Towns and Urbanizacións of Costa Blanca North

The Towns & Urbanizacións of Costa Blanca North:

Please see below a list of the main towns/areas within Costa Blanca North. The '( i )' symbol after the name indicates a description of the town is available by clicking your mouse on the town/area name. Details of other towns & urbanizacións within the vicinity of the main town/area can be viewed by clicking the link below the main town description:

Download

Benidorm( i )

The overwhelming popularity of Benidorm is largely due to the fact that there is something for everyone. Sports lovers, sun seekers, enjoying a holiday or making the permanent move, the lively atmosphere of Benidorm is an attraction unto itself. Like much of the south coast of Spain, the first settlers were the Moors. Benidorm was a small fishing village with a modest number of inhabitants. Today the city is one of the most popular areas of Spain. The nearby beaches, mountain ranges and location to main motorways are ideal for owning property in this area. Benidorm is situated north of the White Coast, surrounded by the mountains of Sierra Helada to the east, Aitana to the north and Tossal de la Cala to the west, which shield the area from surrounding winds and maintain the pleasant year-round climate.

Here is a small selection of the popular daytime attractions in Benidorm :- Terra Mitica, one of the largest and newest theme parks in the Mediterranean. Terra Natura, a superb wild animal theme park. There are also 2 safari parks close by with a range of wild animals & Cactuslandia which boasts a display of over 1000 species of succulents & cactus. Mundomar (Seaworld) with dolphins, sea lions, penguins etc. Aqualandia water park with waterfalls, swimming pools, waterslides, waves etc.

For those seeking real Spain the old town has it all, a maze of cobbled streets, the Iglesia de San Jaime a 200 year old parish church and even a boat trip across the bay to Benidorm Island. The triangular shaped Island is also known as Peacock Island as it is primarily occupied by birds (mainly peacocks); a must for bird lovers. There are several museums in Benidorm which are worth seeking out inc. a wax works museum.

The area is jam packed full of hotels & apartments to rent. The Levante beach side of the town (north) is the very busy touristy side of town with the majority of bars, restaurants, night cluns etc. inc. the famous Benidorm Palace. Also on offer is a large range of watersports, jetr skis, scuba diving, water skiing, windsurfing, paragliding etc. etc. The Poniente beach side of town (south) is much quieter & more Spanish. There is also old Town Benidorm. In all parts of Benidorem you will find many tourist centres with information of everything that happens in & around Benidorm.

Altea ( i )

Altea is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. This is without doubt one of the most charming towns to be found on Spain's 'White Coast'. If you want all night clubs and the bright city lights on your holiday, give Altea a miss. This town is a holiday haven for the more discerning tourist who will be captivated by its medieval cobbled streets, its picture book old quarter and the delights of its palm-fringed seafront esplanade. The town is just 11 kilometres north of Benidorm but these two resorts are worlds apart. Altea is a restful resort where there's plenty to see and do without being bothered by the mayhem which typifies some of the busier coastal towns in high season. You'll find it 62 kilometres north of Alicante's El Altet international airport. Flying time from London is two and a half hours and the drive to Altea takes about 45 minutes on the toll-paying motorway. You'll pass by the skyscraper city of Benidorm and looming majestically in the distance you'll see one of the Costa Blanca's most distinctive landmarks - the church of Altea with its magnificent dome of blue and white glazed ceramic tiles. Make a trip up to the church, through the narrow streets of the old quarter, one of your fist priorities. Wind your way up through the cobbled lanes (many are stepped and inaccessible to traffic) until you come to the plaza at the top of the hill where you'll find the church and the most magnificent views of the mountains and Altea bay.

It's easy to understand why Altea became a Bohemian centre for musicians, artists and writers from all over Europe when they first discovered its delights back in the early 60s. The town is now geared to the demands of the modern day tourist but still retains that Bohemian air. You'll find a fascinating array of tiny shops offering exquisite local crafts, paintings and gifts. There are top class restaurants where you can enjoy the local seafood and rice dishes as well as some excellent international cuisine. The impressive new arts centre and concert hall - the Palau Altea Centre d'Arts - provides a wealth of entertainment and cultural activities for the benefit of residents and holidaymakers alike. Down at the seafront you'll find a series of pebble and shingle beaches where all water sports are available during the summer months. The seafront promenade is also the venue for the huge Tuesday market, one of the biggest of its kind on the Costa Blanca. It's the place to pick up some great bargains (Moroccan rugs, cheap clothing, ceramics etc) along with some highly suspect 'designer' watches, T-shirts and sunglasses.

