Ideas for places to stay within an hour of Alicante airport?

[emjeast]

We usually go to the Costa Del Sol on holiday but have just booked flights to Alicante. We have never been to that area before and so are wondering what towns we would like to stay in (we will be booking a private self catering place).

Can you suggest any nice towns within an hours drive from Alicante Airport? To give you an idea we are a 35 year old couple and we are looking for a nice, relaxing town with decent restaurants and bars, near the sea would be preferable and a place that has a spanish feel to it - we are not looking for a englishafied place that has a 'belly busters' on every corner!!! (i.e. Benidorm!). When we go to the Costa Del Sol we usually stay in Nerja, Benahavis or Estepona and so are looking for a similar style place.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as so far I have come up with Denia, Javea and Torrevieja, what are these places like?

Thanks!

[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by emjeast

We usually go to the Costa Del Sol on holiday but have just booked flights to Alicante. We have never been to that area before and so are wondering what towns we would like to stay in (we will be booking a private self catering place).

Can you suggest any nice towns within an hours drive from Alicante Airport? To give you an idea we are a 35 year old couple and we are looking for a nice, relaxing town with decent restaurants and bars, near the sea would be preferable and a place that has a spanish feel to it - we are not looking for a englishafied place that has a 'belly busters' on every corner!!! (i.e. Benidorm!). When we go to the Costa Del Sol we usually stay in Nerja, Benahavis or Estepona and so are looking for a similar style place.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as so far I have come up with Denia, Javea and Torrevieja, what are these places like?

Thanks!

I Jávea

10 beaches, a 'spanish' port, a 'spanish' pueblo & a touristy bit

lots of different nationalities, but essentially still a place where Spanish people live & work

we attract tourists from Madrid - I was once told that the majority of the holiday homes here ar eowned by madrileños & I'd be surprised if it wasn't true

lots of great local restaurants & bars, from inexpensive to special occaision - but you can get great fish & chips too!


easy access to Valencia, too

[MaidenScotland]

I live in Novelda.. 20 minutes or so from the airport.. not on the beach but definitely has the Spanish feel... although there is an Irish bar in the town I have never seen it open,
The siesta is still very much part of life.. everything closes in the afternoon and nothing but cafes open before 10am.. lots to explore.

Sax and Elda are two nice Spanish towns and don't over look Alicante.. it is a beautiful city,

[agua642]

I live 10kms from Denia and love going to Denia it is Spanish, cosmopolitan and gets tourism from France and Madrid etc, in general the English people I know don't like Denia I guess it's to Spanish for them! they do however like Javea!
Id choose Denia anyday, there's more culture events and it's all year round but this is a personal choose.

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[xabiachica]

Originally Posted by agua642

I live 10kms from Denia and love going to Denia it is Spanish, cosmopolitan and gets tourism from France and Madrid etc, in general the English people I know don't like Denia I guess it's to Spanish for them! they do however like Javea!
Id choose Denia anyday, there's more culture events and it's all year round but this is a personal choose.

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rubbish - lots of English people like Denia!! Lots live there too


I like to visit Denia very much - but wouldn't like to live there

[Stravinsky]

Originally Posted by agua642

I live 10kms from Denia and love going to Denia it is Spanish, cosmopolitan and gets tourism from France and Madrid etc, in general the English people I know don't like Denia I guess it's to Spanish for them! they do however like Javea!
Id choose Denia anyday, there's more culture events and it's all year round but this is a personal choose.

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I like Denia .... and most Brits I know like it also
Like Xabiachica I wouldnt want to live there, but nice for visits

[jules 123]

I like Denia and I would live there, if anywhere in Spain.

What time of year will you be visiting and are you looking for evening or daytime entertainment.

[cmiz]

Hi there

We are a couple same age as yourselves (although now got 2 young children, but been as couple and family). My parents have an apartment 5 mins from Torrevieja. I too like places such as Nerja and we love going here.

The holiday itself coming to this area is different to a package holiday (even a self cateriing one), as you do not see lots of hotels and the usual tourist packed streets etc. Although it is now catering more for turists.

Torrevieja itself is a town and I would only ever stay further out, it is great for a visit, some fab restaurants and nice sea front, but there are some absolutely beautiful places within 5 to 20 min drive from here.

We stay in La Siesta/El Chaparal, which is a small urbanisation with apartments and villa's and a small comercial area with a couple of bars etc, but we love other areas, and if it wasnt for the fact that we stay at my parents then we would stay in the following places.

Mil Palmeras
La Zenia
Cabo Roig area
Playa Flamenca

These can all be looked up on the net, all have beaches and restaurants nearby, there are some great little restaurants to be honest.

A Car is a must, we go all over, La Mata, Guadamar, La Marina, Rojales and Benijofa. There are so many more little inland spanish villages to visit too, we never travelled more than 25 mins in car to these places, but you can go for miles.

I think it is an excellent base. If you want to be able to go drinking at night and not have to worry about driving, you can do this too. On our urbanisation, we go to the same 2 bars for a night cap, most are full of regulars which has a nice friendly feel. There is a dual carriage way that runs through from torreviejca right down to cartaghena, and there are lots of places for eating and drinking along here. We have been going here since 2004 and still not visited all the areas we would like to. Would definitely recommend, there is somewhere for everyone round here.

Regards

Cmiz

[ohlson]

Try La Marina Village 30 mins from Alicante. We like the El Pinet end it is in a quiet rural area just outside the village of La Marina which is typically Spanish and you will be able to find a wide selection of pleasant bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. There is an English Butchers in the village, papershop, chemist, grocery store etc and a short 5 minute drive you will find a large supermarket and the new Iceland store selling all your well known brands.
The beach at El pinet has long been a favourite with the Spanish due to its beautiful golden sand and beachside eateries. Worth a visit on the beach is MARUJA HOSTEL El Pinet La Marina, elx Elche, Alicante it is found Amongst the more than fifty well-kept chalets that line the beach Hostal Maruja which has sat at the centre of this parade for sixty years and as you can see from the images, hasn’t changed at all. I have copied some of this off of their web page it is on the spain-info site. But it is possible to rent apartments in that area that are within walking distance of shops and bars.

[Manin_bcn]

So much choice: Denia, Calp(e), Altea, Albir ... beautiful!