Costa Blanca

An honest, grounded guide to the Costa Blanca — Benidorm, Calpe’s rock, Altea, Jávea and the mountain villages inland.

Altea’s blue-domed church and whitewashed lanes – and the pebble beaches and steep climbs the photos leave out.

La Vila Joiosa’s rainbow facades and chocolate heritage – where the painted houses actually are, and what to expect.

Denia’s hilltop castle ruins, UNESCO gastronomy and the split between rocky Les Rotes and sandy Marineta beaches.

Javea’s Cala Granadella is stunning but tiny – the parking, crowds and pebble reality behind the viral photos.

Guardamar’s vast pine-backed dunes and quiet beaches – a low-key alternative to the polished resort towns nearby.

The Ifach climb needs a free advance booking and is capped daily – what to expect on Calpe’s iconic limestone rock.

Discover Elche on the Costa Blanca: the UNESCO palm groves, the basilica, the Lady of Elche, nearby beaches and the best things to see and do here.

What the Laguna Rosa really looks like, when it is pinkest, and how to visit the Torrevieja salt lake without disappointment.

Tabarca’s walled village, clear water and what day-trippers don’t expect – ferries, crowds and the real reason to go.