors, a service greatly valued by the large community of residents and second-home owners.

Festivals and traditions

Guardamar lives its festive calendar intensely. Among its most notable celebrations are:

• The patron saint festivals in honour of San Jaime (Santiago Apóstol), at the end of July, the municipality's great event.
• The Moors and Christians celebrations, deeply rooted and spectacular.
• The bonfires and festivals of San Juan, linked to the summer solstice and the beach.
• Holy Week and the themed markets (medieval, Phoenician) that recall its history.

Tourism: what to visit

Guardamar is one of the great tourist and natural destinations of the Costa Blanca:

• The dunes and pine wood of Guardamar, a natural area of some 800 hectares planted at the end of the 19th century to halt the advance of the sand over the village, today a genuine oasis beside the sea.
• Its fine-sand beaches, such as that of El Rebollo, among the most famous in the province, with kilometres of coastline.
• The castle and walled enclosure, on the heights of the village, a witness to its medieval past.
• The Phoenician site of La Fonteta and the Caliphal Rabita, an exceptional Islamic archaeological complex.
• The marina and the mouth of the Segura river, ideal for walks.

Gastronomy

Guardamar cuisine combines the produce of the sea with the market-garden tradition of the Vega Baja. Among its typical dishes and products, the following stand out:

• The soupy rice, arroz a banda and seafood rice dishes, the stars of the table.
• The prawns, fresh fish and produce of the Mediterranean.
• Arroz con costra and the traditional stews of the district.
• The ñoras, citrus fruit and vegetables of the market garden, the basis of the Mediterranean diet.

Other points of interest

Guardamar treasures a thousand-year history: it was a Phoenician settlement (known as Herna), had a Roman and Islamic presence, and the current Christian town was founded around 1277 by Alfonso X the Wise, who granted it the Fuero of Alicante. Its archaeological heritage, with the Caliphal Rabita and the Phoenician site, is one of the most important in the south-east of the peninsula. The great pine wood and dune system were born of the famous Project for the Defence and Reforestation of the Dunes approved in 1897, a real feat of forestry engineering. Between the sea, the river, the forest and history, Guardamar del Segura brings together the charm of a unique coastal town and all the comforts of the Costa Blanca. A place where having trustworthy 24-hour locksmiths brings the peace of mind that residents, tourists and second-home owners deserve all year round.