It is Orihuela Costa's biggest beach, with a waterline that stretches more than half a kilometre (officially 513 metres) and a fine sandy surface measuring 35.910 square metres that dwarfs all other beaches in the municipal area.

As beautiful as it is endearing, the sheer size of Campoamor Beach is one of its main appeals. There is always an opportunity to find a place in the sun, and the beach never feels overcrowded – even in the height of summer.

Campoamor Beach lies on the Mediterranean coastline just 4.0 km south of La Zenia, with an east-facing orientation that bathes in sunshine throughout the day. Unlike Playa Barranco Rubio to the south, Playa de la Glea hasn't seen such heavy-handed coastal development and its topography remains relatively flat.

The only exception is the towering fire-red sandstone cliffs that mark the northern periphery of the beach, replete with an impressive elevated walkway that hugs the vibrant cliff face and provides a thoroughfare seamlessly connecting to Aguamarina beach and its curvaceous grand promenade.

Playa de la Glea, Orihuela Costa's biggest beach

Like other beaches in the area, Campoamor Beach acts as a natural basin during the spring and autumn seasons, and the southern end of the beach is marked by the Rio Nacimiento.

The ravine is dry for most of the year, but during periods of prolonged rain, the ravine brings floodwater from inland areas around Las Ramblas and Campoamor Resort golf courses to the Mediterranean Sea.

The southernmost terminus of Playa de la Glea hosts a magnificent leisure marina. Puerto Deportivo Miguel Caballero offers 348 private moorings for all sizes of sporting boats, yachts, and personal watercraft.

The centre provides leisure and water-sports facilities in the summer months and boasts the haute-cuisine Restaurante Los Ángeles. The port also hosts a yacht club, Club Nautico Dehesa de Campoamor, which has stood adjacent to the safe-water harbour for nearly fifty years.

In common with Orihuela Costa's other eleven beaches, Playa de la Glea is accredited with the Foundation for Environmental Education's Blue Flag award, globally recognised as the gold standard for excellence.

One of the finest Blue Flag beaches in the South Costa Blanca

Orihuela Costa has maintained the coveted Blue Flag status for more than five years, accorded for consistently high levels of water quality, ease of accessibility for all, and abundant essential facilities.

The beach is generously wide, tapering at either end and formed from idyllic soft golden sand. The sea tends to be reassuringly calm, and a relatively shallow depth makes the beach ideal for families with children.

A Chiringuito Beach bar offers a full bar service with refreshments and a menu of tasty light bites during the main summer season. Located mid-way on Campoamor Beach, the beach bar provides welcome shade, bathroom facilities, and a food and drinks service directly on the sand.

At the southern end of the beach, Restaurante Montepiedra Playa offers beach cocktails, a traditional Spanish menu, a formal dining room, and a beachfront terrace with breathtaking Mediterranean Sea views.

Further north, visitors will find WOW Beach Club by Las Colinas Golf. The upscale summer-only venue boasts a spectacular infinity pool, a spacious sun-drenched bathing terrace, and a Mediterranean restaurant serving an exquisite a la carte menu that changes depending on the day of the week.

Campoamor beach, access and parking in Dehesa de Campoamor

For a special treat, WOW Beach Club offer a relaxing personal massage service and the rental of luxurious Balinese beds accompanied by Veuve du Vernay Ice rosé French sparkling wine or Mumm Grand Cordon Brut Champagne with prices starting from €90.

A lifeguard service runs throughout the main Easter and summer seasons on Playa de la Glea.

Watersports are available during the main summer months from the beginning of July until Friday 6th September, including jet-ski hire and a notoriously exhausting floating assault course guaranteed to wear out children with excess energy to burn. The latter costs 8€ per half-hour session.

Accessibility for vehicles in Dehesa de Campoamor can be problematic, particularly during the summer season, with parking directly adjacent to the beach prohibited. Calle Rambla del Nacimiento offers the best choice of on-street parking with a large car park on the right just through the arched bridge.

Alternatively, Ramon de Campoamor adjacent to the southern end of Campoamor beach offers a small car park and generous on-street parking on both sides of the road.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

In fact, with a total length measuring 655 m Barranco Rubio is the longest beach on the entire Orihuela Costa, but it's not the largest. That accolade goes to neighbouring Playa de la Glea, and sometimes it feels like Barranco Rubio lives in its sister's shadow.

