Get DK Top Ten Travel Guides on your iPhone & iPod Touch!
Sun, sea and sand are excellent reasons to visit the Costa Blanca, but its attractions don’t stop there. Inland, you can explore magnificent Natural Parks, wild sierras and remote hill villages, or visit historic towns with fascinating museums and a wealth of fabulous architecture. The engaging capital cities of Alicante (Alacant) and Murcia are crammed with great shops and tapas bars, and a string of lively resorts along the coast offers splendid beaches, fantastic nightlife and plenty of opportunities for fun. Best of all, there’s always a secret cove or rugged cape to be discovered if the crowds get too much.
-
Complete with colourfully tiled walls and a stack of wine barrels, this classic tapas bar in the heart of the old quarter serves an extensive menu of traditional tapas.
-
This classic, colourfully tiled mesón on a lively square serves hearty Castilian stews and grilled meat, and the tapas bar has an excellent selection of traditional dishes.
-
This family-run bar and restaurant is always packed to the rafters. The tapas are some of the best in town. Try the melt-in-the-mouth octopus cooked Galician-style.
-
Breadcrumbs fried with small pieces of pork – or with cured sausage.
-
The origins of this medieval mystery play – the only one to have survived a 17th-century ban by the Council of Trent – date back to the 13th century. It is performed in mid-August every year in the vast Basílica de Santa María in Elx (see Elx (Elche)).
-
A regional variation on Art Nouveau: flowing lines, organic forms, and highly detailed decorative elements.
-
A classic in Xàbia, this club is always packed out on summer weekends. Resident and guest DJs play house, techno and a bit of Spanish pop to get the crowd going.
-
Converted from a 17th-century rice mill, this spectacular hotel (with pool) mixes traditional and ultra-modern styles. Some of the rooms are wheelchair-accessible. The restaurant serves good regional dishes.
-
Hugely popular pilgrimage to this monastery (see Monasterio de la Santa Faz).
-
A cheerful old town dotted with historic monuments, Monóvar is one of the biggest wine-producing towns in the Alicante region. At the many bodegas you can pick up some potent local red, a fresh rosé, or the celebrated El Fondillón, a sweet dessert wine which takes 20 years to mature.
-
Restaurant price categories
For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
-
-
Hotel price categories
For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes, and extra charges.
-
Advertisement
-
-
Berlin guide
skrams
-
London guide
pukank
-
Merry in Madrid
travel
-
-
New York festivities
travel
-
Christmas in Vienna
travel
-
Washington, D.C. guide
michae
-
Venice Guide
BillZi
-
![[+]](/images/button-addtoguide.gif)
symbol, to start adding attractions to your
tailor-made travel guide.
