Jávea (Xàbia): Cap de la Nau, Granadella Cove and the Old Town

Jávea (Xàbia in Valencian) is a coastal town of about 31,000 people at the northern end of the Costa Blanca, and it suits travellers who want a real town with coves, a working fishing port and walking behind it, not a single resort strip. Stay in the Arenal for a sandy beach with services, in the port for restaurants and the sea, or in the old town for streets and a market. You will want a car for the best coves. It is part of our Costa Blanca guide, and the cape of Cap de la Nau is the easiest half-day from town.

Quick facts

• Where: Xàbia/Jávea, Marina Alta comarca, Alicante province. It is the easternmost town of the Marina Alta (Xàbia tourism).
• Residents: 30,642 on 1 January 2025 (INE).
• Size: 68.4 km² and 25 km of coast (Xàbia tourism).
• Distances by road: Alicante 90 km, Benidorm 53 km, Valencia 97 km (Xàbia tourism). Dénia is about 7.6 km away in a straight line (our calculation from OSM coordinates).
• Beaches: yes, the town has its own sand and shingle beaches and a string of coves along 25 km of coast.
• Language: Valencian and Spanish; the town uses both names, Xàbia and Jávea.
• Market: a weekly street market on Thursdays in Plaza de la Constitución in the old town (Xàbia tourism).
• Nearest train: none in town. The TRAM line ends at Dénia, so you arrive by bus or car.

Where to base yourself

Xàbia is built around three districts, and the choice matters more here than the choice of hotel. The distances between them are short, but they feel like different places.

Arenal: for the beach and for evenings out

Playa del Arenal sits in the middle of Xàbia bay. Xàbia tourism calls it the town’s main tourist centre and describes its fine sand and shallow water. The promenade has shops, restaurants and bars, and the tourism site says summer nights here are lively, with pubs and leisure venues. A Roman settlement once stood at the northern end of the beach, where the Parador is today. This is the best base for families and for anyone who wants to walk from the room to the sea without a car. It is also the busiest area in summer.

The port (Duanes de la Mar): for restaurants and the sea

The port district grew around the harbour, which dates back to the 15th century and handled raisin exports in the 19th. Whitewashed fishermen’s houses and narrow streets surround it, and the 1967 church of Nuestra Señora de Loreto is a landmark. The tourism site describes the arrival of the fishing boats and the sale in the fish market as an attraction in itself, and says the district is lively all year. It suits couples and food-minded travellers, and it is a good compromise: the sea is at the door and the old town is a short drive away.

The old town: for streets, history and quiet

Up from the sea, the old town keeps its medieval layout of narrow streets, white façades, arched doorways and Gothic windows in local tosca sandstone (Xàbia tourism). It is the administrative centre, with family shops and tapas bars. It is the right base if you prefer a town to a resort and do not mind being away from the beach. The other two districts are the better choice for a first beach holiday.

Things to do

Walk the old town

The church of San Bartolomé, built between the 14th and 16th centuries, is described by Xàbia tourism as an example of Isabelline Gothic. On the same square stand the 15th-century Palau dels Sapena and the Casa dels Bolufer, and the church is flanked by the municipal market of 1946 and the 18th-century town hall. The Soler Blasco archaeological and ethnographic museum occupies a 17th-century palace house nearby. Further on, a reconstructed stretch of the medieval walls leads to Parque Montaner, where a former raisin-drying building, a riurau, was moved and rebuilt. Check museum hours locally, as we have not verified them.

The viewpoint route

Turisme Comunitat Valenciana describes a route that links 15 viewpoints between the sea and the mountains, from Cap de Sant Antoni and its windmills to Cap de la Nau, passing Séquia de la Nòria with its Roman salt pans. You can drive it or walk it in sections. Cap de Sant Antoni, on the northern side, stands 167 m above sea level (Xàbia tourism), and the cape of Cap de la Nau at the other end of the route is covered on our own page. The road out to it is about 11 km from the old town:Cap de la Nau (Cabo de la Nao).

