The Costa Blanca or White Coast extends along the eastern coast of Spain (approximately in the middle) and covers the province of Alicante.
To the north of Denia is the Costa del Azahar and to the south of Torrevieja is the Costa Calida.
The Costa Blanca is not as cold or wet in the winter as the Costa Brava, north of Costa Blanca, nor is it as humid or hot in the summer as the Costa del Sol, in the south.
The Costa Blanca has the best all year round temperatures. The climate is recognised as one of the best in the world by the World Health Organisation.
Many people with arthritis come to the Costa Blanca and within days feel much better. In the winter months the Costa Blanca is lucky enough to have nearly as many sunny days as in the summertime.
The Costa Blanca is famous for its tourism. Once upon a time the places along the coast were mostly just tiny fishing villages. Then the fantastic climate and beaches attracted tourists and the area boomed. Some towns have restricted their development and retained their original charms while others have over-developed and lost what charm they originally had.
The Costa Blanca area of Spain is located approximately half-way along the east coast of Spain. The area is a very popular tourist destination because of its excellent weather and climate and the many superb beaches which stretch for miles and miles along the coast.
One of the good things about coming on holiday to the Costa Blanca is the different types of places you can visit. There is great variety and each place has something for everyone.
For example you can go inland and enjoy the unspoilt traditional 'real' Spain or you can stay on the coast and enjoy the hustle and bustle and nightlife of busy tourist resorts such as Benidorm or alternatively within a short distance you can stay on the coast in quaint, quiet fishing villages – the choice is yours!
Northern Costa Blanca – Tour
The Northern Costa Blanca coast starts around Gandia, then heading south we pass Oliva then Pego and Ondara. This area is full of orange groves and majestic mountains in the background. The sandy beaches are excellent and uncrowded. Inland is pretty with Jativa a beautiful town with a superb castle and Villalonga.
Moving down the coast you come to Els Poblets, then Denia which has a marina and port from which you can get a ferry across to Ibiza and Majorca. Now the coast changes from being flat to rugged with coves and rocky beaches.
Inland is the Orba valley with villages such as Sagra, Orba, Benimeli, Benidoleig (with big urbanisations of Colina del Sol and Panosol), Beniarbeig, Sanet y Negrals, Tormos, Murla with the popular Puerta del Valle Urbanisation, Benichembla, El Rafol d'Almunia, Benimaurrell, Fleix, Campell, Fontilles, Paradisorba, Aspre-Obreta and Montaneta El Eden.
To the south of Denia comes Javea with its sandy beach followed by Moraira, a smaller town also with a good sandy beach. Inland are the working towns of Gata de Gorgos, Jesus Pobre, La Jara, Pedreguer and Benitachell and the Jalon Valley famous for its vineyards and blossoms comprising of the towns and villages of Lliber, Jalon, Xalo, Alcalali and Parcent.
Teulada is inland of Moraira as is the town of Benissa although its rolling hills extend down to the coast where there are rocky beaches and coves, then to Calpe, one of the Costa Blanca's most famous tourist destinations.
Originally a small fishing village, Calpe is now a busy town with high rise hotels and apartments blocks dominating the skyline. Calpe has the famous rock called the Penon de Ifach which rises from the sea. On either side are two fantastic wide sandy beaches.
The Costa Blanca has over 100 kms of sandy beaches and rocky coves and many of the beaches have the coveted European Blue Flag signifying cleanliness and safe bathing.
Of course the charms of the area have meant that many foreigners now live here. There has been a property explosion with many people regarding the Costa Blanca as the California of Europe. Not just people retiring, nowadays many young families move to the Costa Blanca searching for a better lifestyle. Every nationality can be found here but especially English and Germans (oh and some Spanish too!).
The Costa Blanca is a beautiful region with mountains stretching along most of the coast. The A7 motorway (with some toll sections) stretches from north to south along the coast. The N-332 also runs parallel yet is free from charges although much slower as it passes through the middle of many towns.
There are huge amounts of flights into Alicante airport, especially from Northern Europe. Valencia airport to the north is also well serviced. Further to the south of the Costa Blanca is Murcia airport. With the advent of many low-cost airlines many people live in Spain and commute to work in England. Flying time is only about 2 hours which often doesn't get you far when driving on congested roads in England.
The northern Costa Blanca is typically mountainous with cliffs and coves, a mixture of pebble beaches and fine sandy beaches. North of Altea towards Calpe it is surprisingly very green and lush. Beach resorts such as Javea and Moraira are very popular with expats.
The Costa Blanca has something for everyone from tiny rural inland villages to cosmopolitan tourist resorts on the coast such as Benidorm.
The Costa Blanca isn't necessarily a place one would go to see historical monuments (although there are many). Its attractions lie in its beauty – the amazing vivid blue Mediterranean waters, the lovely sandy beaches, the old towns and villages with their old narrow streets, the restaurants and bars where one can sit and relax outside because of the wonderful all-year round climate. It's simply a wonderful place in which to enjoy life (as we should do but often don't) and feel rejuvenated and refreshed.
Heading south we come across swanky Altea with its hills full of whitewashed houses, winding cobbled streets and designer shops. Next is Alfaz del Pi (also known as L'Alfas del Pi) with the beach area of Albir and then Benidorm, the biggest tourist resort on the Costa Blanca.
Benidorm is huge with masses of high rise skyscrapers. The beaches of Playa Levante, Playa Poniente, Playa de Mal Pas and Playa de Cala Finestrat are excellent and the nightlife is legendary.
