Used to be an old fishermans village, these days it is a tourist magnet with beautiful sandy beaches and a lot to offer. Calpe`s landmark is ”Ifach”; a 332 m tall rock which is now a natural reserve. The peak can be reached by a tunnel through the rock. From here the view is panoramic. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Ibiza.

Calpe has a fantastic combination of old venetian culture and moderen tourist attractions. You can enjoy one of the beautiful beaches, or go on an adventurous hike. When it comes to sightseeing,the old town center, close to the arabic quarters, is a good place to start. The old ruins and the church ”Iglesia Vieja” are well worth seeing. This church is the only one left from mudejargotic architecture in the Valencia region. In the centre of town you will also find the Archological and Fiesta museums.

Calpe has a nice moderen marina which is situated by the old fishing docks. From here you can get on a boat around Calpe rock, to Benidorm. In order to get a glimpse of the coast line and local places, you can take the train between Alicante and Denia. The train stops in both Calpe and Altea/Albir.

BENISSA COSTA

Stretches between Calpe and Moraira. The curvy coast road is similar to the roads on the french riviera. The area is mountainous and green, with lots of villas. Many refer to it as the real and authentic Spain.

MORAIRA

Moraira was a small fishing village. Today it has a beatiful yacht marina, lots of restaurants, and a small but cosy town atmosphere. Behind Moraira lies the big and impressive mountain plateau of ”Cumbre del Sol”. The majority of the residents of Moraira are german, swiss and dutch.

Costa Blanca, the white coastline, stretches from Denia in the north, to Cartagena in the south. The area has one of the best climates in Europe, which makes it easy to perform outside activities all year round. The temperature in the summer is between 25 and 35 degrees centigrade. In the few winter months, between 10 and 20 degrees centigrade.

• Sunny days 300-320 a year
• Partly cloudy days 20-40 a year
• Rainy days 15-25 a year

The airport, which is the third largest in Spain, is situated in Alicante by the coast. There are daily flights to most major airports in Europe.
From the north both buses and trains are available to the airport, from the south, buses only.
The road system in Costa Blanca is one of the best and most developed in the whole country.
It takes from 30 to 90 minutes to drive from the airport to the different destinations in Costa Blanca.

ALFAZ DEL PI

Alfaz del Pi is stretching out from the Albir beach in the east, to Sierra Helada in the south and Benidorm in the west.
Alfaz del Pi is an international place. People from more than 100 nations are living in this comunity, there are 18000 people registred in Alfaz del Pi . About 6000 norwegians live here.

Most norwegians know the name Alfaz del Pi, as they started purchasing properties here in the 60 s Alfaz del Pi has the biggest concentration of norwegian people in Spain. The climate and the well organized norwegian network, with 2 norwegian schools, the Norwegian Club, the Church etc etc. , is the reason why norwegians still seek this area for a shorter or a longer stay. Beside the norwegian dominance you also find dutch, english, and german colonies.

Playa de Albir invites to fishing and watersports, the beach in Albir is covered with round white stones, in total 6 km towards Altea. Albir is a small and ”new” city, The recidential buildings are maximum 5 floors high, it has a good variety of retaurants and shopping. It has only a few hotels which makes Albir much more quiet than Benidorm which is only 6 km away. Albir is on of the busiest places on Costa Blanca in the winter months. The beach promenade ”Paseo de las Estrellas” is decorated with stars engraved with names of well known actors, and is linked to the annual film festival which brings famous actors and visitors to the area.

LA NUCIA

La Nucia comunity stretches like a banana behind Benidorm, Alfaz del Pi and Altea This community is leaning towards the south with the 1200 m high mountains in the background Most of its area is built with villas and townhouses, in very green suroundings. La Nucia has more than 70 urbanisations and a center in the north towards Polop, with a well conserved older town built around the big church. A large antique market is arranged here every Sunday.

BENIDORM

Benidorm - the city that has everything. This vibrating town has a complete specter of services and facilities to please the millions of national and international tourists visiting every year.
Benidorm is known for its skyline, it’s the biggest concentration of skyscrapers outside Manhattan It has Europe’s highest hotel, 57 floors, 235 m and the highest residential building 48 floors 195 meters.

