Villa Toscal

More on Javea, Costa Blanca

The port town of Javea sits in the shadow of Montgo Mountain between Valencia and Alicante. This little haven along Spain’s Costa Blanca boasts an old town area where the Medieval church is the centrepiece and shops, cafés and restaurants work their way along the cobbled streets. Meanwhile, nightlife is set to the rhythm of Spanish and international bands, and the local beaches wave their Blue Flags. Along its coastline, Javea has 2 stand-out Blue Flag beaches. La Grava, a pebbly number loved by the locals, is lined by tapas restaurants along the promenade. The boardwalk stretches for 3 kilometres south to Arenal Bay. This is a lovely sandy spot with water that stays shallow a long way out. There are pedalos to hire and lots of bars and restaurants on hand. Arenal, Javea’s old town, is where the nightlife kicks in – often in the form of a late restaurant meal and live flamenco. Many of the restaurants offer tapas, sangria and cocktails, and summertime beach bars spring up along the seafront between Arenal and the port area. Three nightclubs along Arenal Beach play disco, house and techno from midnight to dawn. The mountaintop fortress of Guadalest makes a great daytrip from Javea. You’ll need a car for the 40-minute drive up the steep winding roads, as you take in the views. A whitewashed bell tower hugs the mountainside, then a rock-carved tunnel takes you through to a stunning old village and castle. The view from the top looks down on to a glistening turquoise reservoir.