Moraira
Javea
Calpe
Benidorm
Lliber
Villajoyosa
Guadalest
Altea
Before the huge influx of foreigners into the region, Moraira was a very small, unspoilt fishing village.
Nowadays, although it has been developed to satisfy the needs of the people wishing to make the area their home or just to holiday there, Moraira has become an upmarket resort with none of the high rise hotel and apartment blocks associated with a lot of Spanish coastal resorts.
There are many good restaurants in which to spend a relaxing evening. Many fiestas are held in Moraira throughout the year, but one of the most spectacular one is the Fiesta of the Moors and Christians which is held in June, which needs to be seen to be believed.
The local market is held on a Friday morning, where there is excellent local produce on sale together with the usual stalls full of non food items.
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The town of Javea is basically split into three different areas - the old town, the port and the beach or arenal area.
The narrow streets of the old town are lined with beautiful houses with fine stonework and wrough-iron balconies. The port area, called the Aduanas de Mar, has a busy working harbour, where fishing boats are to be seen bringing in their catches for sale in the fish markets.
In the port area is to be found the local cinema which shows Spanish and English language films.
The arenal beach area has been a popular resort for years especially for families as the shallow bay and sandy beach is ideal for children. Many good restaurants line the promenade with views over the bay or out over the nearby mountain of Montgo. For those who enjoy "a round or two" there is an excellent golf course in Javea.
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Calpe's most famous landmark is the Penon d'Ifach, a huge 332metre tall block of limestone which seems to rise vertically out of the sea. The highrise hotels blocks are dwarfed by the rock which can be climbed from a pathway, or for the enthusiastic climber, up the rockface. The walk along the pathway is through a short tunnel, built in 1918 which allows walkers access to the gentler slopes. The views of Calpe and the surrounding areas are well worth the effort of the climb to the top.
Although the rock dominates Calpe, visitors to the area can enjoy several excellent beaches, good shopping and a produce and goods market held most Saturday mornings. As with most Spanish resorts, the old part of the town is well worth a visit, with many interesting back streets. A museum housing some of the costumes from past Moors and Christians Fiestas is situated in the old town and is well worth a visit. Calpe's recently opened Casa de Cultura hosts many concerts and events throughout the year.
There are excellent restuarants including several fish restaurants which are situated in the harbour area nearby to the fish market, where the fish is auctioned.
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Although most peoples' perception of Benidorm is of a concrete jungle of high rise hotel and apartment blocks, there is a lot more to be seen and enjoyed there.
There are two long bays, the Playa de Levante and the Playa de Poniente. The Playa de Levante is a beautiful, 2km long, sandy bay, which even though the beach and sea are used by many, many thousands of people every summer, still remains one of the world's cleanest.
In between both bays is a small prominatory which is Benidorm old town. Narrow streets are home to some interesting shops and is always buzzing with the many visitors to the town. Boat trips from places like Denia and Calpe dock alongside the front at the old town, and a boat trip can make a nice change away from the crowds of Benidorm. It is also good to get a different viewpoint of the town from the sea.
Benidorm has something for all ages, with its many hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, nightclubs and mulitplex cinema showing Spanish and English language films. You can get involved with the buzz of Benidorm as much or as little as you like and the promenade is a great place to just "people watch".
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Lliber is a pretty village which you can travel through on your way from Benissa to Jalon. The way through the village is narrow and only allows for single lane traffic in any one direction.
It is in the centre of the fertile valley of Jalon, made famous for it's wine production. Most people drive through Lliber on their way to the Bodega's of Jalon (wine cellars) where you can taste the wines prior to buying the inexpensive, locally produced, good quality wines.
There is also a large 'rastro' (second hand market) held in Jalon each Saturday morning which attracts visitors from all around the area. It is worthwhile parking the car in Lliber and taking the time to investigate it more thoroughly. There is a short walk uphill to the church and nearby 12 stations of the cross. The view over the valley is breathtaking and worth the climb. There are also pretty little back streets which are missed on the drive through the village. There is a small village square just below the church where you can stop and get refreshment at the local bar.
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Villajoyosa, "the jewelled town", with its Roman and Moorish origins, started modern life as a fishing village. The old quarter with its brightly coloured houses is the principal sight. They were painted in such vivid colours, it is said, so that their fishermen owners would be able to identify their homes when they were out at sea.
It is to the south of Benidorm and is a popular holiday town with a long sandy beach and everything for the modern visitor including the Costa Blanca region's main casino. The Moors and Christians Fiesta takes place in July.
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The pretty mountain village of Castell de Guadalest is a huge tourist attraction for both the Spanish and visitors to the area. Despite this, the village remains relatively unspoilt. This is probably due to the fact that the oldest part of the village is only accessible by foot through a 50' tunnel cut into the limestone rock.
It attracts 2 million visitors a year and the white painted bell tower is precariously balanced on the summit of a spectacular rock. Guadalest, like so much of the region, was founded by the Moors. In 1644 and 1748 earthquakes hit the village which caused considerable damage.
The village has an abundance of gift shops selling reasonably priced, good quality items, and there are several small restaurants.
On reaching the top part of the village, there are spectacular views, particularly over the nearby reservoir. For those people who enjoy walking, there is a fairly easy walk around the reservoir with good restaurants in the local villages at the end of it.
Less than 1km further on from the entrance to Guadalest village is El Arca (The Ark) which is an animal rescue centre for all types of animals which have been mistreated from around the world. This is well worth a visit and the cost of entry goes someway to helping to keep the animals.
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Altea is situated to the North of Benidorm. There are modern beachfront hotels and the promenade is lined with interesting restaurants and bars.
Shopping in the town lacks the usual holiday souvenir shops associated with larger resorts and most of the shops are quite up-market.
Although fairly close to Benidorm it is saved from the hordes of tourists, probably because the beaches are mostly pebbles and rocks. On a hill above the beach area you will find Altea old town, with its usual collection of narrow streets of white painted houses This is just about the prettiest pueblo in all the Valencian Community. If you make the climb to the top, then you find the beautiful blue tiled roof church which dates back mainly from the 16th century and dominates the skyline. There is a wonderful view from the church and restaurants flank the square and make a very pleasant diversion from the crowds of the coastal places.
A huge street market is held in Altea on Tuesdays which is big attraction with people who stay in Benidorm. There is an excellent train service which runs through Altea, making travelling there and easy experience.
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