The city is divided in two parts, Playa Poniente and Playa Levante, both parts with long sandy beaches.
On the beaches there is a large amount of restaurants, cafeterias and bars with terraces where you can relax and enjoy life, the view and the climate. Isla de Benidorm is an island pointing at these two beaches. There is a ferry to the island. The south facing beach is 5 km long, with beautiful tiled promenades, with a nice view over the coastline all the way to Alicante Canafali is the name of the mountain jewel which divides the beaches in two; here is also the old town In the old town of Benidorm they have kept the old style, it`s hidden between the two beaches with their tall buildings. Here you will find tapas bars and shops with Spanish specialties.

Benidorm is a 24 hour experience, at night a monumental geyser of water and lights rise from the sea. You can choose between more than 50 fiestas every year in this pulsating city.

As most spanish tourist areas, you will also find markets and plenty of shops.
The market is every Wednesday and Sunday on the big square outside Hotel

Just outside the town center you will find

• Terra Mitica, Europe’s biggest amusement park
• Terra Natural, Animal Park
• Aqualandia and Mundomar water park and Dolphins Park
• 3 big golf courses with sea view, 2 designed by Jack Nicklaus
• Asia Garden, 5 star oriental hotel and restaurant
• Villaitania, 5 star hotel with 99 rooms, built like a city surrounded by golf courses
• shoppingsenteret " La Marina"

FINESTRAT AND VILLAJOYOSA

The communes of Finestrat and Villajoyosa are the closest neighbours to Benidorm on the south-west side.
Most people assume that the beach, ”La Cala” with a brand new area of wide streets that are nicely decorated with trees, is a part of Benidorm. However, it is actually a part of Finestrat.
The beautiful old town of Finestrat, is situated close to both the ocean and the mountains. It has a wonderful view and a distinct architecture, which is influenced by Arabia, as well as a whole town containing of houses that are tiled with stone. All by the foot of the mountain ”Puig Campana”.

Villajoyosa is the historic capital of the ”Marina Baixa” district. With its colourful houses, it attracts a lot of tourists every year.

A visit to the harbour in the afternoon, offers a possibility to see the catch of the day be auctioned at te market. The ”Doctor Esquerdo” boulevard, stretches along the wide beach upon which the town has been built.
The history of the town can be viewed at the annual ”Moors and Christians” fiesta which is held in july.
The local chocolate manufacturers have a long history. The ethnic museum situated in ”Casa Cultura” has equipment used by chocolatiers through centuries. The local factories welcome tourists.

POLOP

Polop is as spectacular as its surounded places, With its well known fountain Els Xorrets, with the best drinking water in the area, the city has a square with 221open taps with fresh fountain water.

The Church, with its special church tower is also easy to spot from the suroundings.
The graveyard is built on top of what is left of a Maurisk castle.
It was in this city the spanish author Gabriel Miro find his inspiration

It has 2000 inhabitants and makes Polop the typical small spanish city you want to visit.
It is located only 15 minutes driving from the Medeteranian ocean.
The city also have a net of mountain walking roads, one of the best in this part of Spain every Sunday is the antik market.

GUADALEST

The historical mountain village Guadalest, the eagels Nest carved into the top of a mountain, its a nice senery , and from the top you have a ocean view.
The city is devided in to areas, which both is listed as historical in Spain. Arrabla, the modern part is situated on one side of the mountain, There is a big varity of art shops, one of the biggest collection of "Lladro" in Spain is here.

On the mountain is the castle, the only entrance is thru a tunnel in the mountain, on the other side there is 400meter straight down to a lake which is the tab water for La Nucia and Alfaz. The castle is also protected by a wall from the mid century. The city have a town hall and a school, and 200 inhabitants.There is some miniatur museums which is intresting to take a closer look at. Guadalest is the secound moust visited turist atraction in Spain

CALLOSA DÉN SARRIA

The area with fountains and waterfalls and the fruit “loquat”. The catolik church “San Juan Bautista”, built in the 18 century is on the highest part of this city.
The river Algar passes to rough terrain and makes a waterfall "fuentes Algar".
On the top of a nearby mountain is the castle Bernia built in the 17 century to protect the city against pirates bygd i det 18. -århundre hviler på den høyeste delen av dette historiske by senteret.

