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Valencian Community Travel Guide

Getting To Know Alicante Spain   by Johnathan Bakers

If you pull out a map of Spain and look on the eastern site of the country, you will see Valencia. Just south of that, a smaller, not as well known area called Alicante. To the south of Alicante is Murcia, and on its west and north are mountains. A trip to the east will take you right to the Mediterranean Sea. The Alicante region has been increasing in popularity because of travel sites within the province including Benidorm, Alcoy, Torrevieja, and Elche.

In the summer the area is flooded with tourists, about 6 million people take a holiday to the Costa Blanca area every year. It has been dubbed the best all around city in Spain for a reason. To get to Costa Blanca it is an easy drive from the Spain or Alicante Airport.

Alicante, Spain Climate

You can expect the same weather you would in most areas of the Mediterranean on your trip to this region. In the summer, the heat is intense, and the air is very dry with no rain to be found. Winters are equally dry, but much cooler, although you will likely not see it get cold enough to produce snow. The rain becomes a factor in the spring and autumn, with autumn being the most likely time to experience a rainstorm.

What to do in Alicante

By far the most popular features are all the beaches. There is not a summer day that goes by when there are not bodies all along the beaches taking in the endless sun and enjoying the sand and surf. Others appreciate a good locale to relax and take a stroll along the promenade, grab a bite in a sidewalk caf, or take a look for souvenirs that are being sold by the craftspeople along the waterfront.

Even duffers are drawn to this area. There are a number of golf courses to choose from with golf fees ranging from 35 to 80 euros to play. In the summer, this is a very popular pastime, so you will want to call extra early to make a reservation before you arrive.

If sightseeing is more up your alley, you will not be disappointed. There are a number of churches and cathedrals in Alicante. One of the most popular is the Concathedral of San Nicholas de Bari, which is a city landmark.

There is also a medieval fortress that should not be missed; it is the Castle of Santa Barbara. This fortress, built in the ninth century by the Moors, is said to be one of the biggest medieval fortresses in Europe. While seeing the castle from town is impressive, seeing the view from the castle is astounding! Inside the castle you will find artifacts that have been dated as far back as the Bronze Age, as well as a more modern art and sculpture gallery. For those with a little partying in mind, the place to be is Barrio Santa Cruz. While this is the older portion of the city, it is quite young in spirit. There are bars and pubs serving well into the night, and you can also take in some music from the area clubs.

About the Author
Concentrating on the area of Alicante Spain, Johnathan Bakers publishes especially for http://www.alicante-spain.com . His abstracts on tourist news alicante spain can be found on his site .

The Northern Costa Blanca in Spain is among the most popular holiday destinations for UK tourists. The popular areas are the beach resorts, but an ever-increasing band of holiday makers are heading for the golf courses, and Denia is able to offer both types of holiday. The town sits at the foot of the Montgo Mountain with holiday villas lining its lower slopes with stunning views over Denia and out to sea. Many of these are available to rent and make an excellent base for a self-catering holiday.

The closest golf course to Denia is the 18 hole La Sella course, set in the grounds of the Denia Marriott Hotel. A little further up the coast towards Valencia is the Oliva Nova Golf Course that was designed by Spain's famous golfer Seve Ballesteros. There is also the Javea Golf Club, Ifach Golf Course near Calpe, and the Club de Golf Don Cayo near Altea, all within an hour's drive of Denia.

Denia itself has 20km of beach, which means that you can have a beach holiday in Spain without having to worry about overcrowding. Beach bars and restaurants are always close by with prices ranging from low budget to high class and with summer temperatures that can reach the 40 degree mark, the beach bars are very handy.

Many of the car rentals companies have offices in Denia, so you can explore the local countryside or visit one of the golf courses. If you want to try going further a field, you can take a boat trip to one of the other Costa Blanca resorts such as Javea, Calpe, Altea or Benidorm. Denia also boasts a large port with ferries going to Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera which lie in the Mediterranean just off Denia, and can be seen from the San Antoni Lighthouse that sits on a headland between Denia and Javea.

Getting to and from Alicante could not be easier from Denia as the Railway Station is built next to the port with regular services to Alicante via Benissa, Calpe, Altea and Benidorm.

Directly opposite the port is the main shopping area of Denia. The longest and most well-known of the shopping streets is the tree lined "Marques de Campo" that ends in a large square. This area often forms the centre of the local fiestas. It is easy to spend an entire day exploring the department stores and side streets, and relaxing in the many bars and cafes.

The whole of Denia is overlooked by the Castle. It was built in the 11th and 12th centuries and includes the Church of the Assumption and a number of interesting museums, as well as wonderful views over the sea and the countryside and towns close to Denia.

With so much to offer Denia is becoming more popular because of its large beaches, excellent shopping, regular train service to Alicante, ferry links to many other towns both on mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, and recreational facilities such as the local golf courses.

About the Author
Sean O'Brien has lived on Spain's Costa Blanca for 6 years and works on behalf of the property management and villa rental companies http://www.totalcarespain.com and http://www.totalcarerentals.com

Javea, situated between la Nao and San Antonio Capes and divided into three areas, the port, the town and the beach is a magnet for tourists in the summer season.

The backdrop of Javea is the Montgó Mountain which rises up to 753m in between Denia and Javea. There are about 600 different species of flora in this area and it is possible to climb the Montgó from all sides. The views from the top are stunning, taking in the surrounding area and out to sea and on a clear day you can see the island of Ibiza.

From San Antonio to Granadella Beach (which is a fantastic area for scuba diving and is very picturesque) there are fourteen viewing points where you can take in the scenery of the Mediterranean.

The Soler Blasco Archaeological and Ethnological Museum has examples of medieval ceramics with a permanent exhibition and two rooms with temporary exhibitions.

During the civil war The Convent was destroyed in Javea but in 1946 the Agustine nuns rebuilt it and this can be seen at Placeta del Convent.

As with many of the coastal towns the main ingredient in many of the dishes is fish. The tasty cruet de peix, the suc roig and the fish platters are all prepared fresh. Desserts include pumpkin buñueos, pastissets d'ametia made with almost and the tortada.

BEACHES

Arenal - Located in a beautiful bay between the headlands of Cabo San Antonio and Cabo San Martin, the Arenal beach in Javea has become a magnet for tourists. The sandy beach is ideal for families offering water sports such as water skiing and jet skiing (the Port area) and for the younger ones there are volleyball nets, pedaloes, climbing frames and slides. The crystal clear waters are very rarely rough and you do have to wade out quite a way to get out of your depth - making it ideal for the children. Lifeguards and volunteers from the Red Cross are available should you ever need assistance and the beach is cleaned every night by the local council.

A wide promenade separates the beach from the huge range of bars, restaurants and shops and some summer evenings you will find various stalls displaying jewellery, carvings and other handcrafted items. Although the beach does get a little crowded during the months of July and August there are ample places to park and plenty of sunbeds and parasols for shade.

Javea is situated approximately 90km from Alicante and 105km from Valencia and is connected by the A7 motorway (junctions 62 to 63), the N-332 via Gata de Gorgos and then the A-142 to Javea. Follow the signs to the Arenal beach.

Granadella - The cove of Granadella attracts many people during the summer months, a mixture of rocks, pebbles and boulders leading down to the sea where you can dive, snorkel and jet ski. Although a small beach there are toilets, parking and somewhere to get something to eat and drink. From the Arenal beach head towards Cabo de La Nao and past the lighthouse (great views from here and this is the separation between the two gulfs of Alicante and Valencia). Follow the winding road through pine trees and down into the creek.

About the Author
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