Alicante Costa Blanca - Tourism Brochures and Travel Guides of

Costa Blanca
Alicante Spain
ALBACETE 73 km
VALENCIA 75 km
Canals
330
340
Almansa
430
Albaida
Onteniente
R
M a r i o la
Sierra
M
C
Bañeres
Benejama
Caudete
Alcoy
ALBACETE 112 km
Vi
na
lop
ó
Cañada
344
330
Onil
Biar
Villena
340
Río
Yecla
Castalla
Els Almerades
Sax
Laguna
de Salinas
Carche
1371
Jijona
Emb.
de Elda
Salinas
La Romana
Tibi
Petrer
Elda
e
Si
Monóvar
Pinoso
PARQUE NATURAL
DE CARRASCAL
DE LA FONT ROJA
Ibi
Novelda
rra
de
lC
id
Bus
Agost
Monforte
del Cid
Muchamiel
S
San Vicente
del Raspeig
Santa
330
Aspe
Emb.
de Elche
Hondón de
las Nieves
ALIC
Bacarot
G
340
Elche
El Altet
Ali
Crevillente
1261
Cabo d
PARQUE NATURAL SALINAS
DE SANTA POLA
340
Catral
Albatera
Fortuna
PARQUE
NATURAL
EL FONDO
Cox
Callosa de Segura
RA
SEGU
Orihuela
332
Isla Pla
o Nueva Ta
Guardamar
del Segura
Almoradí
Rojales
PARQUE NATURAL LAGUNAS Cala de la Mata
DE LA MATA Y TORREVIEJA Cala del Salaré
RÍO
ALMERÍA 210 km
Dolores
Benijófar
Emb. de
la Pedrera
MURCIA
Santa Pola
San Miguel
de Salinas
Torrevieja
Cala Cerrada
Cala Capitán
Pilar de
la Horadada
Cabo Roig
332 Dehesa de Campoamor
Torre Horadada
301
San Pedro del Pinatar
San Javier
Mar
Menor
CARTAGENA 36 km
M
VALENCIA 75 km
Oliva
332
PARQUE NATURAL DE MARJAL
DE PEGO-OLIVA
is
rp
Se
Alcalá de la Jovada Orba
Benichembla
Muro de Alcoy
Cocentaina
Guadalest
Benifallim
ana
Sierra de Ait
Cabo de San Antonio
Montgó
PARQUE NATURAL
753
DEL MONTGÓ
Playa El Arenal
Cabo de la Nao
Teulada
Benisa
Sie r r a d e
B é r n ia
P
Jávea
Gata
de Gorgos
Benidoleig
Castell de Castells
Aitana
1558
Benasau
Ondara
Vall de Ebo Pedreguer
Emb. de
Beniarrés
o
Rí
Denia
Pego
Benialí
Moraira
Punta de Moraira
Calpe
Les Basetes
Callosa Luis Campomanes
de Ensarriá
Playa de Levante
PARQUE NATURAL
Puerto Blanco PENYAL D'IFAC
Altea
L'Alfàs del Pi
Torremanzanas
Playa del Albir
Albir
A-7
Relleu
Benidorm
e
nt
va nte
Le nie
de o
a P
ay de
Pl ya
a
Pl
Villajoyosa
Playa de Paradís
332
sot
A
Playa Muchavista
C
El Campello
N
San Juan de Alicante
A
Playa de San Juan
Faz
L
ANTE
B
Golfo
de
cante
A
de Santa Pola
T
a
S
ana
Tabarca
O
C
M A R
E D I T E R R Á N E O
P
N
0
5
10
20 Km
CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35
Tel. 914167341 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 1999
Highway
Freeway
National Road
“A” Road
“B” Road
Local Road
Railway
Parador
Shrine/Monastery
Castle
Monument
Nature Reserve
Golf Course
Camp site
Marina
Lighthouse
Airport
Contents
Introduction
Your stay
on the Costa Blanca
Coastal itineraries
From Alicante to Denia
From Alicante to Pilar
de la Horadada
Inland itineraries
The Vinalopó Castles
The Alcoy Mountains
From Elche to Orihuela
City visit
City Plan
Leisure and spectacles
Sports
Leisure and Theme Parks
Culture
Nightlife
Festivals & Folklore
Shopping & Handicrafts
Trade Fairs and Exhibitions
Local cuisine
Useful addresses and
1
4
6
Dublin
13
16
18
20
23
24
London
Ireland
Paris
29
30
31
31
32
33
34
34
map of Alicante Province 36
United Kingdom
France
Spain
Portugal
Madrid
Lisbon
Costa
Blanca
Ceuta
Melilla
Rabat
Morocco
Canary Islands
Introduction
demographic detail which indicates
that the population is fairly evenly
distributed throughout the various
districts. Nonetheless, there tends
to be a greater concentration in
those localities that witnessed the
industrial boom and spectacular
rise in tourist demand which, in the
60s and 70s, led to rapid economic
growth and the ensuing influx of
job-seeking immigrants from the
Spanish hinterland.
Alicante is the Valencian Region’s
southernmost province, its entire
length of shoreline (the Costa
Blanca or, literally, White Coast)
caressed by the Mediterranean’s
soothing sea breeze. Warm sandy
beaches and curving dunes lie
interspersed between sheer
stretches of cliff and rugged coast,
shading the local geography in
hues of white, blue, ochre and
green. This is one of Spain’s leading
tourist Meccas, and thanks to its
scenery, facilities, the quality of its
Along the coast, from Denia
southwards to Pilar de la
Horadada, and through the
Denia
towns and warm friendliness of its
people, Alicante is host all year
round to intense tourist activity,
attending to visitors’ needs with
pleasing efficiency.
winding folds of its inland reaches,
from Villena to Orihuela, Alicante’s
5,900 square kilometres (2,279 sq.
miles; 1.16% of Spain’s total
surface area) embrace a
topography of sharp contrasts, due
not only to the physical diversity
between mountainous uplands
and coastal flats, but also to the
differences between the verdant
With close on one and a half
million inhabitants, it ranks
amongst Spain’s most heavily
populated provinces. One out of
every five Alicantinos lives in the
provincial capital of Alicante, a
1
lushness of some areas and others
that are so arid as to be almost
desert-like. The northern and
central parts are traversed by
soaring mountain ranges,
marching in monumental fashion
to the very edge of the sea,
terminating in Capes La Nao and
San Antonio. Against this,
the southern tip of the province,
an area made up of flats and hill
country irrigated by the waters
of the River Segura, fringes the
sea in a series of dunes and
low bluffs.
Christmas time), toys and icecream- as well as modern hotels,
holiday accommodation and
spacious residential estates where
many a foreign resident has
established a second home. Owing
to the area’s cosmopolitan
composition, conversations in
English, French, German or Italian
can be frequently heard in coastal
districts, alongside Castilian Spanish
and Valencian (which closely
resembles Catalan), the two official
languages spoken by the local
population.
Alicante, a region manifestly
Mediterranean in nature, basking
(the coast particularly) in bright
sunlight throughout the year and
blessed with an average
temperature of 17.6°C (63.7°F), has
a number of towns and cities in
which there are high-tech factories
-specialising in footwear, textiles
and clothing, turrón (the local
almond-based, nougat-like
sweetmeat, particularly popular at
Jávea
In bygone days, the presence of
Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks and
Romans moulded the region’s
unique character, key elements of
which have been subsequently
salvaged thanks to the discovery
of valuable archaeological finds
Guadalest. Belfry
2
Your stay
on the Costa
Blanca
and cultural remains. Harking back
to these ancient times are precious
treasures worked in gold,
enigmatic sculptures such as the
Dama de Elche (Lady of Elche) and
a local preference for palm groves.
At a later date, Alicante, like other
mainland regions, lived under
Moorish rule until the area’s
annexation by the Kingdom of
Valencia in the 14th century. Local
jurisdictional privileges, ways and
customs were lost at the beginning
of the 18th century following the
introduction of the new centralist
regime imposed by the Spanish
monarchy. At present, Alicante
looks ahead to a future of
innovation in both the tourist
trade and technology, without in
any way sacrificing or forfeiting its
roots in its traditional industrial
activities and farming.
