Altea and surroundings
Altea is without doubt one of the most charming towns to be found on Spain’s ‘White Coast’, located in the region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca. The town is situated at the sea between the cities Alicante and Valencia and is just 11 kilometres north of Benidorm. Altea is not similar to other Costa Blanca towns in that it has a new and an old neighbourhood. The old historic section is perched on top of a hill from where you will find really spectacular views. All in all Altea is a pretty town, popular with both holidaymakers and those fortunate enough to be able to live in the area; it has a slowly growing community of multinational expatriates.
History
The name Altea derives from the Moors who conquered the region and named it Althaya, meaning “health to all”. Later it belong to the Iberians and the Romans. In 1244 Jaime I de Aragon, King of Valencia, has reconquered Altea for Spain. At the beginning of the 20th century Altea was discovered by many painters because of its special, natural white light that gave the perfect conditions to create beautiful art. About town Altea has excellent amenities. However, if you want all-night discos and bright city lights on your holiday, give Altea a miss. This town is a holiday haven for the more discerning tourist who will be captivated by its medieval cobbled streets, its picture book old quarter and the delights of its palm-fringed seafront promenade. A firm ascent to the old section (Centro Historico) along sometimes steep slopes and stepped streets will reveal a broad horizon especially at the old Church square. The elevated view reveals a broad horizon extending along the entire La Marina region. The silhouette of the Peñon de Ifach on one side and the Sierra Gelada range on the other, frame the view of the sea, with the ever present gulls sweeping low over the town.
Excursions
Our holiday homes are situated on the Bernia Mountain within easy reach to everything the Costa Blanca has to offer. You can visit one of the many theme parks, explore Altea or Calpe, Benidorm, Valencia, Alicante, the beautiful small villages in Costa Blanca’s interior, enjoy the many beaches, explore the Jalon valley and much more. For nature lovers we have several walking and hiking trails right above us on the Bernia Mountain. You also can hike or climb on the nearby Sierra Gelada in Albir, the Puig Campana in Finestrat, or the famous Penon de Ifach in Calpe. Other attractions are for instance the Algar waterfalls, Los Chorros in Polop and Tabarca Island. Also there a many boat trips to make, for instance from Benidorm to Calpe or to the Benidorm Island where you can snorkle in the clear water. There are many local markets in the villages where you will find fresh fruit and of course the turistic items such as bags, watches, shoes, clothing, etc. Also nice to know that the people on the Costa Blanca celebrate the many fiestas in summertime often with lots of beautiful artificial firework. From your own private terrace at your holiday home you can enjoy the view of them over the valley. Of course the owners will happily provide you all the information you want to know about Altea and her surroundings.
Cuisine
As with most of this region traditional rice dishes, paella, are what you will find most on the Spanish menu. Altea and other villages offer also many restaurants with a (more) international cuisine.
Climate
As Altea is surrounded by the mountain range Sierra Bernia at the northern and western side, it has one of the most favourable climates in Europe. As a result of this micro climate the World Health Organization has recognized the area as having a very healthy environment which contributes significantly to an outstanding quality of life. The average annual temperature is around 17 – 19 degrees celsius with a garanteed minimum of 300 days of sunshine per year which provides an excellent balance between the amount of sunshine and rainfall.