The Northern Costa Blanca
Spain's sunny Northern Costa Blanca has been popular with tourists and particularly Northern Europeans for many years. A temperate, all year round climate offering an average of 320 days sunshine each year adds to the attraction. Situated only one hours drive from both Alicante & Valencia airports and easily accessible via the AP7 and N332, the Northern Costa Blanca comes under the Valencia Region and covers an area from Denia in the North to Alicante in the South.
The lush, green and mountainous landscape of the Northern Costa Blanca contrasts significantly with that in the South. The Jalon Valley is famous for its orange and lemon groves, almond and olive trees and vineyards.
There are now several international schools and the medical services are excellent with modern hospitals in Denia and Benidorm and several private hospitals and clinics. There are marinas and golf courses too, as well as the theme park “Terra Mitica” and “Terra Natura”.
Main Towns and Villages
Benidorm with its beaches and range of leisure amenities explains why has it has become Costa Blanca's main tourist area. Benidorm has some of the best beaches in Europe and has many different faces which appeal to a wide range of people. The young will enjoy its array of clubs and bars, while families will enjoy the long safe sandy beaches and pensioners the mild year round climate. The resort is split into two main beach areas with the "Old Town” nestled in the middle. The larger and more popular Levante beach which offers a sandy beach with an array of watersports and other facilties, to the quieter and slightly less crowded Poniente beach to the west which reaches 2 miles to the lesser known area of La Cala. The "Old Town" still retains some traditional narrow streets and whitewashed houses.
Benissa is a delightful town located south of Teulada, Benissa’s 4 km coastline offers small quiet beaches, crystal clear water and great opportunities for water sports.
Benitachell is situated between Moraira and Javea and offers a fantastic location, with sea and valley views. There are a few urbanisations around Benitachell, Les Fonts and Cumbre Del Sol which is situated on a mountain and has panoramic sea views and quiet beaches. There are a selection of apartments for sale in the village itself, which has an excellent local school and amenities.
Calpe is a town full of history and culture, its gently curving bay is marked by the impressive Rock of Ifach. It has been declared a Nature Park and provides shelter for a variety of plants. This immense rock is the highest in the entire Mediterranean towering to 332 metres, juts out into the sea, and divides Calpe in two. Calpe's attractions, amenities and climate have made it a favourite place for expats to live.
Denia, the capital of the Marina Alta, lies almost mid way between Valencia and Alicante where the foothills of the impressive Mount Montgo give way to the rich plains of the coast. It is a modern cosmopolitan city offering both visitors and residents a range of services. The historical centre of Denia contains the symbol of the city, its castle. The commercial centre is located in the calle Marqués de Campos and the adjacent streets. Dénia is a coastal city and has a 20-km coastline, made of small, beautiful coves. The harbour is where you will find some of the best restaurants serving fish which has usually been landed on the same day. There’s also an 18-hole golf club in the vicinity, the Club La Sella, designed by José Maria Olazabal, and is considered as one of the finest courses in Spain. Denia is an ideal place to live all year round, with an international school and excellent medical facilities.
El Campello has 23kms of coastline, and the town also has a Casa de Cultura (Municipal Arts Centre) and a multi-sports Centre with a covered hall. The Casa de Cultura has an auditorium and an open-air amphitheatre. A two-piece sculpture by the Alicante artist Arcadio Blasco symbolizes fishermen. One part of the sculpture is located on the road to Alicante whilst the other piece symbolizes a lighthouse. A laser links the two parts of the sculpture, producing a beautiful night time sight.
Els Poblets is the combination of two small villages Setla-Mirarrosa and Miraflor. When combined these are small villages which barely exceed one thousand inhabitants; their major attraction lies in the surrounding green landscape dotted with orange groves and a small area of coast where you can go underwater fishing. The area includes several residential housing estates where expatriate residents live all year round.
Finestrat Is a beautiful and peaceful town with a unique character, representing both 'sea and mountain'. The town has preserved the traditional features of a Mediterranean town and relaxing walks can be enjoyed in the area around the Church and to the Hermitage of the Remedio, constructed on a former Moorish castle, which provides a magnificent vantage point over the Marina Baixa. It has a small sandy beach ideal for families.
