Costa Blanca

Costa Blanca Tourist Information

Costa Blanca Javea Playa Granadella
Costa Blanca Javea Playa Granadella

The Costa Blanca is a beautiful region and is situated halfway the Spanish coast.
The Costa Blanca covers the provinces of Alicante and Murcia.

Often the tourist guides divide  the Costa Blanca in North Costa Blanca and South Costa Blanca.The North region of the Costa Blanca is situated above Alicante, the south Costa Blanca beneath Alicante.
The Costa Blanca has a coast of more than 220 kilometers, and there are more than 75 beautiful sand beaches.

Costa Blanca beaches
Costa Blanca beaches

In the north of the Costa Blanca is located Valencia with the Costa del Azahar, in the south it ends with  the urbanization of Orihuela Costa.
The Costa Blanca has a mix of long white sandy beaches and rocky coves.
The A-7 toll motorway and the old toll-free  N-332 runs parallel with the beautiful coast.

The N-332 is a very nice road if you got the time, because it crosses many nice villages.

Costa Blanca means in Spanish:  the White coast. some say that the name comes of the many white beaches, well-known by the tourist others say it comes from the blooming of the white flowers of the almonds. See also Guadelest Valley : the Almond harvest

Costa Blanca Almonds
Costa Blanca Almonds

 

The weather is the Costa Blanca is the all year round very good. There is sun 330 days a year.
Even the World Health organisation has recognized it as one of the better climates is the world.

The Costa Blanca has the all year round very warm temperatures.
The Costa Blanca is well-known by the expats who have problems with arthritis.

Even after a few days many of them already feel better.

In the summer July and August  the weather can be a little bit too warm, but no so hot like in the South of Spain .
But the climate is superb starting from September till June. No wet and cold weather like in the rest of West Europe.

The all year round the temperature  are very good.

The all of the Costa Blanca is loved and famous for its tourism.
The beaches and the superb climate are one of the attractive points.

In the middle of the last century , the most of the villages where little harbors.
Then became the tourist and the large buildings like in Benidorm.
Now more and more the development is restricted so the village can keep their authenticity

In the beginning of the new century the property has got a real boom. People from over all West Europe and Russia now live here . The most of them see a house in the Costa Blanca as their ultimate dream. Some are looking for a better life and work in the sun. Others are looking for a good place for their retirement and to enjoy the good life.

Alicante airport is an airport with a lot of flights coming from all over Europe, and is also good for domestic flight inside Spain to Madrid, Ibiza, Malaga…

Murcia has two airports one is specialized in low-cost flights to England and is called Murcia San javier Airport. The other is being build is called Murcia Cordova Airport. The airport of San Javier is near the Mar Menor.

The Costa Blanca is attractive place for the beach lovers, but also for the lover of culture, for the nature lover.

The North of the Costa Blanca is the region around Valencia . Valencia has wetlands which are well-known for the rice plantation and the nature.

More to the South are mountains with coves and cliffs and little, rural  villages with narrow streets and nice restaurants to discover. There are many places you can visit and enjoy the real Spain.  So the Costa Blanca has something for everyone .

But the major attraction is the blue Mediterranean Sea, with most of the white sandy beaches the Blue Flags. The Blue Flag is a international respected and is a recognized Eco label. Only the beaches and the marinas that meet strict criteria for the water quality, the environment education, safety and services are awarded with a Blue Flag.

Some of the tourist enjoy the beaches and the nightlife like in Benidorm.
Everyone his own taste. Love it or hate it.
The most important is that you enjoy it.

Like we love to go to Spain and we want to help the visitors of the website with practical advice what to do and see in the Costa Blanca.

One of the well-known places from the Costa Blanca are
Valencia
Calpe visit the page on our website.
Benidorm
Alicante
Torrevieja
Orihuela visit the page on our website
Cartagena
Murcia visit the page on our website

Valencia
Valencia is Spain’s third largest city. Valencia is a city with cultural, with restaurants and bars, the city also has a vivid nightlife.
Valencia has a fabulous futuristic building the ” ciudad de las artes y las Ciencas” : the town of Arts and Sciences of Santiago Calatrava. It is designed by the same architect who designed in Belgium the railway station of Liège.

Valencia Ciudad de las artes
Valencia Ciudad de las artes

Around Valencia there are wetlands and farmlands.This makes sure the city has a green stock of vegetables. The land has plenty of rice plantation , With which they are famous for the rice dishes like paella.

Benidorm
Benidorm is the Costa Blanca tourist capital , some say that it is Florida of Europe.

Many people spend 6 month in the winter in Benidorm. Others choose Benidorm to spend the summer holiday.
Benidorm is a city that you like or hate. Benidorm has changed the last 50 years from a little fishing village to a major tourist destination.
Benidorm is well known for his beach front promenade and the two beaches, Poniente and Levante.
There is in the middle of the promenade an old historic quarter. The old town center is nice to visit with the narrow old streets and the three plazas.
From the old quarter there are very nice views of either side of the beaches and of course the Benidorm skyline.
In Benidorm there is a huge selection of things to do. There is a theme park Terra Mitica, a waterpark Aqualandia and an animal park Terra Natura and  Mundomar to visit.
With or without kids , this are very nice places for active people.
For the night birds who wants to party the night away,Benidorm offers an incredible  choice of entertainment.