Playa de la Glea seems to be universally loved by those who visit her idyllic shores, whereas Barranco Rubio attracts mixed and contrasting reviews – people either admire or dislike the beach in equal measure.

You'll need to look no further than the beach's reviews on TripAdvisor to appreciate the Marmite effect in action. Many reviewers praise the beach for its beautiful sands, the clean safe waters, and its suitability as a prestigious family holiday destination.

Whilst others cite the overbearing rocky cliffs that leave the beach in an undesirable perpetual shadow each afternoon, and overdevelopment of the coastline, with apartment blocks casting their shadows over the sands below at any time past midday.

Barranco Rubio, the longest beach in Orihuela Costa

Additionally, some comments blame the location and the shape of the beach for the unsightly build-up of seaweed during the height of the summer. It would seem that, just like the venerable British savoury spread, some people really do either love it or hate it.

The beach takes its name from the gully that brings rainwater from inland areas to the sea. Translated as “Blond ravine”, the terminology might be unbefitting considering the vibrant red colouration of the ancient rock that dominates the coastline.

At the south end of the beach, the headland reaches the water's edge concealing part of the beach, and at certain times of the day, the tide makes walking to neighbouring Mil Palmeras beach impossible without wading through knee-deep water.

Like all Orihuela Costa beaches, Barranco Rubio receives the Blue Flag award year after year assuring the quality of the beach, with 30.785 m2 of fine white sand and crystal clear Mediterranean bathing waters.

Barranco Rubio has a lifeguard service during the summer season and the beach is well served by bars and restaurants, including a chiringuito beach bar on the beach itself that provides refreshments and full bar service.

First-class services on and off the beach

The Delpuerto Restaurant at the northernmost end of the beach offers some outstanding Spanish dishes and an extensive tapas menu, with an elevated terrace that offers spectacular views of the beach and sea.

Special mentions should go to Fish Bowl Restaurant and Restaurante Los Ángeles. Visitors can find Fish Bowl just a short walk from the beach adjacent to the Campoamor Marina.

Restaurante Los Ángeles is located in Club Náutico Campoamor and boasts spectacular views across the sea and the marina. Both venues offer exquisitely prepared fresh food and beautifully appointed dining rooms suitable for special occasions and formal dining.

Accessibility to Playa Barranco Rubio is good, with gentle slopes toward the fine sand permitting access by wheelchair users and families with push-chairs and younger children.

However, parking can be problematic particularly in the summer months, with parking prohibited by yellow lines on many of the smaller roads closest to the beach. Calle Concha Espina and the neighbouring residential roads offer limited on-street parking, with access to the southern end of the beach via a slope with steps.

Despite its critics, Barranco Rubio Beach has plenty of benefits to attract visitors, and it is undoubtedly among the finest beaches the local South Costa Blanca area has to offer. But don't take our word for it, take a day out of your summer holiday this year and go see for yourself.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: Piotr Piosik / LaZenia.com

A total of 58 awards distinguish Orihuela's beaches, and each beach is Blue Flag accredited, certified to ISO standards, and carries Qualitur distinctions for excellence.

The beaches are the destination of choice for hundreds of thousands of international and local visitors year after year, and they remain popular attractions year after year despite recent global events.

But with Cabo Roig's popular La Caleta beach to the north, and Campoamor's majestic Playa de la Glea to the south, one beach very often remains overlooked.

And that's a shame, as Aguamarina Beach is naturally stunning and just as well-appointed as any of her neighbours. It's also our personal favourite.

Aguamarina is a shallow crescent of fine sand measuring 293 m at the waterline, with a maximum width of 38 m.

The beach offers plenty of space for families and sun-seekers, often when other local beaches are crowded during the summer.

The pristine safe waters are ideal for swimming, and during high season the Town Hall provides the additional surety of a lifeguard service.

During the summer a Spanish Chiringuito (beach bar) offers a variety of refreshments and casual dining options with some of the best open Mediterranean Sea views around.