There are plenty of hotels, cafes, entertainment, shopping and a number of fine theme parks for the family such as Terra Mitica, Aqualandia, Mundomar, Terra Natura and Aqua Natura.
Take a boat trip to La Isla de Benidorm, a small uninhabited island great for snorkeling. Go watch a show at the Benidorm Palace.
After Benidorm the coast becomes flat with mile after mile of sandy beaches. Also the mountains in the background begin to fade further and further away.
Take an excursion from Benidorm inland past La Nucia, Polop, Callosa d'En Sarria to the castle at Guadalest, a renowned Costa Blanca tourist attraction. Also close to Callosa d'En Sarria are the Fuentes de Algar/Algar Waterfalls natural park which is beautiful and you can bathe in the crystal clear water of the Algar Water Falls (Fuentes del Algar waterfalls).
Much further inland is the large town of Alcoy, (also known as Alcoi) famous for its many bridges, Muro de Alcoy, Bocairent, Castalla, Ibi, Cocentaina, Albaida, Xixona and Ontinyent.
Southern Costa Blanca – Tour
- Head south of Alicante Airport
- Much flatter and drier than Costa Blanca North
- Better beaches
- Better golf courses
- Major resorts include Torrevieja
The southern Costa Blanca is mostly flat with fine sandy beaches, palm trees and salt lakes. The south is much drier and more typical of what a person who had never visited Spain would expect to see.
It is very built up, relatively featureless and in many resorts, more international than Spanish. Major expat populations can be found in Villamartin, Cabo Roig, Rojales, La Zenia and Campoamor.
South of Villajoyosa there is a succession of similar beach resorts with high rise apartment blocks and hotels although nothing like as big as Benidorm. First there is El Montiboli, El Campello, (the famous caves of Canelobre are just inland near Busot) then San Juan and then we hit Alicante, the gateway to the Costa Blanca.
Alicante airport is where most people arrive into the Costa Blanca. Strangely because it is a lovely city, has a great marina, beaches and the Santa Barbara Castle (Castillo) most people immediately exit the airport either south towards Torrevieja or north towards Benidorm.
Inland from Alicante the road heads towards Madrid, in this area are many old towns and villages many with castles set on hills such as Sax, Villena, Elda, Novelda, Petrer as well as Monovar, Monforte del Cid, Aspe, Yecla, Caudette and Jumilla.
South of Alicante are a number of coastal beach resorts. Firstly Aqua Amarga, Urbanova, Los Arenales del Sol, Gran Alacant, Casa del Cap and then Santa Pola with miles of good sandy beaches, from Santa Pola you can take the ferry out to the small island of Tabarca once used by pirates this is a good spot for some snorkelling. A massive salt lake is south of Santa Pola (Salinas de Santa Pola).
La Marina, La Escuera (inland), Urbanisation Bonavista, Urbanisation Las Pesqueras, Guardamar del Segura , Urbanisation Portic Playa (Platja), Urbanisation El Moncaio, Urbanisation Portic Mediterrani, Pinomar and then La Mata (also known as La Mata).
In this area just inland are the La Marquesa golf and country club and La Finca golf close to the towns of Formentera del Segura, Benijofar, Daya Nueva, Daya Vieja, Urbanisation Pueblo Lucero, Rojales with its unique cave houses and Ciudad Quesada a modern town only built in 1972.
Further inland are towns of note such as Elche (or Elx) famous for its many palm trees, historic Orihuela, Crevillente famous for making carpets, Albatera, Almoradi, Callosa de Segura, Catral, Dolores, Algorfa, Benejuzar, Urbanisation Montemar and Urbanisation Fincas de la Vega.
Back to the coast and we arrive at Torrevieja with its nice beaches and surrounding salt lakes (Laguna Salada de la Mata and Laguna Salada de Torrevieja.
The amount of building in this area has been immense with sprawling developments everywhere such as Urbanisation Dona Ines, Los Dolses, Villamartin, Los Montesinos, San Miguel de Salinas, Villa Rosa La Cinuelica, Urbanisation Las Calas, Urbanisation Las Chimosa, Las Filipinas, Las Escalericas, Lomas de Don Juan, Castillo de Don Juan and Los Balcones.
There are quite a number of golf courses in this area south of Torrevieja with Royal Campoamor golf course, Las Ramblas golf course and Villamartin golf course.
South of Torrevieja are more beach resorts – Residencia Los Altos, Punta Prima, Playa Flamenca where the La Florida Urbanisation is popular, Urbanisation Zeniamar , La Zenia, Cabo Roig, Urbanisation La Regia, Dehesa de Campoamor and Mil Palmeras.
The town of Pilar de la Horadada is set slightly off the coast but there are beach areas at Torre de la Horadada, La Colonia and El Mojon.
We then cross into the region of Murcia and the large towns of San Pedro del Pinatar, San Javier and its airport Murcia San Javier International, Santiago de la Ribera, Los Alcazares and finally the Mar Menor lagoon and its coastal strip La Manga.
Visitors to the southern Coast Blanca will find it less scenic than the northern Costa Blanca but then there are more tourist activities and both Alicante airport and also Murcia airport (known as San Javier airport) are close by and the sandy beaches are of excellent quality.
All this information has been obtained from:
https://www.spainmadesimple.com/costa-blanca/
If you are thinking on purchasing a property, new or resale, to relocate or for holidays in the Costa Blanca, north or south, take a look at:
Spanish Best Homes
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