The Costa Blanca welcomes tourists all year round thanks to its warm climate. With temperatures ranging from 15C to 20 C during 9 months of the year, tourists can enjoy the beach and the sun even in the winter.

One of the most visited areas of the Mediterranean, the Costa Blanca — the White Coast — lies between the provinces of Valencia and Murcia. A coastline that is over 200 kilometers long, the Costa Blanca is renowned for its sweeping beaches of fine, white sand as well as its secluded bays, hidden coves, pebbled shores, mountains and craggy cliffs.

The sea is calm all year round so all types of water sports can be enjoyed. Rowing, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, fly surfing, fishing, diving, jet-skiing, catamarans or cruising yachts are just some that are on offer. All along the coast, nautical clubs offer material for hire and Valencia incidentally was chosen to host the 2007 America’s Cup.

Besides the cities of Alicante, Benidorm and Torrevieja, the most popular destinations, charming villages and small towns are nestled along the Costa Blanca. Altea with its 8 km of coastline interspersed with beaches, coves and steep cliffs, is one of them. It is 61 kilometers away from Alicante and 121 kilometers from Valencia. With its small white fisherman’s houses and its narrow winding streets, Altea is known for its artistic life. Thanks to its numerous cultural assets, it has been named the “Cultural Capital” of the region of Valencia.

The Palau Altea has a seating capacity of almost a thousand and hosts exhibitions, conferences, concerts and theater performances of the highest quality. Great performers such as Rostropovich, Julio Iglesias, Jose Carreras and many more have performed there.

Denia, at the foot of the Montgo Mountain, is considered the food capital of the Costa Blanca with more than 300 restaurants. The tasty Denia prawns are considered by culinary experts to be the best in the world. You can savor the delicious ‘arroz a banda’ (rice in fish stock with seafood), which is the subject of an international competition held every February.

Calpe is shielded by the protective shadow of the towering Rock of Ifach. The Rock of Ifach is one of the most significant geographical features of Valencia and the entire western Mediterranean coast. It has also become a meeting point for mountaineers and divers from all over the world. Calpe is a yachter’s paradise with more than 13 kilometers of Mediterranean coastline. The old town includes a Moorish neighborhood with whitewashed houses in narrow, steep and terraced streets. In many cities, remnants of Arab castles can still be seen, such as the one in Denia, which was once ruled by the Kingdom of Taifa, which extended to the Balearic Islands during the 11th century.

Benidorm, however, remains the most sought after destination. It is the perfect holiday haven. Everything in the city is geared toward having a good time while taking full advantage of the most beautiful twin beaches (the Levante Beach and the Poniente Beach) in Spain.

The cruise company “Excursiones Maritimas Benidorm” offers a choice of boat excursions. You can tour the Island of Tabarca, the Rock of Ifach in Calpe, the bustling town of Altea or the colorful Villajoyosa. Or you can take a glass-bottomed boat cruise to the nearby island of Benidorm to see the marine reserve.

Benidorm is, first and foremost, a city of leisure. Many cafes and even cafes have live music to entertain customers from early afternoon until late at night. And even during the cooler evenings in winter, crowds of people, Spanish and foreigners alike stroll along the beautiful sea promenade.