One can travel to the province of
Alicante by rail, road and air,
though its strategic coastal
position makes it possible to dock
at any of its harbours and use the
railway network that criss-crosses
the region.
By air: El Altet Airport, situated
approximately 12 kilometres south
of the city of Alicante, is the Costa
Blanca’s main airport, handling
scheduled and charter flights from
all leading Spanish and European
cities. While the busiest domestic
links are those with Madrid,
Barcelona, Mallorca, Las Palmas,
Tenerife, Seville, Malaga and
Bilbao, European flights tend to
concentrate on destinations such
Alicante harbour
4
(Lemon Express), while for the
younger set there is the
Trensnochador, a way of going
discothèque-hopping without
running the risk of a traffic
accident.
as London, Paris, Brussels,
Frankfurt and Amsterdam, among
others.
By road: the Madrid-AlbaceteAlicante motorway is the principal
route to Alicante from points in
the country’s interior. From the
north, the easiest approach is via
Valencia along the Mediterranean
Highway (A-7), which links the
region with the heart of Europe
and is a firm favourite with
Benidorm-bound coach services.
Best access from the Province
of Murcia to the south is via the
N-340. There is a fourth major
road, the N-332 motorway, which
takes in towns and villages lying
along the coast.
Alicante boasts the most
comprehensive and best equipped
network of hotel and holiday
accommodation in the entire
Valencian Region. There are 243
hotels covering a wide range of
categories, with a bed-capacity
close on 55,000. Lodging
availability varies very little from
high to low season, since tourist
resorts such as Benidorm have
become year-round vacation
centres, and the city of Alicante
itself is a privileged incentivescheme, conference and
convention venue. In addition,
there is also a very varied choice of
camp sites and holiday flats,
catering for some 25,000 and
64,000 visitors respectively. As
regards places to eat out, there
are more than enough to satisfy
every kind of person and pocket,
with something like 3,200
restaurants in all.
By sea: while the Port of Alicante
berths a good number of
Mediterranean cruise liners, a
regular ferry service plies between
Denia, in the north of the province,
and the Balearic Isles. Numerous
marinas and yacht basins act as a
port of call for tourists sailing
aboard their own craft.
By rail: trains from the Renfe
(Spanish Rail) station in Alicante
connect up with points around
Spain and the rest of Europe.
There is a daily scheduled service
to Madrid and Barcelona. Within
the province, many other towns
and cities, such as Elche, Villena
and Orihuela are connected by
rail. Tourists are recommended
to take the Limón Exprés
Visiting times should always be
checked with the local Tourist
Offices.
5
Coastal
itineraries
Pilar de la Horadada, bordering
Murcia and the lagoon known as
the Mar Menor.
The Costa Blanca has some 160
kilometres (just under 100 miles) of
coastline, where sea and scenery
can be enjoyed in many different
yet complementary ways. To those
eager to sunbathe and swim in
safe surroundings, the Alicante
coast holds out the promise of
long sandy beaches. Yet, it also
affords the possibility of
discovering incredible rocky inlets
From Alicante to Denia
This route, a distance of
approximately 100 kilometres (62
miles), can be comfortably covered
in a single day. However, in order
to be able to fully enjoy areas
endowed with undeniable scenic
beauty, the excursion should be
divided into several stages, so as to
San Juan Beach
ideal for scuba-diving, pinecovered dunes, pebbled coves and
an infinite number of creeks where
small vessels can be anchored and
unforgettable moments shared.
allow for longer visits to towns
such as Benidorm, Altea, Calpe,
Jávea and Denia. Road travel is no
problem since there is the twin
option of the A-7 toll-motorway or
the N-332 national road, except for
certain stretches where local roads
skirt the coast. Depending on the
time available, either of these two
routes can be chosen.
There are two basic seaboard
itineraries, one covering the
northern stretch of coast from the
city of Alicante to Denia, a town
lying on the boundary with
Valencia province, and the other
running south of Alicante as far as
6
Lying at a distance of eight
kilometres to the north of the city
of Alicante, San Juan de Alicante
is the first town reached when
setting out on a sightseeing trip.
Situated in the midst of the
Alicante countryside, the town
combines dry farming with good
tourist services and facilities,
thanks to a fine beach that
stretches for over 7 kilometres. Its
17th-century parish church and the
Calvario, Santa Ana and San Roque
chapels make up its monumental
Santa Faz Monastery. Partida de
Santa Faz. 96 526 49 12
Continuing on, one comes to
El Campello, a town situated
12 kilometres (7 1/2 miles) from
the provincial capital on a low rise,
from which beaches of all
descriptions can be seen stretching
away for a good 23 kilometres. Its
landmark is a watchtower, built in
the Fisherman’s Quarter in 1554, to
alert the townsfolk to imminent
attack by marauding pirates. In the
La Illeta area, archaeological
heritage. The local religious
building that attracts most visitors
is the Santa Faz Monastery,
which comes within the Alicante
municipal district. On the second
Thursday after Easter, thousands of
Alicantinos take part in the annual
pilgrimage outing (romería) to
venerate the relic housed here; this,
tradition has it, is the original veil
used by Veronica to wipe Christ’s
brow on the ascent to Calvary.
El Campello yacht basin
remains have been found
belonging to the Iberian and
Greek cultures. In the 18th century,
the town had its own shipbuilding
yards which served to foster its
seafaring vocation. The main
beach is called Muchavista, but
one can equally choose to go for a
swim in a rock cove, at La Cova del
Llop Marí and Cala del Morro
7
tradition of seafaring and
voyaging, as well as a chocolatemaking industry of renown. Its
walled Old Quarter, bordering the
River Amadorio, possesses an
eyecatching seaside frontage,
formed by houses purposely
painted in bright colours so as to
be easily visible to sailors out at
sea. The Gothic-style parish church
houses an interesting Baroque
retable. La Vila has three and a
half kilometres of beach, the
nearest being Centro and Paradís
beaches. Others with equally
translucent waters are the Torres
(site of Hercules’ funeral tower,
also known as Sant Josep), Racó
Conill, Bol Nou and Caleta
beaches.
Blanc. The natural setting of Lloma
de Reixes is situated hereabouts.
The Alicante artist, Arcadio Blasco,
has created some spectacular
sculptures, one in the sea and the
other on shore.
The arid landscape of the Alicante
countryside gradually disappears
as one enters the Marina Baixa or
Baja (Lower Marina) district. From
the district capital, Villajoyosa
(La Vila Joiosa) -abbreviated by
the locals to “La Vila”- one begins
to discern the summits of the
Aitana and Puig Campana Ranges,
the geological barrier that defends
this area from the cold blasts of
the north wind and makes it
possible for wonderfully mild
temperatures to be enjoyed
throughout the year. Just 32
kilometres (19 miles) from
Alicante, this is a city with a long
The next stage brings the traveller
to Benidorm, a leisure and
vacation city with the capacity to
cope adequately with 300,000
tourists over the peak-season
period. Six out of every ten visitors
to the Valencian Region opt for
Benidorm, and eight out of every
ten who choose to stay in the
province of Alicante lodge in
Benidorm, in order to take full
advantage of its irresistible
promise of sun and sand. At a
distance of 41 kilometres (25 miles)
from Alicante, this is the Costa
Blanca’s major tourist resort. Its
two main beaches, Levante and
Poniente (named after the
Villajoyosa. Sidewalk café
8
the 18th century. In the area
around the traditional city centre
are the main shopping streets,
where fashion items, handicrafts
and souvenirs can be purchased.
Occupying a large area in the
middle of the town is L’Aigüera
Park, designed along Neoclassical
lines by the architect, Ricardo
Bofill. In addition to this, there is
ample opportunity for a quiet
stroll along the five-kilometre
expanse of beachside promenade,
with beachgoers and sports-lovers
enjoying themselves at the water’s
edge. Similarly, the city’s wide
avenues, flanked on either side by
tall modern hotel buildings,
provide yet further possibilities for
a leisurely walk. Out in the centre
of the bay, Benidorm Isle can be
visited by taking any of the boats
that leave from the harbour.
