Costa blanca
General information on the Costa Blanca - the White Coast
The Costa Blanca (the white coast) is a 110 miles sunblessed stretch of
Mediterranean coast in the South Eastern part of Spain. It is the
southern part of the Valencia region (Comunidad Valenciana) with a
variety of beautiful beaches and has one of the best climates in Spain.
The Costa Blanca offers numerous attractions and a large variety of
entertainment as well as a whole lot of villages to enjoy the
tranquility of the Spanish country life. The Costa Blanca is one of the
best appreciated areas by people coming to Spain from all over the
world.
The Costa Blanca did not get its name from its famous beaches (as you
might think), but from the white blossoms on the fruit trees (olives and
almonds) that are grown in this area of Spain. The Costa Blanca
stretches from just beyond Denia in the north, to just past Torrevieja
in the south. It is a coastal region with golden beaches and beautiful
small coves, moving into an interior region of tree covered hills,
vineyards and expansive almond tree orchards.
The Costa Blanca makes an ideal place for vacationing all year round due
to the mild climate in the winter and warm sunny days in the summer.
For this reason the Costa Blanca is well known, with resorts like
Benidorm, Altea, Alicante and Torrevieja.
Costa Blanca Beaches
For sun-, sea- and beach lovers the Costa Blanca is a prime destination
because of its vast stretches of sandy and sunny beaches.
It also has an
array of beautiful round pebbled beaches, intimate quiet coves and
rocky inlets for snorkelling and diving. The diversity of the white
sandy beaches laced with high towering rock formations make the Costa
Blanca a beautiful place to be.
Apart from the gorgeous coast there is a lot to see in the luscious
landscape of the interior land. Both the coastal areas and the inland
are ideal for recreational sightseeing. There are many points of
interest along attractive routes, suitable for cars, bikes and
pedestrians or even to be taken by train.
Sports on the Costa Blanca
For the active tourist the Costa Blanca has many opportunities and activities, especially in the area of water sports.
Many towns like Javea, Denia, Moraira and Altea have sailing schools,
yacht clubs, windsurfing- and waterskiing instructors, swimming clubs
and diving schools. At numerous locations you can rent jet skis, sailing
boats, motor yachts or water bikes. Some areas of the coast are well
suited for fishing. The harbours and yacht clubs of Denia, Javea,
Moraira, Benitachell, Benissa, Calpe, Altea, Benidorm, Villajoyosa, El
Campello, Alicante, Santa Pola, Torrevieja, Dehesa de Campoamor, Cabo
Roig en Pilar de la Horadada are especially worth visiting.
The mild climate of the Costa Blanca provides the opportunity to play
golf 365 days a year. There are all kinds of golf courses with beautiful
views of mountains or the sea.
The ideal weather, good visibility and mild winds make this area a
perfect place to play golf. You will find a wide variety of golf courses
scattered around this Mediterranean landscape.
Day excursions on the Costa Blanca
There are many options for day excursions at the Costa Blanca. From entertainment parks, zoos and water parks, to caves, waterfalls and nature parks. Some of the varied options are:
- Boat trip to the island of Tabarca from the harbour of Alicante.
- Tournament of the Middle Ages: dinner with show. Foso del terror (Theme park).
- Cactuslandia: Park with plants and birds.
- Cave of Skulls (Nature preserve).
- "Terra Mítica" - The Theme park of the Mediterranean!!
- Aqualandia (swim and water Paradise).
- Mundomar, Zoo with seals and exotic animals.
- Aquascope, a boat with a glass bottom for excursions at sea; leaves from the harbour of Benidorm.
- Cable Ski, at the beach of Rincón de l'Oix.
- Benidorm Palace, for a wonderful evening out (dinner show).
- Cave of Canelobre. Nature reserve.
- Festival Park (Entertainment Park).
- Boat trip to the Peñón, departs from the harbour of Calpe.
- Rio Safari (Zoo)
- Huerto del Cura, a botanical garden.
- Jalon Valley with beautiful almond- orange- and lemon-orchards.
- Cascada de El Algar of Fuentes D’Algar, Mountain waterfalls and natural outdoor swimming pools.
- Wine cellars: some provide the opportunity for wine-tasting and at all, one can buy wine at good prices.
- Safari Aitana.
- Aquopolis (Water Park - Swim paradise).
- Finca La Valla Grande.
- Safari Park Vergel (Animal Park).
Shopping on the Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca provides a wide array of shopping experiences. Many
towns and villages have ample fun shops, a diversity of souvenir shops,
boutiques and open-air markets. Whether you wander along a sunny seaside
boulevard or visit a busy indoor market: there are many options for
buying the things you need. Real shop-a-holics can find anything that
they can dream of in the huge indoor Centro Comercial La Marina shopping
centre near Benidorm.
Another way to enjoy one selves at the Costa Blanca is going out at
night. It is wonderfully pleasant to sit at a sidewalk café with
something to drink or to eat in the coolness of the evening after the
sun has set. Alicante, Elche (Elx), Benidorm and Torrevieja all have
busy nightlife with bars, lots of music and atmosphere, trendy
discotheques and restaurants, often located in the historical centre of
the town.
The promenades of the seaside towns have an enchanting atmosphere all
the way into the early hours of the morning. If you prefer more quiet
evenings, there are many choices in the nearby towns like Altea,
Moraira, Javea, Denia, etc, in the north, as well as Guardamar, La
Marina, etc, in the south. These towns offer many restaurants, little
bars, and discotheques from which to choose, especially in the summer.
Local celebrations
The two most frequently celebrated feasts are the "Moros y Christianos"
and "San Juan". The celebration of "Moros y Christianos" (Moors and
Christians) is a re-enactment of some of the most significant history of
this area.
This is the favourite celebration of the inhabitants of the province of
Alicante. Every village and town celebrates the festival at their own
time of the year, but each festival is characterized with processions,
dancing in the streets, parades, music, fireworks. The impressive re-enactment of the arrival of the Moors, the mock fights
in the streets and the ultimate defeat of the Moors by the Christians
is the central theme of these festivities.
In mid-June, the streets are filled with bonfires, dancing, fireworks,
bull runs ("Toro Embolado") and huge pieces of paper-maché artwork. This
is the festival of "Les Fogueres de San Juan".
At the end of the celebration, on the night of Saint John, all the
paper-maché artwork is set ablaze. Other fiery rituals, like the
"Fallas" in March, are more common to the region around Valencia, though
the towns of Denia and Benidorm celebrate these as well.
Cuisine of the Costa Blanca
At the Costa Blanca the typical Spanish cuisine is in ample supply. The
most representative dish of the different areas of the Costa Blanca is
undoubtedly the Paella, a rice dish that can be prepared in many
different ways. In the mountains the typical Cooking rice is
used as one of the ingredients. Together with pork, sausages, pumpkins,
turnips, beets, garbanzos and other beans. At the seaside especially
numerous fish and shellfish are found on the menu. The many fish
restaurants in the local harbours provide you with the most delicious
specialities. The cuisine of the Costa Blanca also offers wonderful
desserts, like nougat and ice-cream from the Xixona region, grapes,
raisins, dates, almond pie, pastry soaked in sugary syrup accompanied by
coffee-liqueur from Alcoy and spicy-liqueur from the Sierra Mariola.
The finest red and rosé wines come from the areas Alto Vinalopó and the
Marina Alta.
