Description

Costa Blanca refers to the 200 kilometres of coastline that belongs to the Province of Alicante in Spain. It has clear blue waters and white sandy beaches. Visitors can marvel at the Moorish villages where there are plenty of olive trees and hidden coves. To the south there are beaches with palm trees, turquoise sea and rows of restaurants. It is one of Spain's most fertile areas. The region is famous for its citrus trees. Almond trees and date palms thrive in this fertile soil as well. Towards the north of the island there are two resorts the Denia and Javea that must be explored. The well-known traditional dances on the island are the Jota Valenciana and the Jota Murciana. They dances are performed during the fiestas and must be seen. Visitors must try wind surfing, it is the fastest growing sports in Spain and is very popular in this coast. Alicante is the capital and major city of Costa Blanca but the town of Benidorm which is located the Northern end of the Costa Blanca attracts most visitors. At the heart of the Costa Blanca lies an ancient fishing village which is now a tourist magnet by the name of Calpe that must be visited.

Shopping

Costa Blanca has a wide range of shops to choose from, for locally manufactured products with an authentic Spanish theme. There are many street markets which sell traditional local handicrafts like wickerwork, ceramics, leather goods and also an assortment of souvenirs and trinkets. There are plenty of boutiques in Alicante and Benidorm.

Restaurants

There are various British cuisines but local seafood is varied and cheap. The paellas and tapas are reliable. Costa Blanca has bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. Traditional Spanish restaurants and tapas bars provide food with an international flavour.

Night Life

Costa Blanca has lively resorts with vibrant night entertainment. Benidorm is popular with the young people who want to party all night long. There are bars and all-night clubs catering mainly for British tourists.

Activities

Visitors can try wind-surfing, kite-surfing, body-boarding, snowboarding at the beaches here. Water sports like skiing, boating, jet-skiing, diving, snorkelling and scuba-diving can be done.

Communications

The international access code for Spain is +34. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)93 for Barcelona and (0)91 for Madrid. Pay phones are either blue or green and accept either coins or phone cards, which are sold at post offices, tobacco shops and newsagents. Three mobile phone operators provide thorough GSM 900/1800 coverage throughout the country and the Balearic and Canary Islands. Email and Internet access is available at Internet cafes in most towns and resorts.

Contacts

Spanish Tourist Office, Madrid: +34 91 366 5477 or www.spain.info
Spanish Embassy, Washington, United States: +1 202 452 0100.
Spanish Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7589 8989.
Spanish Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 747 2252.
Spanish Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6273 3555.
Spanish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 460 0123.
Spanish Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 283 9900.
Spanish Consulate, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 913 1167.
United States Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 587 2240.
British Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 700 8200.
Canadian Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 423 3250.
Australian Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 353 6600.
South African Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 436 3780.
Irish Embassy, Madrid: +34 91 436 4093.
New Zealand Embassy, Madrid: +34 915 230 226.
Emergencies: 112/061

Currency

EUR

Attractions

The impressive castle that towers over Alicante was built by the Carthaginians in 400 BC and later used by the Romans and Moors. The fortress is massive surrounding moats, drawbridges, tunnels, cisterns and dungeons and a stately tower. Visitors can have a wonderful view of the bay and city from the top of the castle. In the Plaza de Santa Maria stands Alicante’s oldest building. Ironically it contains its most notable modern art collection donated by painter and sculptor Eusebio Sempere in 1977. Among the noteworthy paintings on display are those of Dali, Picasso, Calder and Miro that must be seen. Situated on the outskirts of Benidorm Terra Mitica is Spain's largest theme park with its rides, shows, restaurants and shops. Rides like the Tizona, an inverted roller coaster that reaches speeds of 62mph and heights of more than 100ft and other attractions provide entertainment.

Language

Spanish

Language Description

Spanish is the official language, but English is widely understood in areas frequented by tourists. Catalan, Galician and Basque are spoken in the relevant areas.

Tipping

Hotel and restaurant bills usually include service charges, but additional tips are welcomed for services rendered. In established restaurants tips of about 10% is expected. In Mallorca value-added-tax is usually included in restaurant bills, designated 'I.V.A', and may be mistaken for a service charge. Drivers of metered taxis expect small tips and it is customary to tip usually 5-10% for most services, including guides.