According to local folklore, this
islet represents the gigantic block
of rock that is missing from the
summit of nearby Mt. Puig
Campana. During one of
Charlemagne’s warlike sorties, the
intrepid Roland lopped off the
mountain top with the blade of his
sword, sending the missing piece
thundering down the side of the
mountain into the sea, and so
causing it to be transformed into
the small island outcrop.
Benidorm. The Balcón del
Mediterráneo belvedere
prevailing winds), offer quality
services, limpid water and fine
sands difficult to find elsewhere.
The city’s Old Quarter sits astride
the promontory that separates the
two beaches. The Cerro Canfali
headland, veined by narrow lanes
and alleys, converges in the lightfilled Balcón del Mediterráneo
belvedere, whitewashed and
decorated with blue tiles, an
ornamental motif repeated along
the balustrade that graces
stretches of the city’s seafront. This
tiny Old Quarter corresponds to
the original fishing village and is
presided over by the blue-tiled
domed roof of San Jaime Parish
Church (St. James’), constructed in
9
From Benidorm onwards, the
scenery becomes spectacularly
beautiful. Towering seaside
mountain ranges, dizzy cliffs,
exquisitely tended fields, dazzling
beaches and whitewashed villages
make the Marina Baixa district a
true paradise. After reaching
L’Alfàs del Pi, a town which,
though somewhat removed from
the sea, lays claim to an important
tourist colony at Albir beach,
where the Sierra Helada (Serra
Gelada) Range terminates, the
route then carries on to Altea,
some 51 kilometres (31 miles) from
Alicante. The town is situated on a
hill which, at its highest point, is
topped by the belfry and glazed
blue-tiled domes of the Parish
Church of La Virgen del Consuelo
(Our Lady of Solace). When
arriving by road, the Old Quarter
appears silhouetted against the
L’Alfàs del Pi. Sierra Helada Range
monumental backdrop of the
Sierra Bernia Range, forming a
stunning panoramic view. The
climb up to the church lies along
steep narrow cobbled lanes, past
small miradores (look-out points)
and glorietas (circular
intersections). A frequent feature
of this part of the old town are the
artists’ studios and handicraft
shops. Down below in the lower
town is the Rey Jaime I shopping
street, the busy seafront
promenade and six kilometres of
beach, where shingled stretches
alternate with half-hidden coves
and cliffs. The local beaches go by
the names of La Roda, Cap Blanc,
Cap Negret and L’Olla.
After taking the Mascarat tunnels
through the Sierra Bernia Range,
the traveller enters the district of
Marina Alta (Upper Marina), to
10
seashore, ranging from fine sandy
strands, such as the Levante and
Arenal beaches, to picturesque
coves, such as La Manzanera and
Les Urques.
be received there by the imposing
sight of the Gibraltar-like Peñón de
Ifach Rock, rising from the sea and
defying the nearby crags with its
332 metres (1,076 feet). The serried
ranks of mountains descending in
tiers towards the coast are covered
with vineyards. The typical country
house in these parts, the so-called
riu-rau, has an arcaded porch
where the grapes are left in the
sun to dry and turn into raisins.
Calpe (Calp), the town to which
the Peñón belongs, lies some 62
kilometres (38 miles) from
Alicante. Its principal sights are the
Mudéjar Gothic-style 15th-century
Parish Church of La Virgen de las
Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows),
several sections or spandrels of the
old medieval town wall and a
large fortified tower. At the foot
of the Peñón, the summit of which
can be visited in organised groups,
are the Baños de la Reina (literally,
Queen’s Baths), the site of what
was once a Roman “factory” for
salting and drying fish. The town
has some 11 kilometres of
After a superbly scenic drive on a
district road that snakes along the
corniche, the route brings one to
the sheltered bay of Moraira, a
small town within the Teulada
municipal district, its port
protected by the twin arms of the
Cap Blanc and Punta de Moraira
headlands. The seaside here boasts
eight kilometres of good beaches
with boulders and rocks. The
widest and most readily accessible
of these is the centrally situated La
Ampolla Beach. A solid tower,
constructed at the behest of King
Philip II by an Italian, one
Antonelli, has been keeping watch
over this stretch of coast for
centuries. Some ten kilometres
inland is Teulada, ringed by
vineyards in which the muscatel
Moraira. Cove
11
gradually grew in the shelter of its
Gothic-style San Bartolomé
fortress-church (St.
Bartholomew’s), the city erected
several watchtowers to spot the
approach of foreign vessels.
Preserved in its Old Quarter are
beautiful town houses, decorated
with wrought-iron grilles and
lintels made of “tosca”, the typical
local stone. Down in the town’s
sizeable port area, the modern
Church of La Virgen del Loreto
(Our Lady of Loreto) evokes the
keel of a ship. Scattered along the
town’s 20 kilometres of coast,
there are beaches of every kind:
fine sand at El Arenal, pine woods,
rock and scuba-diving at
Granadella, tiny coves at Portichol,
and so on.
Castle and Archaeological
Museum. Primicias, 1
Denia Beach
grape is grown. Its Santa Catalina
Church, Late Gothic in style, is the
local tourist sight par excellence.
96 579 10 98
The route continues on district
roads in the direction of Jávea
(Xàbia). Time permitting, the
traveller can make a side-trip to
the Cabo de la Nao (Cape Nao)
lighthouse to enjoy the fine view
there. This is the easternmost point
of the Valencian Region’s
shoreline, dividing off the Bay of
Alicante from that of Valencia.
Those not wishing to go out to the
lighthouse can proceed directly to
Jávea, situated 92 kilometres
(57 miles) from Alicante and two
kilometres from the sea. While it
The route ends in Denia, district
capital of La Marina Alta, lying at a
distance of 100 kilometres (62
miles) from Alicante. One arrives
via an extremely picturesque local
road that passes between Cape
San Antonio and the impressive
mass of Mt. Montgó (rising to a
height of 753 metres/2,470 feet). In
their time, the Romans dedicated
this cosmopolitan tourist city to
the goddess Diana and turned it
into a thriving port. These
historical origins are eloquently
recalled in the archaeological
museum, housed in the wellpreserved Moorish castle atop a
12
extraction comprise the area’s
other economic pillars. An aspect
of special interest are the salt-pans,
now an officially declared Nature
Reserve. Over 2,500 hectares (6,000
acres) of wetlands, dominated by
the half-ruined Moorish Tamarit
Tower visible from the road, serve
as a very special haven for
flamingos and other species of
birdlife. In the town centre, Santa
Pola has a sizeable castle, built on
the orders of Philip II to combat
raids by Barbary pirates. Housed
within the castle walls is a museum
specialising in the ocean, the
seabed and local archaeology. City
life tends to focus on the seafront
promenade and harbour, from
which boats (the so-called
golondrinas, named after the sea
swallow or tern) can be taken to
the Isle of Tabarca. Close on two
kilometres long and 400 metres
wide, the island is inhabited
throughout the year. For lovers of
the sea, it represents a unique
marine reserve, and for the curious
small hill. Denia’s 20-kilometre
coastline features fine sand to the
north (Les Marines) and rock and
cliff-face to the south (Les Rotes).
Castle and Archaeological
Museum. 96 642 06 56
From Alicante
to Pilar de la Horadada
Along its almost 60 kilometres of
shoreline, the province’s south
coast features a good number of
tourist resorts which, in recent
years, have developed a wide
range of services and leisure
facilities. The grandeur of the
Costa Blanca’s northern section is
here transformed into an
altogether flatter landscape, with
low hills and wide sweeps of sand.
The route is easy to follow since
it keeps to the line traced by
the N-332.
The first town of importance is
Santa Pola, 20 kilometres (12 1/2
miles) from Alicante city centre. In
remote times it acted as port for
the neighbouring city of Elche (14
kilometres off), beginnings that
destined it to be the base for one
of the biggest fishing fleets in
Mediterranean waters. A saltedfish factory, dating back to the 4th
century B.C., illustrates that past.
This same activity continues to this
day, though tourism and salt
Santa Pola. Watchtower
13
traveller there is a walled section
which Charles III repopulated with
Genoese.
Archaeological and Fishing
Museum. Plaza del Castillo, 1.