DENIA

The streets and the buildings in Denia are the result of a long human existence and the cultures that have influenced the town. Cartagenans, Romans, Arabs, Iberians and the Cristians have marked Denia

The town was captured by the Christians in 1244, but still have a small muslim population

It was reacquired by the Spanish crown in 1803, after which Denia gained an increasingly important role as trading port. A community of English raisin traders lived in Denia from 1800 until the time of the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s.

Denia is a busy city that also is an important tourist magnet. From the city center in a northern direction you will find approx. 15 km of white sandy beaches.

The old Fish quarter in the town is well kept with its whitewashed low buildings.

Denia has an important harbour with ferrys to Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera.

The castle from the 16th century is the tallest building, 58 meters. It has an archeologic museum with items from 200 years B.C.

The local small railway train, also called ”the citronexpress” starts here and ends in Alicante.

Marques de Campo street is the place so sit down and relax in one of its street cafes.

There are to big golfresorts around the city, one with its own beach.

Denia and Javea has always been very popular with the english and german people.

The most famous fiesta is the arab and christian celebration in august. Saint Hans, 24th of june is also celebrated with big fireworks on the beach.

JAVEA

Javea is situated between two points, the Cape La Nao and the Cape San Antonio.

Has one old town, the newer town is build beside the old and are maximum 5 floors tall. Around the city and in the hills there are villas.

The area has many farms with olive and citrus trees

The Nature Park Montego has the highest point in the region 750 meters

Since the 1970s Xàbia/Jávea has become a popular place for affluent Northern European expatriates to purchase retirement villas and the town has an active property industry. Around 7,700 British nationals are registered as resident in the area,[3] as well as some 2,000 Germans[3] and many other nationalities. The town's population is now around 31,100;[3] but this is greatly swelled to well over 100,000 by the annual influx of summer tourists, with Spanish tourists predominating at the height of August.

The island of Ibiza lies some 90 km to the east, and it can be seen on clear days

ALTEA

The name Altea originated from the Greek name “Altahia” which means “I am healing”. This area has a long history; Items have been found in Altea la Vella and Cap Negret which come from the Iberian people back from the 5th century to the first century B. C. In the 15th century, Altea was nearly unpopulated people because of the pirates that attacked the city “Church square is the center of the old town"; where you will find the famous church with the blue dome. The church is from the 16th century, but because of wars it was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century. In the sixties Altea was a "bohemian city" with residence for many artists from whole of Europe.

The old town of Altea has kept its old atmosphere with coupled streets, which lead you up to the church place. The white painted buildings give you the feeling of a Spanish Mediterranean city. There are a lot of people in the church place. Altea is transferred to a meeting point with many first class restaurants where you can choose from local dishes. The famous Paella, or international delicacies. Altea has for many years inspired painters, writers and musicians.

The seafront promenade is 2 km long with restaurants of all choices. While Altea does not have the hustle and such as typical of other coastal tourist towns, you will never be bored. Altea offers recreational activities, sailing, diving, windsurfing, regattas, water skiing, and fishing available at either of its two marinas: the Port of Altea and the Puerto Deportivo Campomanes. Altea has over 5 Km of beaches and it is not hard to find a secluded beach. Altea’s demanding Golf Don Cayo, situated in the living area Sierra Altea, offers extraordinary sea and mountain views.

Every Tuesday there is a market in Altea. There is a big selection of fruit, vegetables, gifts, clothes and shoes. Artists are showing their paintings.

On the highest point in the city, the church place, there is nice view to Calpe (El Penon de Ifach) in the north, the beach, the ocean, Albir, Sierra Helada, and the skyscrapers in Benidorm in the south.

Altea is without a doubt one of the most charming towns to be found on Spain's Costa Blanca with its combination of old and new.