Benidorm
Benidorm

There are many type of restaurants , all kind of bars, cabaret shows Benidorm palace  with topless dancers , flamenco shows.
If you like gastronomy : the restaurants are of all nationalities, you named it, they got it.
Spanish tapas, paella, Indian, French, Russian, Chinese, à la carte, ….and of course eggs , bacon a typical English breakfast
Benidorm small harbor is beside the old town.  In the Marina there are boats who bring the Tourist to Benidorm Island  and to the island of Tabarca.
If that is not enough every Wednesday and Sunday mornings there is a large market.
A nice indoor shopping all with a bowling is the ” la Marina “where they got the most brands of fashion, leisure and a lot of restaurants.
A suggestion for a nice day trip: take the tram north to Altea, Gata de Gorgos and Denia. To the south the tram goes to Villajoyosa and Alicante
Outside the city are a few Golf Courses : Sierra Cortina Golf Course, Las Rejas Golf Course and Villaitana Wellness Golf.
Or spend your days relaxing on the beach, nipping a cocktail in the beach bars and enjoying the Mediterranean Sea

 

Guadalest

One of the lovely villages in the Costa Blanca is the village of Guadalest.
Crowds are coming with coaches from all over the Costa Blanca.
But get there early by car and the village and the waterfalls are yours.
One of the attractive points of Guadalest, are the waterfalls of Guadalest. Or come when the last bus is away. In the middle of nature you can enjoy the refreshing water.

The little village of Guadalest is situated in the middle of Almonds trees. From the village you have a panoramic view overlooking the mountains, down in the valley up to the Mediterranean Sea. At the other side you can see a reservoir of water with an amazing turquoise color.

Guadalest
Guadalest

In the village of Guadalest there is an Old Castle
The old castle perched on a rock can be reached by a nice walk through a lovely old house.

Beside the castle there is a funny museum with 20 000 of salt and pepper pots  :” Museo de Saleros y Pimenteros”.

The almond harvest.
The Guadalest valley was always famous for the almonds trees. Much of the harvest is going to the producers of nougat or turron.
The year 2015 almond harvest is the double of last year. The almond is a very healthy product.
The nut is now branded a super food by many health food workers like dietitians and doctors.
Many Fitness magazines for women and men, are promoting the almond and other nuts. They are high in protein, vitamin E, fiber. Almonds are good for the skin, import for the digestive and good for your heart.
Yearly a total of 2000 tonnes is collected in the region of Alicante.
Thanks to the rain in the autumn of 2014 and the spring 2015 the almonds flourished.
The farmers are also aware of the hype around the “new super food” so they planted thousands of new trees. The farmers can expect to collect nearly 8 euro for a kilo of shelled nuts compared with only 5 euro last year thanks to the high valued of the almond in the health food market. And the demand will increase further in the future.
During the harvest, the farmers spread nets under the trees. Then the healthy nuts are beaten down from the almond trees. Then the nuts are collected from the nets spread out on the ground.

Costa Blanca Guadalest Almonds

 

Alicante

Alicante is the capital of the Costa Blanca with a population of 300 000. In Spain the city is also called Alacant.

Most people arrive in Alicante by the airport. The airport of Alicante is the most important of the region.The others airports in the Costa Blanca are Murcia airport San Javier, Valencia airport and in the future Corvera Murcia Airport
Alicante is the gateway to the region of the Costa Blanca.

The airport of Alicante is called El Altet, and has offers a large selection of European flights and domestic flights.
From the airport there is a regular cheap bus service to Alicante city and to Torrevieja.
More expensive are the taxi’s but they are a faster way to get to your destination.

Alicante is mostly the place where the holiday start and where most tourists drive further to their holiday place.

Alicante
Alicante

The city of Alicante has an important harbor. Like every city in Spain it has many beautiful beaches, nice restaurants, cozy bars, many pubs, attractive museums, large parks, old monuments silence witness of the past and hotels in all different prices.

Torrevieja
Torrevieja is a 30 miles or 50 km drive from Alicante. Torrevieja is very popular by thousands of Europeans.
The village of Torrevieja is still a salt mining and fishing village. Torre Vieja means  Old Tower.
Torrevieja is located between the sea and two larges salt lakes , in Spanish : Las Salinas. This location gives the town a special charm and climate.
The salt lakes are a natural habitat for protected birds. One of the most popular birds are the Flamingo’s.
The salt industry provides winter road salt for Western Europe and results in white mountains off salt near the lake.
Torrevieja has a large boulevard along the coast with restaurants, bars and shops.
Most fish restaurants are situated in the harbor. There is a large choice of tapa’s bar, little shops and restaurants. The fish on your plate comes directly from the fishing boats . So try the mix of fried fish mix or fritura de pescado.
Torrevieja has a very large Friday street market with fruits, vegetables, which is very popular among the many tourists and the local Spanish people.

