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Travel Guide
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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.
Top
About the Author: oncentrating
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
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Denia
- Costa Blanca Holiday Resort On The Rise by Sean O'Brien
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.
top
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 |
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Javea,
Spain by Anita C
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.
top
About the Author: Look For
It Buscalo Magazine a free monthly magazine in Spain. Look for Spanish
property for sale, all about buying investment property in Spain, Tourist
information and much more. |
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