Aguilas, Murcia
Take me there!
Beach and Marina
Local amenities?
Some tips when visiting.
1.Plaza the España
Fantastic plaza with bar with big terraces and huge trees. Very nice and a must see when visiting with clients. Very cosmopolite and in front of the Municipality.
2. Castle of San Juan de Aguilas
Built during the XVIII century, during the reign of Felipe II, with the purpose to defend the city from the barbary pirates.Impressive views of the whole city from the top. To visit it there is a free bus from Plaza de España, going up and down all the day
Highly recommended to have a drink or lunch at Restaurant Zoco del Mar (The restaurant is located in the castle of Aguilas. Indicated below in restaurant recommendations.
3.Aguilas Plaza Mall ( 2-3 minutes by car from Isla del Fraile Villas)
4. Puente del Hornillo
Old quay built in 1903 for the shipping of minerals and mining products. You have a fanstastic views of this bridge from Isla del Fraile.
Where should I get lunch?
1. Restaurante Zoco del Mar
It's located in the Castle of Aguilas. Spanish food, with lovely seafood and meat options.
2. Arrecife Resto Bar
Views to the marina. Spanish and fusion food. Very good quality and decoration (5 minutes by car from Isla del Fraile Villas) Recommended option!
3. Pecados
Fusion Spanish food. Nice decoration, very cozy and in front of the beach. (10 minutes away Isla del Fraile)
4. Refugio de JuanFran
Spanish and fusion food. Very close the the villas (2 minutes) and fantasitc food but the restaurant has not any sea side views.
So what’s the big draw?
Aguilas has plenty of options in term of beaches. You can choose between urban beaches like Playa de Levante or Playa del Hornillo among others to explore as options outside the city centre like Playa Amarilla (INSIDE ISLA DEL FRAILE URBANIZATION), Playa de los Cocedores y la Carolina (highly recommended) and Calabardina o Cabo Cope y Puntas del Calnegre if you want to enjoy a natural park in the sea side.
What do people love about it?
Águilas is a special land for me, because I have very good friends. And I love to walk along its coast; the beaches are spectacular - Carlos Baute
And... what do people NOT love about it?
The commercial centre is limited in "Branded" shops in comparison to the larger city commerial centre.
And what’s my new local?
Where should I get a light bite to eat? If you want to take a coffee or something to drink and something light to eat, you should go to "cafetería pasarela" just in front of the beach with very good views and nice ambient. If you're looking for the best Ice cream in Águilas, the best one is located in plaza mayor and it's called "Heladería Azor".
Some mentions are: Terraza la Glorieta, bar Sol y Mar, Café bar Suizo, terraza Delicias, Samoa.
Alternatives:
Where should i try for lunch or dinner? Depending of what are you looking for lunch or dinner you can find some wonderful places for "Marisco" or typical Spanish food.
The best place for fish for example is "Restaurante Refugio" who has the best chefs specialist in fish.
Other good mentions are: Restaurante La veleta, Restaurante Ginés, GrastroBar La Cueva, Restaurante Mar de Brasas, Restaurante El Asador, Bar Poseidón, Posada del Galeón.
Schools and supermarkets?
OK, I’m sold. Give me one piece of local trivia to impress a local
Known in Roman times as Aquilae and later Aquila, Águilas belonged to the community of Bastetania and the province of Tarraconense. Various civilisations settled in Águilas, including the Alans, the Suebi and the Visigoths. It formed part of Spanish Carthage until the Arab invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. It was known to the Arabs as آقِلَة (Áqila). It belonged to the Córdoban caliphate and the Kingdom of Valencia, later coming under Almoravidan control, finally ending up definitively included in the Kingdom of Murcia in the 18th century.
During the second half of the 19th century, a vast British colony arrived in Aguilas, an important presence that still lingers. Many of the buildings and much of the infrastructure built by the British still stand, such as the British cemetery, the municipal annex, the Hornillo Pier facing the Isle of Fraile, and the old home of an English merchant located on that island.
The town as it is now was designed by King Charles III in the 18th century. Of particular note is the Castle of Saint John of the Águilas, which was used as a defence tower by various civilisations who settled there throughout history. The city was extended by the construction of its sister port, maritime walks, and its bays of Levante and Poniente. At the end stands the slender figure of the Chimenea de la Loma (Chimney on the Hill) on the west side of town, a symbol of the mineral boom of the last century. During the Restoration, owing to the great investment by the British, a route was laid between Lorca, Baza and Águilas in order to transport esparto and other exported minerals, making the town one of the principal ports of the Mediterranean. It is in this period that the Hornillo Pier, a great architectural work of the time made of iron and concrete, was constructed. In the 19th century it was connected by rail to Huércal-Overa;[3] later rail connections were to Lorca and Murcia.
The Águilas CF played their games in El Rubial Stadium. Águilas CF was replaced in 2010 by Águilas FC. The stadium seats 4000 spectators and is football´s oldest active stadium in Spain after “El Molinón”.