Gata owes its name to the Gorgos River which passes through the village before arriving at Jávea and is famous for its wicker craftwork. The production of objects made out of wicker and palm is the source of wealth and prosperity; the village is located at the crossroads with the N-332 and the regional roads leading to Jávea and Dénia. New residential areas have recently been constructed on the outskirts of the village.
Jalón, Alcalali, Lliber, Parcent & Orba The Pop Valley encompasses the towns of Jalon, Parcent and Orba, and many beautiful unspoilt villages with impressive mountain backdrops of which Alcalali ans Lliber are just two and all are within half an hours drive to the Coast. Being slightly inland gives the Pop Valley the advantage of more space for less cost and also an opportunity to live in rural Spain. The local agriculture includes orange groves, almonds, vineyards and olives. Today Jalón is the capital of the Pop valley and is a lively town with craft shops, wine cellars, restaurants and other establishments offering a range of services to tourists. Each Saturday a large flea market is held in the area of the Azud that specializes in antique furniture.
Jávea is located in the westernmost point of the Valencia's coastline. Jávea has a 20 km coastline that stretches from the Cova Tallá to the Cala de la Granadella. There is an interesting mixture of beaches with soft sandy beaches (Arenal beaches), small, shingled beaches bordered by pine trees which are suitable for diving (Granadella beaches), and naturist beaches (Ambolo beaches). There are also small coves: Portichol and La Sardinera. A more traditional Jávea is found inland with orange groves that are protected from the harsh continental climate by the natural barrier formed by Montgó Mountain, which extends to the north of Jávea and serves as a border between Jávea and Dénia. Javea has a large expat community, several international schools, excellent Spanish schools, good medical facilities and amenities.
Teulada/Moraira coastal area offers breathtaking vistas from its many vantage points such as the Pouet del Moro Watch tower cap d’or, and the Moli de Castellons. Moraira/Telada is also home to a number of beaches. It is a lovely area with a beautiful coastline, Moraira has great amenities, bars and restaurants. Being off the main coast road it doesn't suffer the crowding of some resorts - Moraira has a reputation for beautiful property and an air of exclusivity.
La Nucia is an elegant residential zone with 69 housing estates inhabited all year by local and foreign residents, though this has not changed the customs and beauty of this peaceful village. The series of small rises (tossalets) that comprise the district are covered in green pine and fruit trees. The Aixortá and the Aitana provide protection from the cold northern winds and ensure an average annual temperature of 15º C.
Pedreguer is a typical agricultural village located at the foot of the Muntanya Gran. The village is surrounded by abundant farming land on which fruits and vegetables are grown. This is an original village - many of the façades of the houses are painted in vivid colours, which give the village a lively appearance. The village has several modernist buildings and on the Plaza Mayor is a structure entitled 'Porxens' where the market is held.
Pego & Absubia acts as a gateway to the numerous small villages dotted in the valleys, Absubia being one of these. Pego's position made it an important town in Moor days. It sixteen towers and town walls were destroyed during the War of Succession but the Church of the Assumption still stands. The town has traditionally been associated with growing rice, though its proximity to Valencia has encouraged the growing of citrus fruits to the detriment of rice. Polop is a quiet village is just 15 km from Benidorm and its privileged coast. Polop was made famous by Gabriel Miró, whose house was situated at the beginning of the Guadalest road. Oscar Esplá lived here, as did Benjamín Palencia, whose workshop is still maintained. The famous Font dels Xorrets has 221 water spouts to offer the surprised visitor.
Villajoyosa the town's relationship with the sea has been a determining factor in its history and culture and the town's overseas trade has produced La Vila's other typical industry: chocolate. La Vila has preserved many delightful features such as its afternoon fish auction and its colourful façades whose purpose was to ensure that sailors could see their houses from afar. The old walled town centre is a good place to stop and wander about. La Vila has 3.5 km of beaches, of note amongst these is the Centro beach, the Bol Nou and la Caleta coves with their transparent water are also worth mentioning.
For further information please visit http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/ which is the official tourist information site for the Valencia Region.