Discover Santa Pola and Tabarca

Santa Pola & Isla de Tabarca – sea, beach and old-world charm

Santa Pola is a fishing town and seaside resort south of Alicante, and the departure port for the shortest boat trip to the island of Tabarca. A day trip to Santa Pola and Tabarca from Moraira makes a long but memorable day: a good hour’s drive, a short crossing and then a walled village on a car-free island in the middle of a protected marine reserve.

Isla de Tabarca: the only inhabited island in the region

Tabarca lies about eight kilometres off the coast of Santa Pola and belongs administratively to the municipality of Alicante. It is the only inhabited island of the Comunidad Valenciana, with an area of some 30 hectares and a handful of permanent residents. The village was built in the second half of the eighteenth century on the orders of King Charles III, to settle Genoese families ransomed from Tabarka in Tunisia, and to protect the coast against pirates.

That history is still visible everywhere. The village is ringed by walls with three gates, and inside them stand the baroque church of San Pedro y San Pablo and the governor’s house. Outside the village is the Torre de San José, a defensive tower that served as a prison in the nineteenth century. Since 1964 the island has been protected as a historic monument.

Snorkelling in the marine reserve

The water around Tabarca was declared Spain’s first marine reserve in 1986. As a result the sea life is rich and the water often clear, which makes the island a favourite place to snorkel. The shore is largely rocky: water shoes are far from a luxury. By the village there are a few restaurants serving fish and rice dishes; in high season it is wise to book for lunch.

The boat from Santa Pola to Tabarca

Several operators sail to Tabarca from the fishing harbour of Santa Pola. The direct crossing takes about 25 minutes; some boats stop on the way at the marine reserve, with a glass bottom or viewing windows, which makes the trip around 35 to 40 minutes. In season there are many sailings a day, from the morning until late afternoon.

Fares and timetables differ by operator and season; check them with the operator before you set off. For a stay in Moraira, Santa Pola is usually the handiest departure port: the crossing is short and most boats leave from there. If you would rather not drive so far, you can also sail from the harbour of Alicante, right by Playa del Postiguet.

Santa Pola itself

Take time for the town before or after the boat. Right in the centre stands the Castillo-Fortaleza, a fortress of 1557 built against pirate raids and now home to the Museo del Mar. On the south side of town lies the Salinas de Santa Pola nature park, a large area of salt pans where flamingos can be seen all year. On the headland above the town stands the lighthouse, with a viewpoint over the bay of Alicante.

From Moraira to Santa Pola

Santa Pola is about 106 kilometres from Moraira. By the AP-7 and the Alicante ring road you are there in roughly 1 hour and a quarter. Set off in good time if you want to catch a morning boat, and bear in mind that the last boats back from Tabarca sail in the early evening. If you would rather drive less, look at one of the other attractions on the Costa Blanca closer to Moraira.

Santa Pola harbour (boats to Tabarca)

Address: Avenida de los Baños 1, Santa Pola
From Moraira: ± 1 hr 15 min by car
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