Torrevieja saltpans
mosques of the Caliphal rábita
(religious/fortified Moorish outpost
delimiting the border with the
Christians). The Parque de las
Dunas Reina Sofía (Queen Sophia
Dunes Park), with an area of more
than 70,000 square metres (a little
under 17 1/2 acres), affords the
chance of learning about
numerous examples of plant life
-terrestrial and aquatic- while
enjoying the refreshing tang of
the sea breeze.
Archaeological and Ethnological
Museum. Casa de la Cultura.
Colón, 46 96 572 86 10
96 669 15 32
The next holiday resort to which
the traveller comes is Guardamar
del Segura, a town situated at the
mouth of the river of the same
name. Located 35 kilometres (21
miles) from Alicante, it lies amidst
a delightful natural setting of pine,
dune, woodland and sand, with
wide, easily accessible beaches. The
old town is perched on a hill,
skirted by the River Segura, and is
home to a castle and other
vestiges that bear testimony to
another age when it was a Greek
port. There are Iberian remains,
particularly the Dama de
Guardamar (Lady of Guardamar)
unearthed at the Cabezo Lucero
site, and the ruins of the Moorish
Following the N-332, one comes to
the enormous salt-pans of La
Mata-Torrevieja, a series of
spacious residential estates and the
town centre of Torrevieja itself, a
tourist resort whose life revolves
around sea and salt. The two
lagoons are interconnected (the
Torrevieja lagoon having a
14
real quality, thereby ensuring that
the large numbers of visitors are
properly catered for. Punta Prima,
Playa Flamenca, La Zenia, Cabo
Roig and Dehesa de Campoamor
are just some of the resorts dotted
along this southern route. Several
of these now specialise in
organising golfing holidays,
combining vacation stays with the
chance to play golf at some of the
excellent local courses. The small
tree-lined pasturelands in the area
have made for top-flight golfing
facilities.
perimeter of 25 kilometres) and,
from La Mata, they enjoy a direct
outlet to the sea via the Acequión
channel. While extraction of salt
dates back to ancient times, it
witnessed an era of expansion in
the 19th century. The salt of
Torrevieja -a town lying 48
kilometres (29 miles) from
Alicante- is exported to all parts of
the world from the local port. At
the far end of the Paseo Marítimo
(seafront promenade) are the
wharves where the freighters load
salt bound for Cuba. These same
ships return to the lilt of island
habaneras (a style of Cuban song),
a tradition that adds zest to the
extremely popular choral music
contest sponsored by the town
each summer.
The last town on this route is Pilar
de la Horadada, with four
kilometres of beach and a typical
watchtower guarding the coast. It
lies 67 kilometres (41 miles) from
Alicante and marks the southern
limit of the Costa Blanca. Its
market gardens produce superb
fruit and vegetables for export to
numerous countries around
Europe.
After passing through the salt
capital, one reaches the stretch of
coast belonging to the inland
town of Orihuela, the district
capital. Outlying suburbs verging
on sands and low bluffs have
served to create tourist areas of
Torre de la Horadada
15
Inland
itineraries
the ancient Kingdom of Valencia.
Already in Roman times, the Vía
Augusta took advantage of the
river’s course and, even now in this
modern age, a good highway
establishes a permanent line of
communication between the
Mediterranean coast and the
meseta (table land, plateau).
The Costa Blanca’s coastal beauty
in no way detracts from the
singular charms of its inland
scenery, linked to lifestyles rooted
in farming, industrial development
and festive traditions. These are
itineraries dictated by the course
of the rivers and the powerful allpervasive presence of the
mountains.
The itinerary begins in Novelda,
28 kilometres (17 miles) from the
provincial capital of Alicante. La
Mola Castle is a legacy of the
Middle Ages, and atop a
picturesque hill, the Santuario de
Santa María Magdalena (Mary
Magdalene Shrine) with its
Gaudíesque Catalonian Art
Nouveau air, is testimony to local
tradition. To speak of this town is
to speak of the quarrying and
production of marble, the
cultivation of saffron and the
growing and packing of grapes.
The Vinalopó Castles
The towns lying farthest inland in
the province of Alicante share two
features: their situation along the
upper and middle sections of the
River Vinalopó and the presence of
sturdy fortresses in their town
centres, witnesses to the frontier
character that these lands once
had, standing as they did on the
dividing line between Castile and
Sax
16
doorway in the main tower of Sax´s
Moorish-style castle leads into the
armoury. The sightseer can also
visit the aljibes (water cisterns) and
the various underground passages
in this castle, whose silhouette is a
well-known landmark to all those
who travel the Madrid motorway.
Modernist (Art Nouveau) Housecum-Museum. Mayor, 24.
96 560 02 37
The next stops en route are Elda
and Petrer, twin towns separated
by a single street, the numbers on
the right belonging to one town
and those on the left, to the other.
They lie at a distance of 36
kilometres (22 miles) from Alicante
and represent one of the
province’s most important
industrial hubs. With the crisis in
the esparto grass trade in the 19th
century, alternatives were found in
footwear and leatherware. Elda’s
factories are leaders in the sector,
especially as regards the women’s
fashion footwear segment. The
city’s Moorish castle stands as a
symbol of the border struggle
between Moor and Christian in
these arid lands. In the Old
Quarter, listed buildings also
include the Casa Colorá and Casa
Grande del Jardín de la Música
(Music Gardens Mansionhouse).
For its part, Petrer boasts one of
the most splendid castles in the
province, thanks to painstaking
reconstruction. This is an industrial
town, which formerly came within
the domain of the Count of
Cocentaina.
There are only two more
strongholds to be seen along the
Villena
remaining section of this route.
The first lies in the monumental
city and district capital of Villena,
situated 59 kilometres (just under
37 miles) from Alicante. La Atalaya
Castle (atalaya; watchtower) is the
prototype for all Castilian walled
cities. Indeed, this ducal possession
was not administratively
incorporated into Alicante
Province until midway through the
last century. The keep, its prize
The route now wends its way to
Sax, which is situated 48
kilometres (29 miles) from Alicante
and marks the beginning of the
L’Alt or Alto Vinalopó (Upper
Vinalopó) district. A round-arched
17
On the way out of the city,
heading for Alcoy, another castle
awaits the traveller. It belongs to
the town of Biar, has a double
wall and a round-arched gateway.
Looming above the two outer
walls and the inner fortifications is
a massive square tower.
The Alcoy Mountains
The Alicante highlands lie between
two districts characterised by
steeply contoured topography,
L’Alcoià and El Comtat, encircled
by the peaks and crags of the
Mariola, Benicadell and Aitana
Ranges. Owing to the unsuitability
of the terrain for farming, the
economic activity of these cities has
tended to concentrate on
manufacturing, specialising in
textiles and clothing in Alcoy and
Cocentaina, and toys in Ibi and Onil.
Biar Castle Watchtower
piece, stands on tranverse-arched
Almohad vaulting. From its
sentinel walkway, a wide horizon
stretches away to merge into the
surrounding valleys. The city’s Old
Quarter lies in the shadow of the
castle. Other sights of interest are
the Church of Santa María
(St. Mary’s), the main square and
the Shrine of Nuestra Señora de las
Virtudes (Our Lady of Virtue)
(7 km.). On display at the
archaeological museum is Villena’s
valuable Iberian treasure, a
collection comprising 60 gold,
several silver and iron pieces, and
a good number of prehistoric
artefacts. José María Soler
Archaeological Museum. Plaza
de Santiago, 2. 96 580 11 50.
Visits by appointment.
Alcoy. Church of Santa María
(St. Mary’s)
18
Camilo Visedo Moltó
Archaeological Museum. Placeta
del Carbó. 96 554 03 02.
Casal Sant Jordi Fiestas Museum.
San Miguel, 60. 96 554 05 80.