Aguamarina Beach, one of South Costa Blanca's best beaches

Nearby rock pools and a rock and fossil beach to the north end of Aguamarina Beach provide plenty of opportunities for children to explore the Mediterranean Sea flora and fauna.

The beach is accessible for all, and a pretty promenade with seating runs the length of the beach from north to south.

An elevated walkway attaches to the vibrant cliff walls and connects Aguamarina to Campoamor Beach to the south. Part of the Mediterranean coastal path that leads from Mil Palmeras to Torrevieja in the north, the northerly path leads to neighbouring Cabo Roig.

Aguamarina Beach is composed entirely of fine white to golden sands, with exposed natural rock formations along part of the shoreline. It is generally regarded as one of Orihuela Costa's best beaches, and among the most beautiful beaches in the entire South Costa Blanca.

It's an ideal beach for families looking for something to entertain children, or for beach-goers looking for a sunny beachfront destination that's a little quieter in high season.

You'll find Aguamarina beach northward of Campoamor's Playa de la Glea beach, and south of Cabo Roig's La Caleta beach. Click here for a Google Map with directions from your location.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

It's a question that's often asked in the Community Group, so we've compiled the latest data from the leading online weather websites to bring you an overview of what you can expect if you're living in Campoamor, or planning to visit family and friends during the forthcoming festive month.

Despite the recent lack of rainfall, typically, December is the wettest winter month on the Orihuela Costa – only the autumn months of October and November generally experience more rain, with October ranking as the wettest month of the year overall.

But everything's relative and it's not all bad news. The area registers an average monthly rainfall of just 37 mm, with an average of just 5 days out of the 31 in December experiencing some rain, so you won't need to use an umbrella that often.

Compared with more northerly climes, Berlin in Germany expects 16 rainy days in December, Stockholm in Sweden averages 18 days of rainfall, and even the (usually sun-soaked) upscale French Riviera resort of St Tropez usually experiences 9 wet days and 50 mm of rain during December.

There's more good news when it comes to sunshine too, with an average median of 6 hours of warm sunny weather per day. And don't forget, an average daytime air temperature of 17°c can seem positively tropical, as direct sunlight can add an additional 9°c on top making the “real feel” exceed a very pleasant 25°c.

However, make no mistake – evenings can be chilly with average overnight temperatures falling to just 7°c. December is the second-coldest month in Campoamor, with only January trumping the month for the coldest average daily temperatures.

Overnight frost can occur in December, but it's a thankfully rare occurrence, and you'll need your heating on in your apartment or villa every evening to feel suitably comfortable during December.

You will need a winter jacket or a coat during the early evenings, but daytime walks along some of the Orihuela Costa's finest beaches should definitely be on your to-do list for the month, and they're a wonderful way to enjoy some of the best views our area has to offer.

December brings the shortest days of the year to the northern hemisphere. The sun rises around 8:10 and it does not set until around 17:45 (CET), meaning that the average Spanish day is still a good hour longer than at more distant northern latitudes.

Average weather and temperatures for Campoamor in December

Swimming pools are out-of-bounds to all but the bravest or most fool-hardy, and the Mediterranean Sea maintains a water temperature of 17°c. A mere 8°c below its late-August high temperature of 25°c, but a wet suit is required for water sports at this time of year.

If you are prepared before you travel and pack some winter essentials for the evenings and cooler days, December is an excellent time to visit Campoamor. The (usually) turbulent months of September and October are far behind, and with the community at one of the quieter times of the year, visitors will experience the full beauty of this Mediterranean area.

Spanish winters are thankfully short and mild, and with the passing of the shortest day on 22nd December days start to become longer, and it becomes clear that summer is never too far away.

You can find the full weather forecast and average weather data for Campoamor and our part of the South Costa Blanca in Spain from the Holiday Weather website by clicking here.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

Originally opened in April 2013, Fish Bowl has evolved through a continual transformation over the years, with the latest iteration of the restaurant firmly in place since February 2017.

Located opposite Club Náutico in Dehesa de Campoamor and adjacent to Playa Barranco Rubio beach, the eastward orientation and elevated position offer spectacular views over the Mediterranean Sea.

