The Coastline between Benidorm and Denia is indisputably the most beautiful and picturesque of the northern Costa Blanca.  The dramatic mountian ranges meet the landscapes of orange, olive and almond groves nestling between the typically spanish towns which hail the famous white sands of the Costa Blanca.

Denia is one of the Costa Blanca’s most popular resorts and was once the centre of the raisin growing industry.  Its ancient castle rises majestically overlooking the town and harbour and also houses the museum of archaeology which gives an insight into Denia from roman times to modern day.  To the south of Denia sits the Montgo Mountain which protects Denia from the hot southerly winds in the summer and provides the town with a micro climate which gives an average temperature of 19 degrees Celsius.  The Montgo Nature Park is also great for hiking and horse riding.  Just behind the mountain is La Sella one of the Costa Blanca’s best golf courses, which is next to the Denia Marriot hotel and spa.

Denia does not lend itself to the mass package tourist industry as there are only 21 hotels in Denia, Las Marinas and Las Rotas.  The local people are very friendly and family orientated.   In the evening you can see families of three generations strolling along the harbour before going into one of the many local restaurants.

Javea, a former fishing village, is a very popular upmarket resort with Spanish and foreign holidaymakers alike.  The town has approximately 20,000 permanent inhabitants.  Over the last 10 years the surrounding hillsides have been urbanized with luxury villas, many of which are owned by British people and rented out on a regular basis all through the summer. The town remains unspoilt and still offers a pretty beachside location with lots of local life and activities.  Set back from the coast is Javea old town which preserves the look and atmosphere of a typical Spanish village.  Javea's Arenal beach is a horseshoe shaped stretch of fine white sands which is framed by many bars, restaurants and gift shops.  This beach is especially safe for children as it slopes gently into the sea and has received the World Health Organisation 'clean beach' award.  Here, it is nice to see the local English and Spanish children riding their bikes and playing together along the beach promenade after a hard day at school.  

Benissa proudly offers visitors the elegant neo-gothic temple of the Purísima Xiqueta (Our Holy Maiden), which is part of the Marian tradition of the La Marina district. To the right, on the way to Alicante, lies the town centre, with a Medieval quarter still very well preserved. This is an ideal place to do some shopping in the many establishments which offer traditional products including the local sausages which are famous all over the La Marina district. There are fine old houses with ornate window grilles. La Lonja de Contratación, or marketplace, built in the 15th century, is the most notable construction. Also viewable is the Casa de los Torres Orduna - the lords of Guadalest - which is an important family monument. Today this mansion has been transformed into a Cultural Centre.

Although in the hills Benissa has its own coastal area and beach that are a few miles drive away through the countryside that is dotted with villas and vineyards. As you near the coast you come around a corner and the view will take your breath away.

Calpe is a friendly fishing village which sits close to the Peno de Ifach on a hill rising up from the last spurs of the sierra Bernia in the middle of spain's Coata Blanca, a geographical marvel that provides access to the northernmost towns of Alicante's Marina district. It is an authentic tourist site, with a coastline boasting sandy beaches, cliff faces, modern apartments, old town charm, many noisy fiestas and even bull running which all give the town a peculiar flavour of its own. Calpe is overlooked by the towering Penon de Ifach which juts out into the sea and rises to over 1000 ft.

In contrast to the larger commercialised resorts, the village of Calpe with its narrow winding streets, traditional Spanish architecture and street markets generates an atmosphere of friendship and relaxation, a village where after only a few days you seem to know and greet everyone.

Calpe is a place of daring contrasts, where modern buildings and wide avenues harmonize with an ancient fishing village, where locals are proud of their past, yet welcome tourists and visitors with warm - hearted hospitality.

Calpe's fishing port comes alive with hustle and bustle as the afternoon fish auction draws near. Restaurant terraces fill up with lively crowds anxious to try some of the fresh local shellfish. The regular ferry is also a great was to travel to the other towns along the coast.

The town centre preserves the remains of a small fort from the 16th century, called the Torreon de la Peca. There is also a Gothic-style parochial church worth visiting, with Mudejar additions. More information on Calpe.

 

Jalon - The Town & Area
Jalón (or Xaló) is undoubtedly one of the most attractive towns of la Marina. Its natural beauty, its deep-rooted customs together with its genteel and hospitable nature make it an attractive and much-visited town.

The Valley of Jalon, also known as the Valle del Pop, represents one of the most popular and admired views of the heart of the Costa Blanca. In the towns that form the Valley we find: Murla, Benichembla, Parcent, Alcalali, Jalon and Lliber.

One of the threads that join this valley is the rural flavor that these towns share, the gastronomy, the local celebrations, and the Jalon River which runs through them. There is a wide offer of activities in this area (pedestrian walks, mountain cycling, Eco tourist routes,..) that combine adventure and enjoyment of nature. The valley consists of a combination of large flat areas of vines and almonds, which contrast against the figure of the mountains surrounding them.

With it's excellent weather and environment, it is an ideal place to rest, no crowds or masses of tourists, yet with excellent services. Jalon, the main town of the valley, is internationally known for the production of table wine and the famous mistela. We should mention the wines, and its gastronomic importance, home made sausages, and the fine selection of pastry and sweets.

It is an obligation to visit the famous rastro or flee market of antique articles, which takes place each Saturday and is one of the biggest of the Costa Blanca. The closest beach is Moraira, about 30 minutes drive away.

La Nucia is situated to the northeast of Alicante, in the center of The Marine Baixa, one of the most beautiful areas of the Costa Blanca.

La Nucia has a fiesta between 15th to the 18th of August in honor of the Virgen of the Purisima Concepcion. The religious fiesta of San Rafael is celebrated on the third Sunday of November. There is also a fiesta for San Vicente which is celebrated on Easter Monday. In the summer months there is an amazing market every Sunday selling everthing from antiques to fruit an vegetables and should not be missed.

Moraira is a small coastal town situated in the beautiful mountainous area of the Costa Blanca. The resort is conveniently placed between the airports of Alicante and Valencia (about 90km from each). However, the surrounding area has a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, with beautiful and unspoilt scenery and many small villages to explore.

Moraira lies in a bay, on the South Eastern coast of Spain, between the larger resorts of Javea and Calpe.The town has pleasantly grown from a small fishing village to an attractive holiday and retirement resort retaining its considerable charm that attracts visitors from all over Europe and is particularly popular with Spanish from Madrid and Valencia. It has an impressive marina, excellent variety of local shops, weekly open markets, harbour-side fish restaurants and bars  still retaining their Spanish character.

The two main local gently-shelving sandy beaches, awarded the prestigious EEC Blue Flags for cleanliness, are well tended and very safe for family bathing. In fact the whole of the Costa Blanca has 34 Blue Flag beaches. Other local leisure facilities include 3 large Golf courses, tennis, football, squash, all water sports, boat hire and trips, horse-riding, go-kart racing tracks for both adults and children, a small fairground and three good night-clubs for all ages. There are too many restaurants of interest and good quality to list here but we can mention that there are 8 Michelin recommended restaurants in the immediate area with three of them being star rated and not expensive either.

Moraira enjoys a typical subtropical Mediterranean climate, with cool sea breezes in summer and protection by surrounding mountains against the cold North winds in winter.

There are many places of interest to see on day excursions, including Alicante, the wonderful mountain-top fortress of Guadalest, the Vergal Safari Park near Denia, Europes largest palm forrest at Elche and the ancient city of Murcia. The famous `Lemon train has also to be experienced as it has been described as one of the great train journeys of Europe, running between Alicante and Denia (but is currently suspended due to some unbelievable bureaucracy).