Costa Blanca Holidays

from £ 235 pp

Costa Blanca holidays pass the popularity test with flying colours, thanks to the marshmallow-white beaches, family-friendly days out and bubbly night scene.

Crowd-pleasing Costa

The Costa Blanca, AKA the White Coast, rolls out for more than 200 kilometres along Spain’s southeast shoreline, near the city of Valencia. Us Brits first fell in love with its white-sand waterfronts back in the 1950s and, since then, it’s turned from a blank canvas into a package holiday heaven – popular with both sun-seeking families and nightlife-hunting groups of friends.

Big shot Benidorm

This talked-about town ticks every box for a sun, sea and sand-filled holiday, due in part to its long list of beautiful beaches, like the Mr Whippy-white Levante Beach. For in between tanning, you’ve got stuff to keep the whole clan amused, from the rides at the Terra Mitica theme park to the slides at the Aqualandia waterpark. Then, after dark, there are more restaurants, bars and pubs than you can shake a shot glass at.

Traditional towns

This doesn’t mean to say that the Costa Blanca’s completely Tippexed out tradition. Turn your attention away from the bright lights and you’ll find plenty of places where the cobbled streets paint a calmer picture. Denia doles out a castle, an authentic market and eateries dishing up paella by the skillet, while Altea has a proper fishing village vibe.

At a glance

Pick a patch of sand on Levante Beach
Fling yourself down a flume at the Aqualandia waterpark
Scoff paella straight from the skillet

Destinations in Costa Blanca

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The White Coast

The Costa Blanca has been pulling in holidaymakers for decades, and its beaches are by far the biggest attraction. In resorts like Benidorm, Denia and Javea, you’ll find sandy stretches that come complete with creature comforts like loungers, parasols and cafés. And if you prefer your beaches a bit more untouched, just head a little way out of the resort centres – there are loads of half-empty stretches to choose from along the coast.
The big beach

Top billing here goes to Benidorm’s Levante Beach. It’s a Blue Flag winner on the sunrise side of the resort. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular – kids love the shallow waters and play areas, teens can get stuck in to watersports like jet-skiing and water-skiing, and adults have a good quota of beachfront bars and cafés to choose from.
The secret beach

For a more low-key stretch, drive 15 minutes from Benidorm to the quaint town of Altea. Here, you’ll find a long ribbon of sand and shingle called Playa de Cap Negret. There aren’t any loungers, beach bars or cafés here, so the crowds tend to stay away – leaving you to nab a secluded spot.

Bargain Buys

If you like your holiday souvenirs cheap as chips, you’ll need to rummage around Benidorm’s markets. There’s one near Levante Beach on a Wednesday – this is the place to pick up pottery and handbags. There’s another on a Sunday, on the outskirts of town near the N332. The stalls here are loaded with antiques and curios.
Mid-Range Buys

La Marina mall has shopping and dropping all wrapped up. There are dozens of high street names here, including H&M and Zara. Plus, there’s a cinema, restaurants, and ice-cream parlours for breaks. Getting here is a piece of cake – it’s a 5-minute drive from Benidorm on the N332. Closer to home, the pedestrianised Avenida Martinez Alejos in Benidorm’s old town is a good bet for boutiques and embroidery shops.
Designer Buys

Though you might find the oddArmanior Versace handbag in Benidorm's high-endshops, they’re not the norm here. Instead, you'll find boutiques scattered around theRincón de Loixtand Passeig de la Carreteraareas that specialise in things like posh linen and leather goods like jackets and shoes.Poke around the Levantearea and you'll find shops selling emerald, ruby and sapphire jewellery, too.

Laid-back evenings

If your perfect evening has low-key written all over it, head to Benidorm’s old town. Place de la Constitución is a hot spot for restaurants, and leading off it is Santo Domingo, AKA Tapas Alley. For something a bit more lively, pick from Benidorm’s crop of cabaret joints. There are loads on Avenida de Mallorca, showing everything from comedy acts to tribute bands.
Lively evenings

Nowhere does nights on the tiles like Benidorm. In The Square, in the centre of town, the music bars and pubs don’t pour their last pints until 4am. For booze with a view, head to Avenida de la Mare de Deu del Sofratge. The bars here look out over Levante Beach. And if you want to burn a hole in the dancefloor, take the 5-minute taxi drive out of the town centre to Avenida Communitat Valencia. You’ll fork out around 30 euros for entry to the nightclubs here, but they stay open until sunrise.

Paella

Spain's national dish comes from just up the road in Valencia, and the Costa Blanca is where the special paella rice is grown. There are loads of variations – practically every menu on the Costa Blanca will include one of them – but the classic version will always make good use of fresh seafood.
Esmorzaret

Seafood plays a starring role in Costa Blanca's cuisine, and this traditional dish has sardines as a main ingredient. They're combined with fried eggs and ñora– a kind of sweet chilli. The whole lot’s served with black olives as a savoury snack.
Arroz con costra

This is like a paella with a crust. It's one of the few dishes that doesn't rely on fish and seafood, instead throwing in sausages, chorizo, and chickpeas along with the rice. Garlic and paprika provide the seasoning and the whole thing has an eggy crust to give it some bite.
Turron

A type of nougat made using honey and almonds makes up this Costa Blancan dessert. It's traditionally eaten around Christmas, but you can pick it up all year round. There are 2 main types, from different local towns. Jijona's is very sweet and soft, and Alicante's is hard and crunchy.
Fondillón

This wine isn't very well known even in the rest of Spain and you won't see it on every menu, but it's a real treat if you can find it. It's sweet and strong, and has more in common with sherry and other fortified wines.It goes down well with blue cheese and rich, chocolatey desserts.

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Costa Blanca Holidays

Crowd-pleasing Costa

Big shot Benidorm

Traditional towns

At a glance

Destinations in Costa Blanca

Top Destinations

Top things to See and Do in Costa Blanca

The White Coast

The big beach

The secret beach

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Paella

Esmorzaret

Arroz con costra

Turron

Fondillón

SIMILAR DESTINATIONS

Our destinations in Costa Blanca

Benidorm

Javea

Denia

Moraira

Altea

Albir

Calpe

Cala de Finestrat

Playa De San Juan

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