Costa Blanca Landing Page

Overview

Eastern Spain’s jewel in the crown, the Costa Blanca is especially popular with the British and pulls in over 2 million visitors each year from the UK alone. Costa Blanca holidays are so popular because of the legendary nightlife and the restaurants, bars and cafes of Benidorm. Visitors also love the natural beauties of the nearby mountains and the chance to see some of the more traditional aspects of Spain in the rural villages of the area, and enjoy the annual noisy festivals.

Temperature

Temperatures are Mediterranean, with summers hot and long and winters short and mild. The cooling tramuntana winds from the Pyrenees Mountains and damper coastal summer weather are a welcome contrast to the blistering heat experienced elsewhere in Spain.

Airports                                                                                                                       

Alicante Airport – The main airport for the Costa-Blanca and Murcia.
Murcia-San Javier Airport – The main airport for Valencia, 142km from Benidorm.

Latest Deals

Book a cheap holiday to Costa Blanca with Airtours and uncover a world of idyllic beaches, clear warm waters and some of the most buzzing entertainments and nightlife in Spain.

Destination is best for

Culture vultures – Valencia is an exciting mix of old and new, a heady blend of ancient Roman ruins, medieval Gothic monuments and exotic Muslim architecture.

Sun worshippers – Fine stretches of sand like Levante Beach slide gently into the warm Mediterranean waters and offer a multitude of water sports activities and sunbathing opportunities.

Families – The key resorts between Benidorm and Denia are packed with family-friendly All Inclusive facilities and close to sandy beaches, shopping centres and unspoilt inland areas like Jalon Valley.

Fast Facts

Language: Castilian Spanish is the main language spoken, and also Valenciano – a mixture of French and Spanish, like Catalan. Many people also speak English.
Currency: The Euro.
Local time: One hour ahead of GMT/UK time.
Fly to: Alicante Airport.
Flight time from the UK: Approximately 2.5 hours from London.

Weather and Climate

Temperature: A high of 32° C in August, with June to September the hottest season.
Best time to visit the Costa Blanca: Decent sunshine is guaranteed all year round, and unless you’re circumscribed by school holidays the best months to take advantage of deals are May to June and September, for lower temperatures, fewer crowds and lower hotel rates. Between February and April, and October/November, the weather is pleasant and although there may be the odd electrical storm or rainy patch this won’t last long. For serious sun worshippers, July and August will always be most popular for their sizzling heat.

Getting Around

By train: Trains run frequently between Alicante and Denia, taking the scenic coastal route. The Lemon Express is a special train that runs between Benidorm and Gata village and is especially popular for daytime excursions.

By taxi: Taxis are plentiful in all the towns and cities and are relatively inexpensive.

By hire car: Car hire is available in all towns and at the airports, where they can be booked ahead of arrival.

By bus: A good public bus network connects the villages and towns of the region. The bigger towns run their own municipal buses, but in the villages one or two buses a day is more usual.

Events

For fun and fireworks: The Fallas Fire Festival takes place every March for five days and features papier mache models of bullfighters,  actors and other public figures, and a lot of fireworks. The puppets go up in flames on the last day.
For jazz lovers: The International Jazz Festival is held in San Javier in June and July, when popular and cutting-edge jazz performers from around the world come to do their thing.
For dance lovers: At the Festival of the Miner’s Lamp, held in the old mining town of La Union, performers and local musicians compete for the coveted trophy in the town’s market place.

Where to Stay

The Costa Blanca caters for many different tastes when it comes to finding a suitable place to stay, with Self Catering guesthouses along the coastline, smart hotels in the town centres and family-friendly all- inclusive establishments in the big resorts. If you’re looking for a break with a lot of activities and a buzzing nightlife, stay closer to Benidorm. Alternatively, the area has many more isolated and less touristy locations where you can enjoy relative peace and quiet in traditional surroundings, and there are lots of great deals on offer here too.

La Serena

La Serena is right in the old town of Altea and provides all the charm of a traditional fishing village and some lovely views out to sea. Head for neighbouring Granadella Beach and find a hidden paradise of quiet coves and tranquil waters away from the crowds of Benidorm. 30 minutes away by car you’ll find the picturesque mountain village of Guadalest. La Serena has small eateries that promote the ‘Slow Food’ movement and you can expect to dine on tasty seasonal produce.

Alicante

Alicante is the main gateway to the Costa Blanca but it’s much more than just that. It’s also a regional capital, buzzing with life and with an authentic Spanish feel to it. Local attractions include Santa Barbara Castle, a 16^th century fortress, and the Museum of Contemporary Arts. Alicante has some excellent restaurants too, and holidaymakers enjoy the blend of modern amenities, good seasonal cuisine and sites of cultural interest.

Things to do

National Parks

Valencia and Albufeira National Park comprise one of the most exciting areas of Spain both culturally and as a region of outstanding natural beauty. The blend of old and new that has accumulated down the ages has resulted in a colourful mix of everything from ancient Roman to Muslim and more modern touches. Admire great medieval monuments such as Lonja de Seda and the cathedral, which constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gantxo House is a more modernist touch by the celebrated architect Manuel Peris Ferrando, and the central market is always crowded and lively.

Historic urban adventures

Alicante is typical of the older Spanish resort towns that have clung on doggedly to their heritage and now enjoy the fruits of that foresight, as visitors increasingly demand a touch of ‘authentic Spain’ as well as the guaranteed sun, sand and sea. Beach holidays in Costa Blanca are as popular as ever thanks to the blue flag beaches, but so too nowadays is the Castell de Santa Barbara, the ancient citadel which looms over the town below and draws the crowds for its spectacular views and historic interest.  The castle was constructed in the 9^th century to defend the Peninsula, although relics from the Bronze and Roman ages have been found on its slopes.

Theme parks

Aqualandia in Benidorm is a huge water park that resembles nothing so much as a huge chemistry set. The Black Hole and Kamikaze white knuckle rides are particularly popular with the kids, and the Big Bang is the highest water slide in Europe. Other things to enjoy here include a lazy river, wave pool and a jungle pool in which you can swim underneath waterfalls. Terra Mitica, also in Benidorm, is similar to Thorpe Park or Alton Towers and its star attraction is the Synkope, a ride that works like a metronome and swings joy riders around at 80 miles per hour. If you enjoy freefalling from 54 metres you’ll also enjoy the Flight of the Phoenix ride. There are plenty of places to eat in both parks, including cafes and restaurants.