Playa de los Viveros / Platja dels Vivers, Guardamar del Segura

An idyllic setting in Guardamar by the mouth of the River Segura

Apart from the nudist beach of Playa dels Tossals on the left bank of the River Segura as it flows into the sea, the Playa de los Viveros is the northernmost part of the coast in Guardamar del Segura, marking the end of an 11-kilometre almost unbroken stretch of sand which begins in La Mata, in the municipality of Torrevieja.

The setting here could hardly be more attractive. The sand is fine and golden, the sea and sky (at least for over 300 days a year!) are blue, and between the beach and the town of Guardamar del Segura lie the dunes which were stabilized in the early twentieth century in order to prevent them from engulfing the town. To say that these provide an attractive backdrop would be understating the case: access from the town centre is via the palms and pines of the extensive Parque Alfonso XIII, and this provides a wonderful backdrop for any beachgoers energetic enough to walk to the Playa del Vivero.

“Vivero” means nursery, and this is the area where many of the young trees were tended prior to their re-location in the dunes during the massive re-planting operation a hundred years ago. Nowadays most of the plant-life is mature and green, and the beautiful setting alone makes the trip worthwhile.

The downside to the almost rural nature of this beach – the nearest houses are the partly derelict ones at the northern end of the Playa de Babilonia - is access. Motor vehicles are not allowed in the Parque Alfonso XIII, and cars are permitted only as far as just short of the southern end of this 1.2-kilometre beach, from where bathers can walk to their preferred spot.

Similarly, it’s possible to park in the marina at the northern end of the beach, from where it’s only a couple of hundred metres to the sand, but both these options and the alternative of striding down to the shore through the dunes from the town centre lose their attraction when the temperature rises significantly above 30ºC!

The Playa de los Viveros is a beach to walk to, and it is this which preserves its unspoilt nature, despite the construction of large apartment blocks just inland on the south bank of the Segura. Even on a busy day in July or August the area is far from crowded, and while the facilities here are limited this, for many, serves only to increase the attractiveness of the beach. There is lifeguard cover at the southern and northern ends of the beach, and by the mouth of the Segura the bar and restaurant of the marina is a manageable walk away, but in general terms spending a day at the Viveros beach involves a good deal more than simply popping down to the sand and having a couple of refreshing drinks at the bar!

This is the northernmost beach on the Vega Baja area of the province of Alicante: north of the Segura the shore belongs to the Bajo Vinalopó, and for those journeying up the coast from the south the Playa del Vivero is a fine one with which to say goodbye to the Vega Baja!

Click Playa de los Viveros Guardamar for map.

For more local information, events and news consult the Guardamar del Segura section of Alicante today