Turrón Museum. Avenida de Alcoy,
62. Jijona. 96 561 02 25
The itinerary follows the N-340
which, after passing through
Jijona (Xixona), the turrón
(Christmas nougat-like sweetmeat,
of Arabic origin, made essentially
of almond paste but now
produced in wide variety of
flavours) and ice-cream paradise,
climbs by twists and turns to Alcoy
(Alcoi), 54 kilometres (33 1/2 miles)
from Alicante. The Riquer and
Molinar Rivers join here to form
the River Serpis, which flows into
the sea at Gandia (Valencia). This
natural phenomenon has meant
that the city’s many bridges, its
waterside factories and the unity
of its Old Quarter have come to
mould its tourist image. Expansion
and growth of the medieval centre
made it necessary to build bridges
in order for the town to spread
outwards. Spanning the River
Molinar is the Canalejas Viaduct,
its metal frame coming as an
innovation at the turn of the
century. The newest bridge was
opened in 1987, to divert the N340 traffic crossing through the
modern part of the city. The Plaza
de España (main square) stands at
the city centre. In the Medieval
Quarter, one can visit the old Town
Hall, browse around the
archaeological museums and
watch the festivities marking the
fiesta of Moros y Cristianos (Moors
and Christians). Walking in the
opposite direction, up the calle San
Nicolás (calle; street), one finds the
Modernist (Art Nouveau) section
of the city.
Very near Alcoy, the city of
Cocentaina, district capital of El
Cocentaina. St. Mary’s Church
Comtat (the County), is the site of
the most important medieval
quarter in Alicante’s mountain
hinterland. The city lies some 60
kilometres (37 miles) from Alicante
itself. The fortress-palace of the
Counts and the adjacent Clarisas
Convent (Franciscan Order of Poor
Clares) form an extremely
attractive architectural group,
19
The itinerary is an easy one, since
the N-340 and the Murcia
motorway allow for fast smooth
travel.
ranging from Gothic to
Renaissance in style. Originally, the
whole was contained within a
walled complex, accounting for
the ample dimensions and lofty
towers. The collection of buildings
includes the Monastery of La
Virgen del Milagro (Our Lady of
Miracles), a Neapolitan Baroque
edifice housing a Byzantine icon of
the Madonna. According to
tradition, the image wept 17 tears
in the presence of the faithful
during the revolt of the Germanías
(in Valencia and Mallorca) in 1520.
Sights include the typical tilework
decoration on the façades of
houses lining the Medieval
Quarter’s main street, the Churches
of Santa María de la Asunción
(St. Mary of the Assumption) and
Salvador (St. Saviour’s), and the
attractive maze of alleys and lanes
in the old Moorish Raval section.
Palacio de los Condes (noble
mansion). Plaza de las Monjas.
Elche (Elx), 23 kilometres
(14 miles) from Alicante, is the
capital of the El Baix or Bajo
Vinalopó (Lower Vinalopó)
district, and the Valencian Region’s
third city in terms of population.
The city’s original location was at
the L’Alcudia site, where the
Iberian bust of the Dama de Elche
(Lady of Elche) was found and
then transferred to its current
home in the Madrid
Archaeological Museum. In about
the 10th century, the city was
moved by the Moors to its present
position and encircled with groves
of palm trees, leading some
chroniclers of the time to draw a
parallel between it and the Holy
City of Islam. The local palm
grove -some 200,000 trees covering
an area of over 5,000 square
96 559 01 59
From Elche to Orihuela
In the southern part of the
province there are two large cities
eminent for their history and
heritage. These are localities which
combine the tourism of their
suburban seaside resorts with the
architectural richness and
industrial activity of their urban
centres, 15-30 kilometres inland.
St. Mary’s Basilica. Elche
20
kilometres- has recently been
declared a World Heritage Site.
In Elche, the main example of
this can be seen in the City Park
and the Huerto de Cura (Priest´s
Garden), where a seven-armed
palm grows like some freakish
whim of nature. When King
James I conquered the city, the
victorious Christians occupied the
Vila Murada or walled city, and the
Moors moved to the Raval area,
where a contemporary art gallery
is now situated. In the historical
old section, the most interesting
sights are the Altamira Palace, the
Basilica of Santa María (St. Mary’s),
which serves as the stage setting
for the annual Misteri d’Elx (Elche
Mystery Play, a dramatic
representation of the Assumption),
the Moorish Calaforra fortress, the
Ayuntamiento (City Hall) and the
Baños Árabes (Moorish Baths).
Archaeological Museum. Alejandro
Orihuela. Cathedral cloister
Ramos Folqués. Diagonal del
Palau. 96 545 36 03.
L’Alcudia Museum. Partida
Alzabaras, 138. 96 661 15 06.
Gallery of Contemporary Art. Plaza
del Raval. 96 545 49 82.
Lying along the same route and
relatively near Elche and its
footwear, textile and clothing
factories is the city of Crevillente,
the country’s leading producer and
exporter of carpets and rugs. The
Church of Nuestra Señora de Belén
(Our Lady of Bethlehem) is the
local landmark. Housed in the
crypt, the Mariano Benlliure
Museum, with its display of the
sculptor’s Easter pasos (effigies or
tableau representing a stage in
Christ’s Passion) is well worth
seeing.
21
Hernández, and to the erstwhile
Universidad de Santo Domingo
(St. Dominic’s University), with its
two magnificent cloisters and
portals: one Renaissance, the other
Baroque. An interesting feature in
the refectory is the Manises
(Valencian) tilework decoration.
Walk up Santa Lucía street to the
Catedral del Salvador (Cathedral of
the Saviour), and see Velázquez’s
painting of “The Temptation of St.
Thomas Aquinas” and the church’s
small Romanesque-Gothic cloister.
The old town straggles on, skirting
the Seminary hill (Seminario de San
Miguel - St. Michael’s Seminary).
Located in this part of the city are
the Churches of Santas Justa y
Rufina, Gothic in style, and
Santiago (St. James’). It was in the
latter church that the Catholic
Monarchs convoked a general
parliament (Cortes Generales) in
1488, for the purpose of gathering
funds to finance the Reconquest of
Granada. Another nationally listed
monument and enhancement to
the city’s heritage is the Episcopal
Palace, which houses important
works of art.
Miguel Hernández House-cumMuseum. Miguel Hernández, 73.
Orihuela. Church of Santiago
(St. James’)
Mariano Benlliure Museum. San
Cayetano. 96 540 02 23.
Temporarily closed to the public.
Orihuela, the district capital of La
Vega Baja is situated 59
kilometres (36 miles) from
Alicante, with which it shares the
espiscopal seat. It was this rank,
coupled with its former standing
as a university city, that enabled
Orihuela to build up its important
architectural legacy. The River
Segura separates the old, once
walled city from the modern part.
A stroll through the Old Quarter,
approached via the Crevillente
Gate, will bring one to the Housecum-Museum of the poet, Miguel
96 530 27 47.
Diocesan Museum of Religious Art.
Plaza de Teniente Linares.
96 530 06 38.
Museo de Semana Santa (Holy
Week Museum). Plaza de la
Merced, 1. 96 674 40 89.
22
City visit
with its permanent holiday
atmosphere. Alicante’s southfacing sea frontage means that it
enjoys almost constant sunlight
throughout the year. The Old
Quarter rises on the sides of
Benacantil Hill, and the most
eloquent witness to that far-off
era is the powerful presence of
Santa Bárbara Castle (3), from
which a sweeping vista of the city,
sea and L’Alacantì district can be
enjoyed. Across the road from
Postiguet Beach is the lift which
takes visitors to the top of the 166metre (544-foot) outcrop. One can
also ascend by car, along a road
that climbs the north face. The
fort, Moorish in origin, was rebuilt
in the reign of Philip II, and
Alicante (Alacant - pop. 276,526)
is a welcoming seaside city. Though
travelling by car, on arriving in the
city centre one gets the firm
impression that the only real way
to visually understand Alicante is
to approach it from the seaward
side. The light-filled seafront
promenade of the Explanada de
España (1) brings the vessels
bobbing at the quays into the daily
life of the townsfolk. Throughout
the day, people can be seen
ambling up and down between
the immense palms that line an
avenue whose undulating red,
cream and black pattern
represents the waves of a tiled sea.
A bandstand on the esplanade
ensures that the strains of the
Municipal Band will be there to
liven up the leisure hours of the
evening and (more especially)
Sunday-morning stroller. The cargo
and freight harbour, which
acquired great prominence when
the rail link with Madrid was
formally inaugurated in 1851, acts
as the natural outlet for
merchandise produced inland.
At one end of the promenade -the
Valencia end- is El Postiguet (2),
the beach that stamps this city
The Explanada de España
promenade
23
subsequently underwent a series
of alterations and extensions. The
section of most interest to visitors
is La Torreta, and the highest
point is the Plaza del Macho.
