Hard to believe maybe but the world’s biggest economy (the US) owes its existence to the picturesque little Spanish town of La Mata, just north of Torrevieja on the Costa Blanca. OK, perhaps I’m stretching it a little but you can literally take what I’m saying with a pinch of salt.
You see it all started when the Romans (sensibly) decided that a trip and a long stay (400 years) in Spain was what they needed and began developing methods to extract salt from the Mediterranean. Skipping a few centuries and by the 15th and 16th centuries the business of salt in La Mata was booming and, it is said, to have helped fund Columbus’s explorations.
These days the salt lake is a nature reserve (Parque Natural de las Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja ) and home to wide and varied range of flora and fauna and of course birdlife. In the modern visitor centre the species that you’ll see are listed (too many for this page) and include populations of black winged stilts, dunlin, stone curlew, Montagu’s harrier, osprey, terns, eared grebes, and flamingos. Handily in the park there are plenty of paths and observation towers to view the wildlife at work, rest and play. Surrounding the lake are reed beds, marsh grassland and scrub.
The town of La Mata itself still boasts a traditional Spanish lifestyle and atmosphere, although due to the increase in demand for Spanish property there has been a lot of development in La Mata the essence of the town remains the same. To endorse that further a street market every Wednesday is always busy with locals and visitors from elsewhere all keen to explore the stalls there.
La Mata is famous in the region for its superb beaches and with over two and a half kilometres of fine, clean beaches with modern facilities to cater for all and, (I can vouch for all of them!) some of the best restaurants on the Costa. Not only for their superb location close to the beautiful Mediterranean but also has the reasonable cost of a fresh seafood lunch or dinner for under a tenner, with wine, got my vote.
La Mata has its fair share of fiestas throughout the year too but two to look out for are the Virgen del Rosario (in October) and the Virgen del Carmen (in July), the other significant fiestas are Christmas and Easter (Semana Santa) but rest assured, you’ll no doubt happen across some sort of celebration or another at pretty much any time of the year, the Spanish are great for that..
Once again back into town and through the narrow streets. Follow your nose and have a look at the ‘Menu del Dia’ boards outside of all the restaurants if you’re looking for a decent lunch. The locals welcome the more modern (and cosmopolitan) residents to the town realising that they help to support the small town’s economy.
A few steps from the beach you’ll find the pretty town square which is surrounded by shops and cafes or head along Calle Alemania and rest up (with a local wine and some Manchego cheese?) in the park amongst the trees on the well-kept lawns. Just next to the park is a new development of quality property for sale in La Mata, so I asked if I could have a look at the show flat – impressive. The Aqua Nature complex will eventually house over 140 apartments (finished 2013) and with superb panoramic views of the coast it’s not surprising there’s a lot of interest. The well designed interior has clearly been thought about too – I wouldn’t mind one of them myself.
These days La Mata is a wonderful fusion of all that is best about Spain, traditionally and culturally, and the new modern facilities that have enhanced the town make it a place to enjoy all that is best about living abroad, and with some of the best views you’ll get on the costa thrown in!
