The Costa Blanca, the “white coast” of Alicante province, is the most popular stretch of coast in Spain for northern European visitors, and for good reason. It packs an enormous range into a short drive: the high-rise energy of Benidorm, the dramatic rock at Calpe, white hill towns, quiet coves and mountain villages just inland. This is an honest, grounded guide to where to go and what tends to disappoint.
At a glance
- Where: Alicante province, Valencian Community, south-east Spain.
- Gateway: Alicante–Elche Airport (ALC), one of Spain’s busiest.
- Best for: reliable sunshine, a huge range of resorts, coves and dramatic coastal scenery.
- Headline stops: Alicante, Benidorm, Calpe, Altea, Jávea and Dénia, Guadalest inland.
- Eat: rice dishes of every kind, the prized red prawns of Dénia, and turrón, the almond nougat made inland at Jijona.
- Getting around: a coastal tram links Alicante to Benidorm, but a car opens up the hill towns and quieter coves.
Three things that surprise first-time visitors
- Benidorm really is a wall of towers. Its skyline is unlike anywhere else in Spain, loved by some and avoided by others. Judge it for yourself before you write off the whole coast by it.
- The range is enormous. Within half an hour of the busiest resort you can be in a sleepy cove or a white village in the mountains.
- It is genuinely mild in winter. The climate here is among the gentlest in mainland Spain, which is why so many northern Europeans settle in.
Alicante, Benidorm and the southern coast
Alicante anchors the coast, its old town climbing toward the Santa Bárbara castle on Mount Benacantil, with a palm-lined seafront promenade below. North along the shore, Benidorm is the high-rise resort capital, built around two long beaches and a nightlife that runs year-round. South of Alicante, Torrevieja spreads beside salt lagoons, one of which can turn a startling pink.
Calpe, Altea and the white towns
The coast grows dramatic around Calpe, where the great limestone rock of the Peñón de Ifach rises straight from the sea as a natural park. Just north, Altea stacks white houses up to a blue-domed church, long a favourite of artists. Further on, Jávea and Dénia trade resort bustle for coves, the Montgó mountain and a quieter, more local rhythm, with ferries from Dénia out to Ibiza.
The mountains inland
Turn away from the sea and the land climbs fast. Guadalest, a tiny village wedged into the rock above a turquoise reservoir, is one of the most visited spots in Spain for a reason. The hills behind the coast hide more, from almond groves to the nougat workshops of Jijona, and they make an easy escape from the beaches on a hot afternoon.
Local tip
Order rice rather than “paella” and ask what is local that day. The Valencian coast treats rice as a craft, and an arròs a banda or a rice cooked with Dénia prawns will tell you more about the place than the photographs on a tourist menu ever will.
Reality check
The southern resorts are heavily built up, and July and August bring big crowds and packed beaches. If that is not your scene, base yourself around Jávea, Dénia or the hill towns, where the coast keeps more of its character. Spring and autumn are warm, quieter and far easier than the summer peak.
Verdict
Come to the Costa Blanca for range above all. Mix a lively resort with a few days in a quieter cove and a trip into the mountains, and you get sun, scenery and good rice in one compact, well-connected coast.
How we assess
This guide is compiled and cross-checked from established, verifiable information about each place, its geography, history, headline sights and food. We do not invent first-hand fieldwork or personal anecdotes. Where something is a matter of taste or shifts with the season, we say so plainly, and place names use correct Spanish and Valencian spelling and accents.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit?
Spring and autumn bring warm, comfortable weather with thinner crowds, while the mild winters draw many long-stay visitors.
Is it just Benidorm?
Far from it. The coast runs from that high-rise resort to quiet coves at Jávea and Dénia and white villages in the hills.
Do I need a car?
A tram links Alicante and Benidorm, but a car is the key to the hill towns, the coves and inland Guadalest.
Is it good for families?
Very. Calm beaches, theme parks around Benidorm and short distances make it one of Spain’s easiest coasts with children.
Plan your trip
Explore the coast on the interactive Costamap map, where each marker opens its own card. Comparing regions? See our guide to the Costa Cálida just to the south.