Above of Torrevieja is the village of Guardamar del Segura. Beneath Torrevieja to the south is Orihuela Costa with Playa Flamenca, La Zenia, Cabo Roig, Campoamor and Mill Palmeras.

Costa Blanca
Costa Blanca

Orihuela
Orihuela city is located a 30 km from the sea nearby the Sierra de Orihuela.
Orihuela is a very typical Spanish town, where the locals work, live and play.
The city of Orihuela stretches all the way between orange and lemon trees and plantation of artichoke down to the coast.
At the coast is Orihuela Costa, and became very popular the latest years by the tourists.
The Orihuela Costa has sandy beaches but also very nice rocky coves. There is a small but very nice promenade from Playa Flamenca to Mill Palmeras.

South Costa Blanca

South Costa Blanca

The South Costa Blanca begins beneath the city of Alicante.
This coast is much drier and flatter than Norther part of the Costa Blanca.
The southern part of the Costa Blanca is flatter and is has the beautiful large sandy beaches.
South Costa Blanca is also well-known for its good golf courses . Most of the best golf courses are situated around Orihuela.

This part of the region of Valencia and a small part of Murcia is much drier with very beautiful sandy beaches. The vegetation consists of palm trees, orange trees and lemon trees. The south Costa Blanca is also more typical “Spanish”.  The coastline of the South Costa Blanca is flat  with salt lakes and even mud lakes.
The touristic regions can be found in Torrevieja, Cabo Roig, Villa Martin , La Zenia, Campoamor. Mil Palmeras. The Spanish tourist can be found in Lo Pogan, Pilar de la Hordada, Santiago de Ribera. All villages nearby the Mar Menor .

Alicante is the gateway for most people who arrive in Alicante airport.
Starting from Alicante airport people take the road to North Costa Blanca  towards Benidorm, Altea, Valencia….. or South towards Orihuela and Torrevieja….or West towards Castilla La Mancha.
The region of Castilla La Mancha ( towards Madrid ) is the region of many old towns and castles.
It is the region of the legend of  Don Quixote from Cervantes. The important cities are Albacete , Ciudad Real , Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo.

In the South of Alicante, Santa Pola  is located with endless sandy white beaches.
Santa Pola is an old harbor where you can take the boot to the island of Tabarca.
South to Santa Pola is the first salt lake of Santa Pola , the Salinas de Santa Pola.

Further away there are many coastal resorts. All with nice names like : La Marina , La Escuara, Bonavista , Las Oesqueras , the village of Guardamar del Segura,  Portic Playa , El Moncaio, Portic Medeterani, Pinomar, and nearby Torrevieja La Mata .

 

Map of the South Costa Blanca
Map of the South Costa Blanca

Map of South Costa  Blanca

Inland the south Costa Blanca,  is the town of Elche also called Elx famous for its thousand palm trees and  Dama d’Elx. Dama of Elx of the Lady of Elche is a piece of Iberian sculpture from the 4the century BC with Greece influences.
Nearby there are different golf and country clubs well-known by the expats . The village of Rojales is surrounded by orange and lemon trees . Buts Rojales have very attractive cave houses.
Ciudad Quesada is a modern town built for tourist since the ’70.

Nearby the coast line after the salt lake of Santa Pola, there are two salt lakes nearby Torrevieja : the salt lake  of la Mata and the salt lake of Torrevieja .
One of the salt lakes is blue -green color the other is an impressive pink color.
These salt lakes are a natural park with a rich fauna and flora  but also the storehouse of the winter salt of Western Europe.

Both lakes are very nice locations for walk  or picnic and superb photos !
The are a lots of developments inwards in the area of Torrevieja like Lomas de Don Juan, Los Dolses, Villa Martin, San Miguel de Salinas, Los Montesinos,  Las Calas, Los Balcones.Castillo de Don Juan, …

The area of La Zenia is know for its golf courses. The most famous golf courses in La Zenia are:  the well-known Villamartin Golf Course, the Campoamor Golf Course and Las Ramblas golf Course .

Near the coast line beneath Torrevieja are Punta Prima, Playa Flamenca, Zenia Mar, La Zenia, Cabo Roig , La Regia, Campoamor and Mil Palmeras.

The next town of the South Costa Blanca is the town of Pilar de Horadada with many beautiful beaches popular by the locals .

When you reach Pilar de Horadada in the south Costa Blanca , you are leaving the region of Valencia and are entering the region of Murcia. All the next towns and villages are situated near the Mar Menor , a large inside sea, The first town in Murcian region is San Pedro de Pinitar, Lo Pagan, San Javier , Santagio de la Ribera , Los Alcazares and finally  the coastal strip of the Mar Menor La Manga

The Mar Menor, or Little sea , is a unique area in South Costa Blanca, and have the fortune to have at one side the Mediterranean Sea and at the other side the salt water lake. The Mar Menor is the largest salt lake in Europe.  Over the last hundred years the region of the Mar Menor has become very popular among tourist. One of the most important and oldest attraction are the mud bath of Lo Pagan , because they have a therapeutic value for ages.