Page 264 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

262  EASTERN SP AIN

The Costa Blanca

Less hectic than the Costa del Sol (see pp478–9) and with warmer winters than the
Costa Brava (see p221), the Costa Blanca occupies a prime stretch of Spain’s Mediterranean
coast line. Alicante, with its airport and mainline railway station, is the arrival and
departure point for most tourists. Between Alicante and Altea there are long stretches
of sandy beach, which have been heavily built up with apart ment blocks and hotels.
North of Altea there are more fine beaches, but they are broken by cliffs and coves.
South from Alicante, as far as the resort of Torrevieja, the scenery is drier and more
barren, relieved only by the wooded sand dunes of Guardamar del Segura.
Dénia’s Las Marinas beach is a
Gandia marks the southern end flat, sandy strip lined by hotels.
of the Costa de Valencia, whose The rocky Les Rotes beach is
extensive beaches of fine sand El Grau good for snorkelling.
and shallow water are popular
with the Spanish. Gandia
Platja
d'Oliva
Oliva N332
Xàbia’s busiest beach
is El Arenal. Most of AP7 Dénia
the resort’s coastline Pego
is punctuated by cliffs Ondara Cap de
Sant Antoni
and coves.
Xàbia
Gata de
Gorgos Cap Martí
Altea is a resort with an unspoiled, Cap de
whitewashed old town on a hilltop. Benissa la Nau
Beneath it is a long, shingle beach.
AP7 N332 Moraira
Calp
Polop
Altea
Benidorm’s liveliest beach,
Finestrat l'Albir
Levante, has been voted one
Santa Pola is still AP7 Benidorm of the ten best beaches in
the world. Poniente is further
a working fishing N332 from the town centre.
port, but its long, Busot La Vila Joiosa
sandy beaches are CV800
very popular. AP7 Coveta Fumà
El Campello Platja de Sant Joan has a long strip of seamless
Mutxamel
Sant Joan d'Alacant sand bordered by a road and a narrow-gauge
railway, which gives easy access to the beach.
A70 Platja de Sant Joan
A31 Cap de
Alicante las Huertas
Torrellano 0 kilometres
N332 20
Elx Els Arenals del Sol 0 miles 10
The Illa de Tabarca attracts day-trippers
Santa Pola for its natural beauty and clear waters,
good for snorkelling.
Platja del Illa de
Pinet Tabarca
Guardamar del Segura has one of
Guardamar the coast’s least busy beaches. It is
del Segura bordered by windswept sand dunes
N332 covered with aromatic pine woods. Alicante’s city centre is served
La Mata Torrevieja is a very popular package by the popular Postiguet
holiday resort with sweeping, sandy beach. Nearby are vast, sandy
Torrevieja beaches to the south. It has been beaches, such as La Albufereta
highly developed in recent years. and Sant Joan.
Burning papier-mâché dragon at Las Fallas festival, Valencia
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