Costa Blanca travel guide
Fifty years ago Alacante’s beautiful, indented shoreline won fame as the Costa Blanca. The hot, dry climate, brilliant light and miles of fine, sandy beaches and temperate water make the ‘White Coast’ one of Spain’s liveliest tourist zones.
The Costa Blanca, which begins to the south of Valencia, was named Akra Leuka (‘White Headland’) by ancient Greek tradesmen who founded a colony here 2,500 years ago. Today, despite long stretches which are built over with whitewashed low-rise villas and high-rise blocks, there are still unspoilt sandy beaches, hidden coves, cliffs and headlands to be found. El Trenet, a local rail service that runs between Alicante and Dénia, helps give access to quieter spots.
Places to visit on the Costa Blanca
Northern Costa Blanca resorts
Resorts along this stretch of coast include Gandía, with a vast beach and a fine 14th-century palace tucked away in its inland town centre, and Jávea (Xàbia) with a fine beach and a pleasant old quarter. Calpe (Calp) is a former fishing village with pleasant sandy beaches in the lee of the Peñón de Ifach, an imposing volcanic outcrop. Altea’s old houses climb steeply to a carefully preserved old quarter, home to a thriving artistic community.
Fabled Benidorm
Also on the Costa Blanca is Benidorm, a resort that once symbolised the worst excesses of package tourism. It has a towering skyline that stretches back from the 7km (4-mile) beach, and provides what holiday makers want – sunshine, beaches, bars and entertainment. Surprisingly, the old fishermen’s quarter still exists, and there are sweeping views from the attractive Balcón del Mediterráneo, encompassing the town’s crescent of beaches backed by wind-sculpted mountains. Boats visit the Isla de Benidorm, an offshore bird sanctuary. Adding to its attractions, the Terra Mítica theme park (www.terramiticapark.com) has state-of-the-art technology intended to take visitors on a journey through thehistory of the lost ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean, including Egypt, Greece, Rome and Iberia.
Alicante and the southern Costa Blanca
Next along the coast is Alicante (Alicant), then, a little further inland, Elche (Elx), which is famous for its palm plantations (the largest in Europe).
The most famous stretch of the Costa Cálida, which forms the southern part of the Costa Blanca, is the Mar Menor (Little Sea), a vast lagoon almost completely sheltered from the Mediterranean by a 22km (14-mile) spit. High-rise resort facilities have multiplied on the sandy breakwater, La Manga.
Cartagena, named after the Carthaginians, is an important port and naval base with a harbour overlooked by the ruins of the 14th-century Castillo de la Concepción. It is worth driving up for the views.
Murcia, the inland capital of the province of the same name, which includes the Costa Cálida, is pleasant and prosperous, with a pretty old town. The 14th-century Catedral de Santa María is one of Spain’s finest, adorned with a fabulous baroque facade. The Vélez chapel is a highlight of the interior, and in the museum there are wood sculptures by Francisco Salzillo (1707–83), Murcia’s greatest artist. There are more of his works in the Museo Salzillo. Of Murcia’s other museums, the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts) is the best.
Read more from the travel guide to Spain