City Hall
building’s stairway is a disc
engraved with a zero, marking the
point from which all altitudes in
Spain are measured, the disc itself
being at a height of 3.407 metres
(11 feet) above sea level. A few
yards away, the Palacio Gravina
houses the Provincial Archive and
Records Office.
Palacio Municipal (City Hall). Plaza
del Ayuntamiento, 1.
At the foot of the castle hill are
important vestiges of the old
walled city which once extended as
far as the modern-day Rambla
Méndez Núñez (rambla; wide
avenue or boulevard). After
passing through this Quarter, an
area of narrow streets that by
night becomes the local teenage
“scene”, one emerges into the
Plaza del Ayuntamiento (City
Hall Square) (4). On the lowest
step of this Baroque-style
96 514 91 00.
At the rear of the City Hall, the
Cathedral Church of San
Nicolás de Bari (5), completed
in 1662, is a showpiece of the
Herrera and Baroque styles.
Imprisoned by a maze of alleyways
that keep jealous guard over the
city’s history, it is nevertheless a
mere stone’s throw from the
cosmopolitan bustle of port and
26
In the past, this building, which
currently houses an important
collection of contemporary art,
with works by Picasso, Gris and
Miró among others, was put to a
variety of uses, serving as
municipal granary, city hall, jail
and so on.
Asegurada Art Gallery. Plaza de
Santa María, 3. 96 514 07 06
beach. Among the most
outstanding architectural features
are its Baroque altar, 15th-century
cloister, Communion chapel,
grillework and wooden doors.
Concatedral de San Nicolás
(Cathedral Church of St. Nicholas).
Plaza del Abad Penalva, 1.
96 521 26 62
Following any of the narrow lanes
that lead past the City Hall towards
the northern part of the Old
Quarter, one comes to the Plaza de
Santa María, where two
interesting buildings merit a visit.
The Gothic-style Church of Santa
María (St. Mary’s) (6) was built
on the site of a Moorish mosque.
On its Baroque façade, St. Andrew
and the Apostle St. James can be
seen receiving the faithful, and
inside, a sculpted figure of
Madonna and Child presides over
the main altar.
On the far side of the Rambla de
Méndez Núñez (corresponding to
an old river bed), the city extended
beyond the town wall and grew
according to the dictates of
modern life. On one of the wide
avenues crossing this part of the
city is the Provincial Authority
Building and, in its basement, the
Archaeological Museum (8),
On this small square, cooled by the
sea breeze, stands the Museo
Casa de la Asegurada (7), an
18th-century edifice donated to
the city by Eusebio Sempere, the
founding spirit behind the
movement known as kinetic art.
Church of Santa María (St. Mary’s)
27
Nearby, some 5 kilometres to the
north, is the previously mentioned
shrine that fans the flames of
Alicantinos’ religious fervour and
draws them in throngs on the
annual post-Easter pilgrimage. This
is the Santa Faz Monastery
where, preserved in an alcove and
venerated as a holy relic, is the veil
used by Veronica to wipe Christ’s
brow on the ascent to Calvary. In
the vicinity of Alicante there are a
number of excellent beaches, such
opened in 1932. In this building,
built on Neoclassical lines with
Baroque influences, are finds
taken from the Tossal de Manises
archaeological site, discovered on
La Albufereta Beach, which have
made it possible for the life of the
ancient Iberian settlement, the
Greek city and the Roman
Lucentum to be reconstructed.
Provincial Archaeological Museum.
Plaza Doctor Gómez Ulla, s/n.
96 514 90 00
Albufereta Beach
Rising behind the Provincial
Authority Building is the hilltop
silhouette of San Fernando
Castle (9), constructed to defend
the city from the Napoleonic
invasion. It is an unfinished
stronghold, now used as a theme
park.
as San Juan, Cabo de Huertas, La
Albufereta, Agua Amarga and El
Salar, to name but a few.
28
Leisure and
entertainment
put together attractively-priced
golfing packages that combine the
chance to play at local courses with
select, often villa-type,
accommodation. Along its particular
section of coast, Orihuela has
become the leader in this field.
Denia, Altea, Jávea, Alicante and
other towns also cater for golfers.
Ramblers and hikers will enjoy
exploring the region’s mountains
and valleys. Alicante is home to six
Nature Reserves, namely, La Font
Roja (Alcoy and Ibi), Peñón de Ifach
Sports
The good climate and widespread
availability of sports facilities make
the Costa Blanca an ideal holiday
destination for the active tourist,
especially watersports enthusiasts.
Many beaches awarded prized
European Blue-Flag status have
funfairs geared to a family type of
public. Seaside towns offer sailing
schools, yacht clubs, windsurfing and
water-skiing instruction, swimming
and scuba-diving clubs. In- and offshore fishing are also common
hereabouts.
As regards sports clubs and
marinas, special mention should be
made of Denia, Jávea, Moraira,
Calpe, Altea, Benidorm, Villajoyosa,
El Campello, Alicante, Santa Pola,
Torrevieja, Dehesa de Campoamor,
Cabo Roig and Pilar de la Horadada.
Where competitive sport is
concerned, the main event is Altea’s
200-mile Regatta. The region’s
exceptional climate allows for
outdoor sports activity all year
round, with sports federations
choosing the Costa Blanca for winter
and pre-competition training, a
service niche in which the town of
L’Alfàs del Pi has specialised.
A dozen golf courses afford the
keen golfer the enviable opportunity
of playing a round or two while on
holiday. Several resort towns have
Moraira. Marina
(Calpe), Montgó (Denia and Jávea),
Salinas de Santa Pola (salt-pans and
salt marsh), Lagunas de la Mata and
Torrevieja (wetlands), and El Hondo
de Elche, as well as the Isle of
Tabarca, and Cape La Nao and Cape
San Antonio marine reserves. For
visitors to the La Marina Baixa
district, the prospect of climbing the
29
park with exhibit of marine life and
exotic species. 96 586 91 01.
Sierra Helada. and fax
96 586 01 00. Aquascope.
Glass-bottomed boats and sea trips.
Benidorm harbour
96 585 00 52. Festilandia.
Funfair. Avenida del Mediterráneo.
96 585 41 26. Cable Ski. Rincón
de l’Oix Beach.
Busot. Canelobre Caves. Wonder of
nature. 96 569 92 50.
Calpe: Festival Park. Funfair. Levante
beach. 96 583 79 67. Peñón
Cruises. Sea trip. Calpe harbour.
96 585 00 52
Elche: Río Safari. Safari park. At the
4-kilometre mark on the Elche-Santa
Pola road. 96 663 82 88. Huerto
del Cura. Botanical gardens.
96 545 19 36.
Penáguila: Safari Aitana. SellaVillajoyosa road. 96 552 92 73
Torrevieja: Aquopolis aquapark.
Finca La Valla Grande.
Vergel: Safari Park Vergel. Safari
park. Valencia-Alicante road, near
Pego. 96 575 02 85.
Serra Gelada, Sierra Bernia and
Aitana Ranges holds out the
possibility of a more strenuous kind
of outing.
Leisure and Theme Parks
Alicante: Tabarca Cruises. Sea trips.
Alicante harbour.
96 521 63 96.
L’Alfàs del Pi: Torneo Medieval
(medieval tourney). Dinner and
show. Benidorm-Altea road. Foso del
terror (Pit of horrors). Theme park.
Benidorm-Altea road.
Elche. Huerto del Cura
(Priest’s Garden)
Culture
A date with art, music or cinema,
or a trip scheduled so as to be able
to participate in a seminar or
attend a cultural event are further
reasons for choosing the Costa
Blanca as a tourist destination.
The Ciudad Patricia courses in
Benidorm, the seminars
programmed by the Elda, Pinoso
and Guardamar del Segura
96 686 55 92.
Altea. Cactuslandia. Plant and
animal life. La Galera del Mar, 26.
96 584 22 18.
Benidoleig. Calaveras Cave. Wonder
of nature. 96 640 42 35.
Benidorm: “TERRA MÍTICA”.
Mediterranean theme park.
902 02 02 20. Aqualandia.