And that location is unique, as Fish Bowl occupies a somewhat unusual position – on a roundabout. More accurately, Fish Bowl is a roundabout, and the space restrictions form the restaurant into a 12-sided almost perfectly circular dodecagon.

Quirky and beautiful, the dining experience

Inside, visitors will find more exciting quirks and features that make the venue unique and memorable. The cavernous dining room is open, with a “Rainforest Cafe” style bar that wraps around one-quarter of the building.

Rustic glazed wooden tables add a natural look to the space, and numerous arched floor-to-ceiling windows offer unparalleled views of the surrounding flora and the azure colours of the Mediterranean Sea beyond.

A beautiful vaulted ceiling dominates the dining room. This masterpiece of elegance and architectural design is exquisite, with oversized lightbulbs suspended from the complex weave of trusses, and a polished stainless steel ventilation shaft snakes majestically through the roof void.

The decor is neo-industrial yet welcoming, a fusion of modern chic and classical elegance. Its immediately striking appearance is something diners will no doubt remember long after the food has gone.

More than just fish on the menu

As the name and the ornate mural of a giant red octopus that adorns the outside of the venue might suggest, fish delicacies are abundant on the menu. Squid and prawns are local Mediterranean specialities, while salmon, monkfish, lobster, and tuna are offered as snacks or starters.

Steaks offer an alternative to fish, with ribeye, classic fillet, Tomahawk and Chateaubriand cuts available from the menu. A wide variety of side dishes allow for the personalisation of each meal experience, with Asiatic rice, chips, summer vegetables, chestnut mushrooms, and an array of sauces to compliment the chosen main dish.

Main courses include slow-cooked beef cheek with truffle mash, a Korean fried chicken burger, a gourmet beef burger with smoked cheese, and Aloo Gobi – a cauliflower and potato South Asian curry suited to vegetarians and served with turmeric rice and flaked almonds.

A mouthwatering selection of desserts rounds out a comprehensive menu, and a children's menu caters for younger palates with a simple cheeseburger and fries, mac and cheese pasta, or chicken fillet goujons for lovers of finger food.

Fish Bowl restaurant in Dehesa de Campoamor

Popular with guests of all nationalities, the restaurant comes highly recommended with a first-class rating on Tripadvisor and a history of excellent reviews. Visitors can call +34 966 392 891 to book a table, or visit Fish Bowl's Facebook page to make a reservation.

Fish Bowl restaurant opens for dinner each evening from 17:00 Monday until Saturday, with additional lunchtime services from 13:00 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Plentiful free on-street parking is available around the venue.

Want to know more? Tap here to read the menu (complete with helpful allergen information), or follow this link to visit their website, available in English, Spanish, and German languages.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com

The new local attraction has been launched by Orihuela Town Hall in association with the established Valencian passenger transport company, Bus Sigüenza.

The Orihuela Costa tourist train, or “Orihuela Tren Turístico” will run local transport services along the coastline all summer, offering a super-fun way to see the sights and experience the sounds of the region.

The service will operate two routes, with one train starting out from Campoamor and running east along the Orihuela Costa coastline, and another train running return services from Playa Flamenca and travelling in a westerly direction.

The passenger trains will pass many of the local places of interest and make frequent stops along the journey to allow passengers to disembark or board the service.

The Orihuela Costa tourist train will operate two road-going locomotives, with each train pulling two carriages with covered seating to protect passengers from the sun.

Orihuela Costa tourist train, daily services throughout the summer

Scheduled stops include Playa Flamenca beach, La Zenia beach, Zenia Boulevard shopping centre, the port and beaches of Campoamor, and the renowned Cabo Roig strip.

With a travel time of just 55 minutes each way, the Orihuela Costa tourist train provides a great way of exploring the local area even in the height of summer, as the movement of the vehicle provides a cooling sea breeze even on the stillest of days.

A ticket for the trains costs €3.00 per person, with discounts available for children and families, and a ticket is valid for travel for the entire day. Services operate daily all summer until the end of September, with trains running every day from 9:00 until 21:00.

The Orihuela Costa Tren Turístico is expected to prove exceptionally popular, and the service's website offers reservations for group bookings. For more information about the new tourist train, visit the official website.

Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.

Photo credit: LaZenia.com