Roda Village

Roda is a small Spanish village in the municipality of San Javier in the region of Murcia, otherwise known as the Costa Calida (the warm coast).

Situated in an elevated position just a few minutes from the excellent beaches of the Mar Menor, Europe's biggest natural lagoon, the village of Roda enjoys panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and mountains, the nearby coastal town of Los Alcazares and across the lagoon to the La Manga strip. This privileged position combines the tranquility of a rural setting with the benefits of proximity to all the facilities offered by the larger coastal towns.

This doesn't mean that Roda itself cannot offer all the facilities you are likely to need on a holiday visit. The village is developing fast and the developments of Señorio de Roda and neighbouring Roda Golf provide newly built houses and apartments, tastefully built in a traditional style.

A key landmark in the village is the Hacienda, a stately home dating from the 18th century which was constructed partly from the remains of a 15th century fortress which once stood at the site.

Not least amongst the more modern facilities available in the village is the newly opened 18 hole, par 72 golf course designed by Dave Thomas. Golfers will also be delighted to know that, in addition, there is a choice of no less than ten other golf courses, all within a twenty minute drive of the village. It is not for nothing that the Costa Calida has been dubbed the 'New Costa del Golf'.

The village is easily accessible by road, rail and air. There is a local bus service and the AP-7 coastal motorway is close at hand, connecting the area with the rest of Spain and Europe. The train station at Balsicas is just five minutes away, as is the Murcia international airport at San Javier. Alternatively there is Alicante airport, about 80kms to the North. The nearby towns of San Javier, Los Alcazares, San Pedro del Pinatar and Torrepacheco provide virtually every kind of shop and facility you could possibly want, but if you are looking for the attractions of a major city you can visit the regional capital Murcia and the historic port city of Cartagena, both are just twenty minutes by road from Roda. (Click the map to enlarge.)

Due to the mild climate, officially one of the healthiest in the world, the warm waters of the Mar Menor are attractive to bathers and water sports enthusiasts all year round. In fact, the Mar Menor is revered for its health-giving properties due to its high mineral content. Take a dip in the Mar Menor and stroll along some of the miles of golden beaches or through some of the nearby natural parks and wildlife reserves in the area and you could go home much healthier than when you arrived.

A wealth of museums and ancient ruins document the Iberian, Punic, Carthaginian, Moorish and Roman cultures upon which the area was founded. There are art galleries and museums documenting the more recent industrial and military past spanning Mining, Agriculture, Fishing and Aviation, not forgetting the Naval and Spanish Civil War museums in Cartagena. Music lovers can visit the internationally renowned 'Mar de Musicas', Jazz, Flamenco and Rock music festivals hosted by local towns every year and the list goes on... with annual religious festivals of: 'The Floating of the Virgin', 'Semana Santa' (Easter) and the massive non-religious fiestas including: 'The Burial of the Sardine', 'The Land and the Sea', 'Romans and Carthginians', 'Moors and Christians' etc. Rest assured, you will be in the company of warm-hearted, friendly people who like to party. Fortunately participation is optional!