Villajoyosa, the Chocolate factories.

Villajoyosa is a beautiful fishing village at the sunny Costa Blanca. When you visit the village, you can easy understand why.

Villajoyosa has over 10 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline. This coastline has a beautiful marina, sandy beaches and a beautiful beach front promenade.  It has also pebble beaches, rocky coves and of course clean blue water.
Sheltered by the mountain, it is a region with the highest annual temperatures in the Valencia region.

Villajoyosa
Villajoyosa

Villajoyosa is a great destination for a relaxing holiday. It is almost the Caribbean in Spain.
For the children it is  perfect place to tells  stories about  the pirates.
The old village is a maze of little streets. In the old center you can admire the medieval castle walls .

Chiringuitos Villajoyosa
Chiringuitos Villajoyosa

On the seafront promenade there are a great variety of bars and restaurants.
During the annual gastronomic week , the participating local restaurants offers tasting menus.
The cuisine is of course a Mediterranean cuisine.

And the locals are very proud of their extra ordinary, healthy food. So for the lovers of gastronomy, it will become a favorite place to eat.

It is great for a stroll to the harbor. We did like very much the fascinating fish action in the late afternoon. At  that moment the fishing boats come into the harbor.  We  enjoyed the play of offering and buying.  And of course we enjoyed the “menu del dia” with the freshly caught fish at one of the many local restaurants.

In Villajoyosa  there is also a  Yacht club or Marina  with nautical activities.

If you take your time , a little further sound  there is a rocky coastline. With magnificent beaches of sand but also pebbles. The beaches are protected by the cliffs

Villajoyosa and his chocolate factories.

Many chocolate addicts come to Villa Joyosa to visit the factories.
Mostly families with children. Because “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory” does exist in real life and it is located in Spain.
So many children adore to visit the factories.

It is also an ideal souvenir to take back at home, a tablet of Valor Chocolate with you.
It is typical Spanish. And it is welcome by friends and family.
The Valor chocolate is a rich , pure chocolate flavor.
I think, that chocolate is one if the product who make every one happy . Experts say that is is even healthy.

Villayoyosoa or Vila Joiosa  has a chocolate making tradition since more than 3 centuries.

So if you like chocolate is is the place to be.
You can visit the  different chocolate factories .
Naturally , on the visit you can learn about the chocolate bones , the grown, the plantation, the harvest, the processes in the factory and also how the different sources of the original chocolate has impact on the flavor.

Chocolate
Chocolate

So if you like chocolate it is the place to be. The village has not one factory but three chocolate factories. All of them you can visit. For us the most famous is  ” the Valor” Chocolate factory.
Every where you go in the province you find the “Valor ” chocolate.

 

Valor Villajoyosa
Valor Villajoyosa

Valor is well known for his handmade chocolate and bonbons. But also  for his “churros” a sort of pastry which you can dip into  a cup of hot thick chocolate milk, chocolate milkshakes and  other chocolate temptations.
The other two factories are Perez Factory and the Clavileno Factory.
The factories are free to visit. Each has a museum and of course a shop.

Did you known ?

Did you known that a cocoa tree produce only 8 kg of cocoa a year.
That the flavor of the chocolate depends on the ingredients ? That chocolate is made from cocoa and cocoa butter. That the last one is very expensive ?

That cocoa powder is the dried seeds that are found in the pods on the cocoa tree.
Did you known that the production of chocolate is very complex ?
That the coco trees like warm and humid environment ?

Also, that the origins can be tracked yo the ancient Maya civilizations ?
In the past, that it was only the food for the gods ?

That the Spaniards in Central America took back this “food of god” to Europe?
And that it was so expensive that only the very rich could enjoy it ?
At the factories in Villajoyosa the taste and the texture of the chocolate is based on long family traditions. This is a secret recipe.
Of course technique have change in time.
Presently, it is a high tech controlled process.

Market

There is a large market at Villajoyosa every Thursday morning. The place to be to meet the local and their products. And also the chocolate traders.

 How to get in Villajoyosa.

First, you find Villajoyosa  35 km from Alicante. And 10 kilometers from Benidorm.
Do you want to read more about this two city’s ?  Read our page on Alicante  and also Benidorm.

With the tram. Take the tram south from  Denia and Altea and Benidorm or North from  Alicante.

By the road via the motorway A7 exit 64. Or the old  N 332.

 

To conclude

The chocolate factories of Villajoyosa are worth the visit. If you are a chocolate addict.

And otherwise Villajoyosa or Vila  Joiosa is a very nice tourist destination at the Mediterranean Sea .