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The name of this part of Spain’s
south east coast which stretches from Denia in the north to
Alicante in the south reflects the miles and miles of fine sandy
beaches found here, together with a myriad of whitewashed villages
backed by towering mountain ranges. The inland villages still
maintain their individual charm and even in today’s commercial
world, the inhabitants proudly preserve their history and culture
and willingly offer their warm traditional Spanish hospitality
to visitors without reserve.
Largely as a result of the historical agricultural and seafaring
prosperity indigenous to this area of Spain, the greater part
of the region has thankfully been saved from most of the |
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excesses of mass tourism, and its beaches
remain clean and unpolluted. Naturally, just as important is the climate
which has long been renowned by World Health experts as being environmentally
near perfect; mild winters; followed by an early spring and long hot
summers with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year.
Javea
Discovered by the Phoenicians centuries ago, this once tiny fishing
port is to be found almost half way between the provincial capital
of Alicante and Valencia, it’s famous orange growing counterpart.
It lies in a valley between the two imposing headlands of Cabo San
Antonio and Cabo La Nao, from which on a clear day it is just possible
to see Ibiza some 40 miles away. It is bordered to the north by the
magnificent Mount Montgo which rises to over 2000 feet above see level;
affectionately |
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known by local
residents as "the sleeping elephant", and is the view from
our villa.
There are three distinct centres; firstly the old town, of great architectural
and historical interest, lies a kilometre inland; a maze of narrow,
twisting streets, elegant whitewashed houses with Gothic windows and
wrought iron balconies enhanced by numerous pot plants.
The second is the port, known as Aduanas del Mar, where fishing boats
still leave the harbour in the early hours of the morning and return
at the end of each afternoon to unload their vessels and auction their
catch by the quayside; a noisy but most fascinating daily event.
The main sandy beach is close to the villa and this whole area is
known as the Arenal. The beach is shaped like a horseshoe and a wide
stretch of golden sand gives way to a gradual descent into the clear
waters of the sea, making it an ideal spot for safe bathing.
There is a wealth of cafes, shops, bars and restaurants here which
cater to every taste and provide good evening entertainment. There
are also a number of smaller beaches around the coastline to explore
for the more adventurous. |
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