Average temperatures
and rainfall in the Costa Blanca |
||
|
Temp °C |
Rainy Days |
January |
15 |
5 |
February |
15 |
4 |
March |
17 |
6 |
April |
18 |
6 |
May |
21 |
5 |
June |
26 |
3 |
July |
30 |
1 |
August |
27 |
1 |
September |
25 |
2 |
October |
22 |
8 |
November |
19 |
6 |
December |
15 |
5 |
For a map of the Costa Blanca area visit our Map for villas in Costa Blanca page the link will open in a new window.
The sun-baked Costa Blanca is a 170 mile stretch of Spain’s east coast, centred on Alicante and running from Denia in the north to Mazarrón in the south. It’s famous, of course, for the mega-resort of Benidorm, with its superb beaches and pulsating nightlife. While this resort is great for an evening out, there’s surprisingly little villa accommodation there. The main areas for privately owned villas are north of Benidorm, from Altea to Denia, and south of Alicante, around Torrevieja.
The countryside at the northern end of the Costa Blanca is attractively mountainous, with some excellent walking. On a clear day you can see Ibiza from the lighthouse at the Cabo de la Nao, while the spectacular Peñon de Ifach – a sort of mini-Gibraltar – at Calpe is a familiar symbol of the Costa. The resorts of Denia, Jávea, Moraira, Calpe, Altea and Villajoyosa all have plenty to offer, including several golf courses and superb beaches, with an excellent choice of villas and apartments both near the sea and rising high into the hills behind. Closer to Alicante and only 20 minutes from the airport is Campello.
Turning to the coastline south of Alicante, Torrevieja is also convenient for Alicante airport (which is to the south of the city). With its beach of fine sand, this lively market town also boasts several fine golf courses. New development has provided a wide choice of good quality villa and apartment accommodation. Closer to Cartagena, in the area sometimes known as the Costa Calida, is the well known La Manga development and sports club, with its 27-hole golf course and 17 tennis courts. Further south still is the oasis-like Puerto de Mazarrón.
Wherever you stay, there will be plenty of land- and water-based sports on offer, as well as the Terra Mítica theme park near Benidorm (open all year). Other worthwhile excursions are to Europe’s largest date palm plantations at Elche; the hilltop village of Guadalest; or Alicante, which is a holiday resort in its own right but also an interesting, characterful city with good shopping.
If you go in winter, you’ll enjoy plenty of fine days and a seemingly endless supply of the sweet, juicy local oranges. And talking of sweetness, try visiting Jijona, a few miles inland from Alicante, where you can watch Turrón being made. It’s a delicious hard nougat made with honey and masses of local almonds, famous throughout Spain.
If you’re in the mood for exercise, it’s possible to climb the Peñon at Calpe. It looks impossibly steep, but at the worst point a tunnel has been cut through. It’s a stiff climb and you need a head for heights, but at the top the views are breathtaking.
There’s plenty of choice in charter and no-frills flights to Alicante, Valencia and Murcia airports. At peak holiday times, you may find it cheaper to fly to Madrid and drive from there. Car hire is very reasonable, but if you decide to take your own car, you can drive on motorway all the way from Calais to Alicante.