Aquapark and Mundomar theme
30
Benidorm and Torrevieja all have
bustling nightlife areas, with clubs
and music bars, often situated in the
heart of the Old Quarter. In the
coastal resorts, the seafront
promenades really come into their
own at night, with friends grouping,
regrouping and lingering till dawn.
universities and the courses for
foreign students at Alicante
University are high-profile occasions
affording an opportunity to
participate in debates on topics of
current cultural interest. In the world
of cinema, the L’Alfàs del Pi and
Elche Film Festivals, specialising in
shorts, and the Orihuela Encuentros
de cine e historia are three events
warranting special mention. Drama
tends to focus on the regular
theatre-season programme at
Alicante’s Teatro Principal and the
annual Review of Contemporary
Theatre, sponsored by the Ministry
of Culture. Music occupies a special
place in the form of the Benidorm
Song Festival, specialising in pop, the
Torrevieja Habanera and Choral
Music Contest and the Alicante
Festival of Contemporary Music.
Music, polyphony and theatre join
forces in the unique spectacle that is
the Misteri d’Elx, Mediterranean
culture’s oldest known sung dramatic
work. It is staged in Elche’s Church of
Santa María every August and, on
exceptional occasions, in November
as well. The Azorín Prize for novels
and the Enric Valor Prize for texts in
Valencian are the highlights in the
literary calendar.
The coast puts on a nightly train
service, dubbed the Trensnochador
(a play on the Spanish words for
train and night-owl), which
transports young disco-goers
between clubs along the Alicante-
Alicante. St. John’s Day festivities
Altea stretch from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m..
There are 33 stops, coinciding with
the most popular night-time venues.
The liveliest and best-known dance
spots are to be found at San Juan
Beach, on the Torrevieja road, and
between Benidorm and Altea. Those
keen on gambling can try their luck
at the Casino Costa Blanca (on the
Villajoyosa road).
Nightlife
Enjoying the Costa Blanca’s nightlife,
particularly when it is really hot and
one is sorely tempted to prolong the
day into the early hours, is
something well within the reach and
pocket of any visitor. Alicante, Elche,
31
Festivals & Folklore
Quarter the entire neighbourhood
takes part. Most of these processions
are held after dark.
The Moros y Cristianos (Moors and
Christians) fiesta is the Alicante
region’s celebration par excellence.
During the different times of year
when festivities are held in those
towns that keep this tradition alive,
thousands of people are involved.
Dressed in lavish costumes, they
participate in parades, posturing and
swaggering bravado, dances,
swashbuckling displays and mock
battles, and all this to the sound of
raucous music, the thunderous din of
With the arrival of the summer
solstice, Alicante’s streets fill with
artistically contrived cardboard
figures destined to be cast into the
flames on St. John’s Day, to the
explosive accompaniment of
fireworks. Using commonplace
scenes, the bonfires, known as las
Hogueras (or in Valencian as, les
fogueres de Sant Joan) satirise the
life of the city, its streets becoming a
arquebuses and acrid smell of
gunpowder. Alcoy in April is the
capital of this tradition of bloodless
struggle between two opposing
bands: the Moors who were expelled
from Spain after seven centuries of
occupation and the Christians, who
extended their territory and customs.
Each town adds its particular touch
to the fiesta: in Villajoyosa, the forces
arrive by sea; in Biar, the effigy of
Mohammed is borne aloft as a
standard, and in Alicante’s San Blas
Moors and Christians
permanent source of entertainment
in the form of typical barracas
(makeshift booths), parades and
lively processions. Other rites of fire
include the Fallas Fiesta in March,
typified by Valencia’s St. Joseph’s Day
festivities yet also celebrated in Denia
and Benidorm.
In the Alicante locality, festivities
reach a peak with the staging of the
Misteri in the city of Elche on the
32
which continues to produce goods
with great tourist appeal. The oldest
artisan activity is that of pottery and
ceramics, with production centred on
the towns of Biar, Onil, Agost and
Orba. While a visit to these parts is
interesting in itself, the local
handmade products can be acquired
in many of the province’s resorts. The
catalogue of items produced includes
everything from traditional twospouted water jars (botijos) to large
amphora-like earthenware wine vats
(tinajas), not forgetting to mention
pitchers (cántaros), mortars
(morteros) and water ewers
(aguamaniles). The same applies to
basketry items made of esparto
grass, osier, rush and palmetto. Gata
de Gorgos is the main
manufacturing and sales centre, but
wickerwork furniture, straw hats and
baskets can be purchased all along
the coast. Elx produces the symbolic
palm decorations for Palm Sunday,
while Callosa de Segura and Cox
make the typical esparto-grass and
canvas alpargatas (Spanish version of
the French espadrille).
eve and day of 15th August.
Undeniably part of the heritage of
mankind, the play is a cultural relic,
with the drama of the Assumption of
the Virgin Mary unfolding to the
accompaniment of medieval music
and song, presenting the audience
with a work that is at once religious
and musical. Religious traditions are
likewise in evidence in their full
splendour and brilliance in the Easter
Week processions held in Orihuela
and Crevillente, the Passion Play
produced in Callosa de Segura and
Altea, and the re-enactment of the
Elche Mystery Play (Misteri d’Elx)
Similarly, where textiles are
concerned, an attractive range of
handiwork is on offer. Shopping for
embroidery and needlework is
typical in San Juan, whilst the towns
of Monóvar, Algueña, Novelda,
Pinoso and La Romana sell
handmade lacework (encaje de
bolillo). In Guadalest and the
surrounding area, knitted garments
made of brightly coloured wool are
the main mementos on sale.
story of the Three Magi in Cañada.
One further date on the Costa Blanca
fiesta calendar is the spectacle known
as toros a la mar or bous a la mar
(bulls by the sea) held on the Denia
quayside.
Shopping & Handicrafts
Alicante’s thriving industrial sector
has in no way acted as a brake on its
deep-rooted handicrafts tradition,
33
and entertainment, hotels, catering
and tourist facilities, fiesta apparel
and accessories, and tourist
promotions.
Wrought ironwork tends to be
localised in the Denia, Agres, Villena,
Torrevieja and El Campello areas.
Using traditional techniques, Alcoy
continues to manufacture
blunderbuses (trabucos) for use in
fiestas.
Local cuisine
The staples of the so-called
Mediterranean diet constitute the
basic ingredients of Alicante cuisine.
Rice, cooked in all manner of ways
and styles, is undoubtedly the most
frequent dish in the provincial
cuisine. On the coast, rice and broth
are eaten together with the fish
from which both draw their flavour,
true to the traditions of the fish stew
that local fishermen used to cook up.
Arroz a banda is the name given to
the dish in which the rice, drier and
dyed the colour of the
accompanying dried red peppers or
ñoras, is served alone. Other
variations allow for the rice to be
flavoured with squid (calamar) and
tunny fish, chicken and fillet of pork,
baby squid (chipirones) and garlic
shoots, or tunny fish and shrimps
(gambas). It just depends on which
ingredients are lying to hand.
Santa Pola and Torrevieja specialise, in
the former case in objects made of
seashells, and in the latter case, in tiny
boats overlaid with salt crystal taken
from the neighbouring salt-pans. The
old Pinoso and Monóvar wineries
produce wines which, thanks to the
quality of the barrels, bouquet and
taste, are the most famous of those
sold under the Alicante Seal of Origin
(Denominación de Origen,
equivalent to the French Appellation
d’Origine Contrôleé). Other items
to be bought on the Costa Blanca
include dolls from Ibi and Onil, rugs
and carpets from Crevillente, turrón
and ice-cream from Jijona, and
footwear from Elche, Elda and Villena.
Trade Fairs and Exhibitions
The Alicante Trade Fair Institute
(Institución Ferial Alicantina - IFA)
Exhibition Grounds, located on the
Alicante-Elche road close to the
airport, are the venue for a busy,
year-long schedule of trade fairs
focusing on the most dynamic
sectors of the province’s economy.