Zona Altea Hills

Sorry no details of Zona Altea Hills just yet. We are constantly updating these areas of the site so please check back soon.

Calpe( i )

Calpe is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. The town is steeped in history and offers a wealth of culture - yet this ancient fishing port has comfortably married its centuries old past with the demands of modern day tourism. Calpe is a mixture of high rise beachside buildings geared to the needs of the 21st century tourist and charming, narrow medieval streets bearing the hallmarks of a bygone age. With its ideal location, near perfect climate and many attractions, Calpe has proved a magnet for foreign tourists and homeowners alike. Thousands of British and German visitors have come here for a short visit and never returned to their native land! For holidaymakers, Calpe offers the full range of accommodation - big, modern hotels, small 'hostals', self catering apartments and villas with pools.

There are quality sandy beaches, excellent local shopping facilities and a wealth of bars and restaurants offering all kinds of local and international cuisine. People travel from all over the Costa Blanca to dine here - whether you want Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Lebanese, German or English food, you'll find it all in Calpe. The town's most famous and distinguishing feature is its mighty Peñon de Ifach - the huge rock which rises 332 metres out of the Mediterranean, reminiscent of the rock of Gibralter. The Peñon was declared a nature reserve in 1987 and now provides a safe haven for a variety of birds and unusual flora and fauna. For the energetic, a hike to the top of the Peñon de Ifach is a memorable experience - but definitely not one to be contemplated by the elderly, disabled or those prone to vertigo!

Take a trip to the old town and you'll find ample evidence of Calpe's rich history in murals, monuments and museums which keep alive the town's links with its chequered past. Remains of Iberian tribes, dating back to several hundreds of years BC, have been found around the Peñon de Ifach. There are reminders of the times when Moors and Christians co-existed relatively peacefully in this town for centuries & evidence of the measures taken to protect Calpe from the scourge of the Barbary pirates who plagued this stretch of the coast between the 14th and 17th centuries.

Denia( i )

The town of Denia is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. This is a delightful cosmopolitan town, rich in history and culture and its streets are a fascinating showcase of architecture through the ages. Its buildings are a permanent monument to the civilisations which have made their mark here - Iberian, Carthaginian, Roman, Arab and Christian. These days tourism blends comfortably with the hustle and bustle of a working town. The town is midway between the two international airports of Valencia (to the north) and Alicante (to the south). Both airports are within an hour's drive using the toll paying A7 motorway. Denia is just a 15 minute hop from Exit 62. This is much more than a holiday resort and you'll find it a busier place than its coastal neighbours, Oliva and Javea. As well as being a magnet for tourists, mainly British and German, Denia is also a thriving commercial centre. It boasts modern supermarkets, an extraordinary number of banks, some top quality shops, tax consultants, lawyers, doctors, dentists, the area's biggest hospitals and the courts of justice. But Denia's initial growth was as a seafaring town and it's still a working port. The old fishermen's quarter preserves its delightful cobbled streets and whitewashed buildings but nearby you'll find a modern yacht marina and the ferry terminal serving the Balearic Islands of Ibiza, Menorca, Mallorca and Formentera. Denia's focal point is its impressive 16th century castle which dominates the town from a height of 58 metres. You can park on the outskirts of the town and walk through a tunnel under the castle into the main shopping centre. Head for the main central street, Calle Marques de Campo, named after the Marquis of Denia who used to reside in the castle. This is a wonderful place to sit and people watch - a Parisian-style tree lined avenue peppered with street cafes on both sides. Shopping in Denia is a sheer delight. Besides offering all the high street essentials, there are some top of the range clothes shops with designer wear for both men and women and beautiful gift shops specialising in the unusual and exquisite (we're not talking sticks of rock and giant sombreros here!) A myriad of restaurants offers some of the best regional and international cuisine on the Costa Blanca. There are some great tapas bars, seafood restaurants with a mouth watering selection of produce fresh from local waters, Indonesian, Mexican, Italian and Greek restaurants. As for the beaches, they stretch for 20 kilometres either side of Denia and consistently win the European Blue Flag for safety and cleanliness.

Benissa

Sorry no details of Benissa just yet. We are constantly updating these areas of the site so please check back soon.

Benitachell

Sorry no details of Benitachell just yet. We are constantly updating these areas of the site so please check back soon.

