San Bartolome Spain
Interesting article about San Bartolome, Costa Blanca, Spain.
Villages of Spain - San Bartolome
San Bartolome Spain - Driving through the Vega Baja area on the main road from Almoradi to Orihuela it would be easy to miss San Bartolomé (St. Bartholomew). At the traffic lights before the Vega Baja hospital turn right at the sign for the town centre and a whole new world opens up.
It is particularly poignant when one bears in mind that there are no historical documents for the area as they were destroyed during the terrible earthquake of the twenty first of March 1829 which affected many villages of the Vega Baja.
Not only did San Bartolomé suffer at the time of the earthquake but before that it was fought over in the Guerra de los Pedros; the War of the Pedros. During the years 1356 to 1396 it was fought over for control of part of Castilla (Pedro I) and of Aragon (Pedro IV).
However, today all is peaceful in this pretty Spanish village which has its own social centre, town hall, school of music, school and medical centre. It also has the Vega Baja hospital within its boundaries.
Whilst smaller than in some villages there are certainly shops for every need and all within the town centre. The backdrop to which is the beautiful mountains of the Sierra Nevada range. The local streets are narrow and wind through the town and from the edge of the town the road leads to El Baden, Rafal and Callosa de Segura.
However the town is aware that still more modernising needs to be done and on the 8th March 2004 the Agriculture Minister Gemor Amor Perez announced the first phase of modernisation and there is a plaque set in a stone monument next to the Parish Church.
Largely agricultural the fields surrounding the town are filled with vegetables notably cabbages. Whilst in the town the familiar site of new homes being built takes place. These blend very well with the older Spanish homes but they do mean that there is now an influx of residents from other countries who all receive a warm welcome from the local townsfolk.
In the Plaza Santiago Marquez a new Church has been built, the Iglesia Parroquial (Parish Church) while in nearby El Baden is the older Church of La Milagrosa inside of which is a statue of Saint Bartolomé and is therefore well worth a visit.
The tiny village of El Baden which adjoins and is linked to San Bartolomé boasts a single street of small shops, a car showroom area and of course the Church. The surrounding land is used for the production of fresh vegetables.
It would be so easy to miss visiting this village but in doing so you would miss not only the village itself but the wonderfully warm greetings from the local residents of every nationality which is best summed up by the English lady who said that she would not want to live anywhere else.
Article provided by kind permission of The Leader Newspaper
Nearby Places: Almoradi - Catral - San Bartolome - Callosa de Segura - Crevillente
Golf Courses: Villamartin - Lo Romera - Las Ramblas - Campoamor Golf - La Finca - La Marquesa - Spain Golf Courses
Related: Torrevieja - Alicante - Valencia - Murcia - Orihuela - Elche - Orihuela Costa - Ciudad Quesada - Alicante Weather - Alicante Airport Transfers - Builders
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