Spain is the second (to Switzerland) most mountainous country in Europe and the area of the Marina Alta – as its name suggests - is a dramatic blend of golden beached coastline and majestic mountains, linked by verdant valleys with quaint, unspoilt whitewashed villages nestling within.

The area is a fascinating mix of the traditions of old Spain and the convenience & practicality of a modern, cosmopolitan infrastructure, which facilitates a ‘soft landing’ to incoming residents to this corner of the Mediterranean. The Spaniards, whilst vigorously upholding their traditions of siestas, fiestas, bull running etc, are equally keen to embrace the conveniences of their northern European neighbours. This means we have a wonderful array of international quality shops & restaurants, a highly developed infrastructure of road, sea & air transportation and domestic utilities.

We enjoy a full range of European and English T.V. & radio, comprehensive internet (ADSL) telephone & mobile services and a healthcare structure to rival Europe’s best.

A growing trend is for young families to immigrate to Spain from the UK, as many parents seek a more balanced, healthier and wholesome upbringing for their children. Spain seems to offer an education system (private and state funded) which is still based on traditional values & methods.

Crime rates are much lower here and yob culture, drunkenness, road-rage, vandalism & graffiti are all either rare or non-evident.

Our particular area has been singled out by the World Health Organisation as benefiting from one of the world’s healthiest climates, we can expect to enjoy about 320 days of sunshine per year.

The cost of living here is much lower than in the UK. A reasonable guide is to expect to pay in Euros what you would pay in Pounds in the UK. This certainly applies to property, fuel, food & drink. It is not unusual to find a Menu del Dia (3 course lunch including wine, beer or water, etc) for 8€.

The local food choices can be as familiar or as adventurous as you wish. You will find that much more of what you eat & drink has been produced, grown or caught relatively locally. There is an abundance of fresh fruit & vegetables, local fish and rice (grown between Denia & Valencia) and such delicacies as suckling pig or the speciality sausages of the Jalon Valley. Our resorts are blessed with restaurants – Spanish & International - which can rival Europe’s finest, at reasonable prices.

 

 

Our Towns & Villages

Altea: Once an important Phoenician port. Since the1950’s Altea has been re-colonized by artists. Altea is dominated by its blue tiled domed church at the summit of the old town area. A largely unspoilt coastal town with one of the largest open markets (Tuesday) and an abundance of everything except hotels! Altea is ideal for ‘Culture vultures’ as, apartfrom the wealth of fine shops and restaurants, there are many pottery and art galleries, a new fine arts university and a major concert hall, all to be explored and enjoyed. View photos

 

 

Calpe: Probably the most (but moderately) high-rise of our local resorts and, although Calpe offers a good selection of hotels, this resort has been largely overlooked by the package holiday visitors. At the top of the town is the original old town with steep, narrow passages & townhouses adorned with antique tiled pictures. From here, you can venture down the shop-lined main street to the waterfront where a superb palm-lined promenade and one of the Costa Blanca’s finest golden beaches leads you to the harbour/marina. The magnificent Peñon d’Ifach (A huge 1000ft+) rock of limestone forms a dramatic backdrop. Here you will find Calpe’s best selection of restaurants; a range of fish and shellfish restaurants to rival those of Brittany face the harbour which, just hours before, had provided your meal, whilst the main area of restaurants have a choice of regional Spanish or international cuisine. View photos

 

Moraira (twinned with Teulada): Regarded by many as the jewel in the Costa Blanca crown; Moraira was a tiny fishing village where a verdant valley of vineyards lead from the mountains to the Mediterranean. The vineyards stubbornly remain along with much of the original village charm. There are no more than a handful of very low-profile hotels and the town is populated by a truly cosmopolitan mix of villa owners or renters who are well served by every convenience and facility that could be reasonably demanded. High rise in Moraira means four storeys & the town is a beguiling mix of the quaint, original village & low-rise development, which includes many fine shops & restaurants from the local to the exclusive, covering the cuisine of almost twenty countries! Nightlife in Moraira generally means dining (sometimes with live music) and promenading along the waterfront. However, this may not be ideal for teenage entertainment! View photos

 

Javea: Probably the most ‘complete’ costal town of our area, Javea is basically three areas and characters: the Pueblo (old village/town), the Puerto (Port) & the Arenal (sandy beach, hence: – arena). The Pueblo is also the main commercial centre of Javea which includes many dignified traditional buildings such as the fortified Gothic church of San Bartolome and the old covered market, as well as the open market (Thursday), the main post office, the Notario & most of the banks etc. The port combines marina and fishing harbour with its daily fish market and spectacular fishermen’s church which had a timber ceiling resembling a boat hull. This area, once again, has its own fine selection of shops, cafes and restaurants which links this to the Arenal with its fine, sandy, palm shaded beaches & long promenade with a multitude of waterfront restaurants & bars, boutiques and many other facilities. Something for all generations! View photos

 

Denia: Separated from Javea by the Sierra Montgo National Park and the highly regarded La Sella golf course. Denia remains probably the most Spanish of our coastal towns. Its almost colonial air is the legacy of the 19th century raisin trading era. The main features of Denia are the castle and 17th Century church, the large marina & harbour (with a ferry link to the Balearic Isles), extensive, sandy beaches and the tree-lined strand (Marques de Campo) with its many pavement cafes and fine range of restaurants. View photos

 

 

Inland Villages: Within 15minutes of the coastal resorts, we are blessed with many charming, traditionally Spanish villages, nestling within the many mountains (Sierras) that surround us, and cradled in the valleys that thread between them. The hearts of these villages and the lifestyle of the inhabitants, remain largely unchanged over the centuries & this wonderful area provides us with a relatively cool and calm refuge from the peak weeks of the summer. Each village has its own character with the usually elevated church square as its focal point. The villages, in common with the coastal towns, have their weekly market day and their annual fiesta week. The commercial pressures of the newcomers (Extranjeros) is more than matched by agriculture and other traditional industries – wine, olive oil & honey based products are produced in many villages. Some also produce traditional pottery, basket & cane products and there are three traditional guitar makers in the area. If it appeals to you, our local bullring is in Ondara.

Flanking the valleys, the terraces (of Moorish origin) of the mountain slopes provide a fertile resource, not only for vineyards and orange groves but also to sustain olive, almond, walnut, lemon, grapefruit, pomegranate & cherry trees. Cane is harvested locally and rice is grown in the irrigated fields of l’Albufera. Elche (1hr drive from Javea) is home to Europe’s largest palm plantation – believed to have been planted by the Phoenicians in 4th century BC. Some of our inland villages are pictured on the left. View photos