Montesol, Calpe

The Costa Blanca of Spain offers one of the best and most extensive ranges of tourist amenities in the world through the quality of its services, its excellent climate and its cultural richness. The beaches and mountains of the province are a delight to everyone who visits. The numerous Costa Blanca areas for leisure and entertainment has been further enhanced by the opening of Terra Mitica near Benidorm, one of the most modern and attractive theme parks in Europe.

 

Altea, the dome of Altea's church, blue with a white geometrical design, is one of the symbolic images of the Costa Blanca. Altea is situated on a hill whose peak rises above the white tiled parish church. The magnificently jumbled and cluttered centre of the Old Town provides Altea with a special tourist charm.

Alicante is situated in the bay formed by the Cabo de las Huertas and the Cabo de Santa Pola, at the foothills of the Monte Benacantil. Alicante has a view over the sea and the fertile huerta, that surrounds the city. An interesting walk can be taken through the streets of the old centre and the Plazas del Carmen and Quijano, climbing up to the Castle of Santa Barbara, a magnificent vantage point to view the entire city of Alicante.

The Benidorm beaches and range of leisure amenities explain why it has become the Costa Blanca's main tourist area. Benidorm has some of the best beaches in the world. The Playa de Levante, where most bathers gather, is located 2km from the old town centre. The Playa de Poniente is located on the edges of the old town centre, near the Finestrat cove. The historical centre is located around the Canfali vantage point, which is the most emblematic image of Benidorm.

In the thirties, writers such as Hemingway spent their summers in Calpe. The first hotel in here was established next to the Penon Rock, the Ifach Parador. The Morro del Toix and the Penon de Ifach mark the extremities of Calpe's bay. The Penon de Ifach is the symbol of Calpe and of the Costa Blanca. It is the highest rock in the entire Mediterranean and divides the shoreline of Calpe in two.

Denia, the capital of the Marina Alta, is a modern cosmopolitan city offering both tourists and residents a range of services. Denia owes its current importance to its being the historical city of the region par excellence, a city that was known in medieval times as the Marquesado de Denia. Its name derives from the Latin name Dianium which is the origin of the name given to its inhabitants, the dianenses. Daniya was its Islamic name.

Elche is located on the Costa Blanca and is surrounded by more than 300,000 palm trees. Elche is the third most populous city of the Valencian Region. It encompasses the entire range of attractions that the province has to offer the tourist, from pre-history, history, natural riches, beaches and the influence of its citizens on culture and traditions are all elements that are worthy of note in this modern, thriving and growing city.

Guardamar is a town that through the course of its history has been able to take advantage of the natural adversities that have befallen it. Sited at the mouth of the Segura River, Guardamar has always held a key position as a guardian of the river. The area, known by the Greeks as Alone, was inhabited by the Iberians as witnessed by the discovery of the Dama de Guardamar at the Cabezo Lucero site.

Javea is located in the northern section of the province of Alicante, between the capes of San Antonio and La Nao. The Cabo de Nao separates the bays of Valencia and Alicante and is the westernmost point of the Valencia coastline. Frequent attacks from marauding pirates forced inhabitants of Javea to settle 2km from the coast in a walled town. The Javea walls remained standing until 1877.

Orihuela was the Episcopal seat of the province of Alicante for almost four centuries and its civic traditions and artistic heritage are stamped by this major religious influence. Orihuela possesses five national monuments. Orihuela's extensive district stretches to the Mediterranean where there are magnificent sandy beaches with a range of services, including Playa Flamenca, La Zenia, Cabo Roig and Campoamor beaches. Campoamor and Cabo Roig offer two marinas suitable for leisure pursuits.

Pilar de la Horadada is a village that has only recently become an independent municipality. Pilar is the first village of the province of Alicante when approached from Murcia via the N-332. Tourism constitutes the main economic activity in Pilar and it has 4km of beaches on offer. Pilar's huerta (irrigated land) mainly produces fruit and vegetables which are exported throughout the world.

Santa Pola, the old Roman port of Sant Pola is a populous and lively seaside city with almost 15km of fine sandy beaches. Santa Pola's past has always been intimately linked to the sea; the sea has determined its economy, culture, gastronomy and the identity of its people. In ancient times Santa Pola was Elche's port and managed to build up one of the biggest fishing fleets of the entire Mediterranean.

The salt and the sea are the unseparable elements which have marked the history and determined the present day reality of Torrevieja. At the beginning of the last century Torrevieja was only a watch tower and a few houses. In 1802 the La Mata salt flat offices moved to their present site, bringing about the rapid urbanisation of the former Torrevieja. Today Torrevieja produces about a million tons of salt, mostly exported, making it the prime European salt producer.

Villajoyosa is the historical and administrative capital of the Marina Baja. Villajoyosa's economy depends both on shallow water and deep sea fishing. The town's relationship with the sea has been a determining factor in its history and culture and the overseas trade has produced Villajoyosa's other typical industry, chocolate. Vilajoyosa has preserved many delightful features such as its afternoon fish auction and its colourful facades, whose original purpose was to ensure that sailors could see their houses from afar.