Costa Blanca holidays

If you’re looking for a beach with attitude, get yourself down to Playa de Levante in Benidorm. This two-kilometre beach is located right at the end of Benidorm’s famous strip, Avenida de Madrid. The party tends to spill over onto the sands after sundown. Alternatively, up near Altea is the 500-metre Playa del Albir. There’s a big party vibe along the paved promenade that runs behind it.

While the beaches of the Costa Blanca have a reputation for being lively and energetic, there are some places where you’ll find total relaxation. Playa de San Juan just outside Alicante is one of them. This huge 11-kilometre beach offers sunloungers, umbrellas, and waiter service from the local bars, so there’s no need to move all day. When you're hungry, try a giant plate of the little sandwiches called montaditos.

Benidorm is known for being a party hotspot, but there are actually two family-friendly beaches in the city which are great for young children. Playa Mal Pas is one of Benidorm’s smallest and quietest beaches, with shallow waters. It's popular with locals. Playa de Poniente is larger at almost four kilometres. Its calm waters are great for swimming, there’s plenty of shade, and there are some watersports here, like kayaking.

In small beachside gift shops you’ll find all the usual souvenirs such as magnets, T-shirts, beaded jewellery, and stationery. However, venture to one of Costa Blanca’s marketplaces and you’ll find some more authentic bargain buys. Benidorm’s indoor market is a good place to shop. You’ll find locally made wicker goods and handcrafted Spanish fans, along with low-cost perfumes, bags, and leather goods.

If you’re looking for a high-quality souvenir, authentic paella pans are massively popular on the Costa Blanca. You could also pick up some ceramic dishes for recreating the laidback tapas scene in your own dining room. Alternatively, look for local produce such as Alicante wines, olive oil, olive wood carvings, and honey. Soaps made with honey and olive oil are great, too.

The pedestrianised area of Alicante is where you’ll find well-known designer stores and international retailers like Ted Baker, Zara, and Sephora. Or you could stroll around one of the Costa Blanca’s massive shopping centres. In Alicante, there are a few El Corte Ingles malls for big-name brands like Guess and Armani. Near Benidorm you’ll find La Marina shopping centre for brands like Mango and Swarovski.

For a taste of the authentic, book a stay in one of Costa Blanca’s more traditional and quieter resorts, like Calpe. Calpe boasts an understated nightlife with chilled-out beach bars. These are ideal for relaxing evenings gazing out over the sea. During the summer, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the night-time festivals that take place throughout Calpe. There’s live music that plays well into the night, with singing, dancing, and plenty of sangria. But no matter where you stay, you’re sure to find a cosy corner in the narrow winding streets of these old towns. And there’s always your hotel bar to check out, too.

Benidorm is the Costa Blanca’s party hotspot. Often referred to as the Manhattan of Spain, this is a city that never sleeps. The main strip leads up and away from Levante Beach. This is where you’ll find row after row of bars, clubs, and other lively spots. The area around Avenida Mallorca, known locally as the ‘English Square’, is particularly popular with young Brits and Irish travellers and is very LGBT+ friendly. You can also enjoy a fun night out at Casino Mediterraneo. This offers 3,600 square meters of gaming machines, along with tables for American roulette, blackjack and poker.

Costa Blanca’s Valencian cuisine is a blend of Mediterranean, Balearic, and Catalan flavours. Fresh vegetables, locally-grown citrus fruits, seafood caught off the coast, and meat are the staples of the local diet. Valencian dishes that you can enjoy here include seafood paella, the refreshing cold soup known as gazpacho, and fideua noodles.

Although many dishes on the Costa Blanca can be found all across Valencia, there are a few local specialities that originated on, and are best enjoyed at the coast. Turron is one of them. This sweet nougat made with honey and almonds comes from Jijona, just 25 kilometres inland from Playa de San Juan.

Along the Costa Blanca you’ll find an absolutely huge range of places to eat. In fact, this may be one of the most diverse parts of Spain in terms of gastronomy. There’s everything here, from family-friendly fast food restaurants to hotel buffets, traditional Spanish tapas bars, and fine dining Michelin-starred venues.

After dinner, be sure to sample a glass of Herbero de la Sierra de Mariola. This is a herbal liqueur made from sage, chamomile, and fennel from the Serra Mariola Natural Park, about 80 kilometres from Playa de San Juan. Another good choice is the anise-flavoured Anis Paloma, made just outside Alicante.

Much of the wine grown in the Alicante D.O. region actually comes from the area between Benidorm and Calpe. The hot Mediterranean climate here on the coast is perfect for Moscatel grapes, creating sweet local wines. A little further inland, in Vinalopo, the more continental climate is ideal for Monastrell reds.