Moraira ( i )

Moraira is a gem of a town just a short distance south of Javea on the coast of the central Costa Blanca and a 30 minute drive from Benidorm to the south. Formerly a quaint fishing village with stunning views across to El Peñon de Ifach, the rock of Calpe, it now survives from tourism whilst retaining much of the charm which has long attracted visitors and foreign residents. Moraira is blessed with a wide selection of stylish cafés within its pleasant streets notably 'Deli' on Calle Calatayud which serves up an interesting selection of home cooked dishes including inventive salads, curries from many nations and quiche dishes. For more authentic Spanish fare try the shaded Las Gaviotas in the main square which lies in the shadow of the town's church. The main fish restaurants are located on the front overlooking the small port and fish market (La Lonja) where fish auctions take place every morning at 10am except Sundays. Well worth seeing. Platja de l'Ampolla is Moraira's only beach within comfortable walking distance of the centre lying just 500m from the fish market. Another more attractive option is Platja del Portet which is 1.5km north of the centre. This is the most chilled out spot you could ever wish for with golden sand, turquoise waters and a few little café bars overlooking the beach. For more extensive beaches it's only a short drive to Javea and Denia where some of Spain's finest beaches can be found. Beaches immediately south of Moraira are rocky rather than sandy but are excellent for snorkelling. An interesting excursion from Moraira is to take one of the jet skis from the seafront between the fish market and Moraira castle and go on a tour of the coastline as far as Cabo de la Nao, a headland that offers fabulous views towards Javea. If you like walking then head to the Ermita de San Juan at El Portet and take one of the walks along the headland. The helpful tourist information on the outskirts of Moraira will give you a handy map of the area. For shopaholics Moraira's weekly market takes place on Fridays and there's another one every Wednesday in nearby Teulada. Teulada is actually the old town of Moraira and is well worth a visit to see Santa Catalina Church and the Divina Pastora Chapel amongst others. You can also sample some of the regions wines at the San Vicente Ferrer wine cellar. The Moscatel Festival in early September is another good time for a tipple! Moraira doesn't have a lot in the way of hotels but there are plenty apartment blocks and independent villas around. In fact some of the residential villas out near Platja del Portet are amongst the most luxurious you'll see anywhere. The nearest campsite to town is Camping Moraira just to the south on the coast road to Calpe. There is a Go-Karting circuit between Moraira and Teulada.

Javea( i )

The town of Javea is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. This popular resort is often referred to as the jewel in the crown of the Costa Blanca and it's easy to see why. The World Health Organisation once named it as having one of the healthiest climates in the world, enjoying more recorded hours of sunshine per year than any other place in Spain. Thousands of British people have come on holiday to Javea, fallen in love with it and decided to make it their permanent home. It's certainly not one of Spain's biggest tourist centres - but Javea offers a high quality holiday for visitors of all ages.

Situated midway between Valencia and Alicante airports (about an hour's drive from each if you use the toll paying motorway) Javea is easily accessible but has never been inundated by package holidaymakers. There are only a few hotels so the bulk of the tourist industry relies on the wealth of self-catering apartments and villas available here. Look at a map of Spain and you'll see a distinctive triangular landmass jutting out into the Mediterranean halfway down the east coast. Javea is at the tip of that triangle. That's why it's known locally as 'Amanacer de Espana' or Dawn of Spain - because as the sun rises in the east among the first places to catch its rays are the three headlands of Javea. A wonderful sight.if you're up early enough! Javea's most distinctive feature is the mountain known locally as 'the Montgo'. This provides a dramatic backdrop for the resort and those who live in Javea swear blind it's an elephant, turned to stone, with its trunk dipping into the sea for a drink. It's a strange phenomenon but you can even see the elephant's eye close as the sun goes down (especially if you've had too much sangria!).

Javea is divided into three distinct sections, all quite different to one another. There's the old town - the original Javea, set slightly back from the coast and the place to visit if you're interested in Spanish history and culture. Here you'll find charming, narrow streets, shopkeepers speaking the local language 'Valenciano' and a truly Spanish feel to the place. Thursday's a good day to visit when there's a big market in the Plaza de la Constitucion. Then there's the port area - still a working fishing port and a delightful place to visit with its mixture of fishing vessels, luxury yachts and seafront bars and cafes. But it's the Arenal Beach which attracts the vast majority of holidaymakers - a beautiful crescent shaped sandy beach with a promenade lined with bars, cafes, restaurants, gift shops and ice-cream parlours. Javea is relatively quiet for most of the year - until the months of July and August when the Arenal area turns into a 24-hour playground. It can be noisy at night during those two months but most of the villa accommodation is at a 'safe' distance where families where can relax in peace and quiet.