The leading events feature homemade ice-cream, footwear, fashion,
leather and fur, caravanning, leisure
Rice and seafood dish
34
At the seaside, shellfish and saltdried fish are on the menus of every
restaurant. The day’s choice might
include gilthead bream (dorada),
bass baked in salt (lubina a la sal),
seafood with a squeeze of lemon, or
some delicious sea-fresh red mullet
(salmonete) and whiting
(pescadilla). Whether steamed or
grilled, clams (almejas), King prawns
(langostinos), pink and brown
shrimps (gambas rojas, quisquillas)
are a delight to the palate, as is the
dish that combines mojama (saltdried tunny) with cod (bacalao),
mackerel (caballa) and a garnishing
of olives.
A range of the local turrón
sweetmeat
turkey, sometimes coated with a
layer of egg and baked in the oven)
and the heady pava borracha (roast
turkey a la cognac).
In the mountain areas, rice forms an
integral part of the olleta, a typical
dish in which it is mixed with pork,
sausage meats, pumpkin, turnip,
chard stalks (pencas), chickpeas and
string beans. Rice can also be used as
a filling in bajoques farcides, an
appetising dish of stuffed peppers. As
could be expected, the inland areas
offer excellent meat dishes, e.g., pork
cutlets, rabbit cooked in garlic and
tomato, leg of lamb, and local
sausage meats. In the Vinalopó and
Segura river valleys, full advantage
has been taken of the locally-grown
produce to build up a cuisine
featuring dishes, such as cocido con
pelotas (potage containing balls
made of egg and finely diced parsley,
crumbed and fried), olla viuda
(vegetable stew, with onion,
chickpeas, garlic and spinach, eaten
during Lent), arroz con costra (rice
with sausage meats and chicken or
The mouthwatering desserts of the
Alicante region feature Jijona
turrón, ice-cream, grapes, raisins,
dates, almond pastries, pasteles de
gloria (a sugared confectionery
made with egg yolk and traditionally
eaten on Easter Saturday, sabado de
gloria) and almojábenas (sweet,
fritter-like pastries, dipped in syrup),
not forgetting the coffee liqueur
from Alcoi and the herb liqueurs of
the Sierra Mariola Range. The finest
wines -reds, rosés and claretes (not a
claret but a light-coloured wine
midway between red and rosé)- are
made in the Alto Vinalopó and
Marina Alta districts.
35
Orihuela: Francisco Die, 25.
96 530 27 47, fax 96 530 59 64
Pilar de la Horadada: Carretillas, 19.
96 676 70 68,
fax 96 535 20 72
Santa Pola: Plaza de la Diputación.
96 669 22 76, fax 96 541 46 51
Teulada: Moraira-Calpe road. Centro
comercial (Shopping Mall).
/fax 96 574 51 68
Torrevieja: Plaza Ruiz Capdepont.
96 570 34 33, fax 96 571 59 36
Vilar de Biar: Avenida de Villena.
96 581 11 77
Villajoyosa: Costera de la Mar.
96 685 13 71, fax 96 685 29 47
USEFUL ADDRESSES
International Dialing Code: 34
Turespaña Tourist Information
901 300 600
www.tourspain.es
Agencia Valenciana de Turismo
(Valencian Tourist Authority)
Avenida de Aragón, 30, 8ª.
46021 Valencia. 96 398 60 00,
fax 96 398 60 01
Patronato Provincial de Turismo
Costa Blanca (Costa Blanca
Provincial Tourist Board)
Federico Soto, 4. 30001 Alicante.
96 523 01 60, 902 10 09 10
Tourist Information Offices:
Alicante: Explanada de España, 2.
96 520 00 00, fax 96 520 02 43
Altea: Carrer Sant Pere, 9.
96 584 41 14, fax 96 584 42 13
L’Alfàs del Pi: Federico García
Lorca, 11. 96 588 82 65,
fax 96 588 71 12
Benidorm: Avenida Martínez
Alejos, 6. 96 585 13 11 96 585 32 24, fax 96 586 36 25
Calpe: Plaza del Mosquit.
96 583 85 32, fax 96 583 85 31
Campello: Avenida Generalitat
Valenciana. 96 563 46 06
Denia: Plaza Oculista Buigues, 9.
96 642 23 67, fax 96 578 09 57
Elche: Parque Municipal.
96 545 27 47, fax 96 545 78 94
Finestrat: Avenida de la Marina
Baixa, 14. 96 680 12 08,
fax 96 680 12 72
Guardamar: Plaza de la
Constitución, 7. /fax 96 572 72 92
Jávea: Almirante Bastarreche, 11.
96 579 07 36, fax 96 579 60 57
Useful Telephone Numbers
Hospital Emergencies: 112
Red Cross (Cruz Roja):
96 525 41 41
El Altet Airport: 96 691 90 00
Renfe (Spanish Rail):
902 24 02 02
Bus and Coach Station:
96 513 07 00
Taxis: 96 510 16 1196 525 25 11
Road Traffic: Road & Highway
information 900 123 505
Paradors (State-run hotels)
Central booking office.
Calle Requena, 3. Madrid 28013.
91 516 66 66,
fax 91 516 66 57.
www.parador.es
E-mail: [email protected]
Parador de Jávea: Avenida del
Mediterráneo, 7. 96 579 02 00,
fax 96 579 03 08
36
SPANISH TOURIST INFORMATION
OFFICES ABROAD
Canada. Toronto
Tourist Office of Spain
2 Bloor Street West Suite 3402
TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2
1416/961 31 31,
fax: 1416/961 19 92
e-mail: [email protected]
Great Britain. London
Spanish Tourist Office
Manchester Square, 22-23.
LONDON W1M 5AP
44207/486 80 77,
fax: 44207/486 80 34
e-mail: [email protected]
Japan. Tokyo
Tourist Office of Spain
Daini Toranomon Denki Bldg.4F. 3-1-10
Toranomon. Minato-Ku. TOKIO-105
813/34 32 61 41,
fax: 813/34 32 61 44
e-mail: [email protected]
Russia. Moscow
Tourist Office of Spain
Tverskaya – 16/2 Business Center
“Galeria Aktor” 6º floor.
MOSCOW 103009
7095/935 83 97,
fax: 7095/935 83 96
e-mail: [email protected]
Singapore. Singapore
Tourist Office of Spain
541Orchard Road. Liat Tower # 09-04
238881 SINGAPORE
657/37 30 08, fax: 657/37 31 73
e-mail: [email protected]
United States of America
Los Angeles. Tourist Office of Spain
8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 960
BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211
1323/658 71 95 fax: 1323/658 10 61
e-mail: [email protected]
Chicago. Tourist Office Of Spain
Water Tower Place, suite 915 East
845, North Michigan Avenue
CHICAGO, ILL 60-611
1312/642 19 92,
fax: 1312/642 98 17
e-mail: [email protected]
Miami. Tourist Office of Spain
1221 Brickell Avenue
MIAMI, Florida 33131
1305/358 19 92,
fax: 1305/358 82 23
e-mail: [email protected]
New York
Tourist Office of Spain
666 Fifth Avenue 35th.floor
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103
1212/ 265 88 22
Fax: 1212/ 265 88 64
e-mail: [email protected]
Embassies in Madrid
Canada. Nuñez de Balboa, 35
91 431 43 00, fax: 91 431 23 67
Great Britain. Fernando El Santo, 16
91 319 02 00, fax: 91 308 10 33
Japan. Serrano, 109
91 590 76 00, fax: 91 590 13 21
Russia. Velazquez, 155
91 562 22 64, fax: 91 562 97 12
United States of America.
Serrano, 75
91 587 22 00, fax: 91 587 23 03
CONSULATE IN ALICANTE
Great Britain
Plaza Calvo Sotelo, 1-2. 96 521 60 22;
Fax: 96 514 05 28
Text:
Jaime Millás
Translation:
Michael D. Benedict
Photographs:
Turespaña Photographic Archives
Layout and design:
Florencio García
Published by
© Turespaña
Secretaría de Estado de Comercio y
Turismo
Ministerio de Economía
Printed by:
IMPRESA
D.L. MNIPO: 380-00-006-2
Printed in Spain
2nd. Edition
Costa Blanca
Alicante Spain
MINISTERIO
DE ECONOMÍA
SECRETARÍA DE
ESTADO DE COMERCIO
Y TURISMO
SECRETARÍA
GENERAL DE TURISMO
TURESPAÑA
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
European Regional
Development Fund
I