Montgó Natural Park

The Montgó massif rises 753 m to the north-west of town (Xàbia tourism). The Generalitat Valenciana declared it a natural park on 16 March 1987, with an area of 2,117.68 ha, and it describes a rich variety of ecosystems from ravines to the sea floor. The tourism site lists the Montgó among Xàbia’s protected areas, together with a marine reserve and six plant microreserves. Hiking and birdwatching are the usual reasons to go.

Beaches and places nearby

Xàbia’s coast is more varied than a typical Costa Blanca resort. Turisme Comunitat Valenciana picks out Arenal for atmosphere and services; La Grava as a quieter beach that works for families, with clear water; Primer Muntanyar, a shingle and rocky beach with a 1st-century archaeological site; and the coves of Blanca, Barraca (Portitxol) and Granadella. Portitxol has old fishermen’s houses and a small island offshore.

Cala Granadella is the cove most visitors come for. It is 160 m long, with gravel, boulders and pebbles, not sand (Xàbia tourism), and woodland reaches almost to the water’s edge. In summer access by car is controlled, so read our page before you go: Cala Granadella: parking, access and beach guide. The same road leads to the Granadella viewpoint and the walk to the Castell de la Granadella.

To the north, Dénia is the nearest larger town and the ferry port for the Balearic Islands. A Baleària fast ferry to Ibiza takes about 2 h 15 min (Dénia tourism). To the south, the Costa Blanca guide covers Moraira, Calp and the rest of the coast.

Other town guides nearby: Dénia (about 8 km in a straight line), Moraira (about 12 km in a straight line), Calpe (about 19 km in a straight line).

On CostaMap near Jávea: Cova Tallada (Dénia) (3.2 km) · Cap de Sant Antoni (Jávea) (3.3 km) · Montgó (3.3 km) · Cala Les Rotes (Dénia) (3.7 km) · Cap de la Nau (Cabo de la Nao) (8.5 km) · Cala del Moraig (El Poble Nou de Benitatxell) (8.8 km).

Food and drink

Xàbia tourism says the town’s cooking is linked to its sea and to the fertile valley of Sant Bartomeu, and that fish and seafood from the bay are sold under a quality mark, “Pescado y marisco de la bahía de Xàbia”. Sea urchins are another local product, served with bread or in dry rice dishes.

The rice dishes are the thing to order: arroz a banda and arroz a la marinera, oven-baked rice, black rice, fesols i naps (rice with beans and turnips) and stewed rice with lobster, all named on the tourism site. Arroz a banda is cooked in a fish broth flavoured with saffron and the fish is served on the side. Suc roig or cruet de peix is the local mixed-fish stew. Among tapas the site names esgarrat (roasted red peppers with salted cod, garlic and olive oil), coques and snails. For dessert look for tortà de almendra and pastissets, made with the almonds, oranges, raisins and figs of the region. We do not name restaurants we could not verify; the tourism portal keeps a directory of bars and restaurants.

Where to stay

Choose the district first and the property second. In the Arenal you sleep near the sand and the promenade, in the port among restaurants and the harbour, and in the old town in the quietest setting, away from the beach. Outside the centre, villas and rural lodging suit groups with a car, since the coves and the cape are reached by road. Summer is the busiest season, so book ahead for July and August. We do not list prices here; check current rates on the booking site you use.

Getting there and around

There is no airport in Xàbia. The usual gateways are Alicante–Elche and Valencia, and Xàbia tourism gives road distances of 90 km to Alicante and 97 km to Valencia. Dénia’s tourist board says the transfer from either airport to Dénia takes roughly one to one and a half hours by car, bus, private transfer or hire car, and Xàbia is a short drive beyond.

By car, the AP-7 motorway exit 608 is signed Ondara / Dénia / Xàbia (Dénia tourism). By public transport, ALSA runs buses from Valencia and Alicante to Dénia taking between 1 h 30 min and 2 h, and Dénia tourism notes that buses also connect Dénia with Jávea. The TRAM line 9 runs from Benidorm to Dénia in 82 minutes, then ends. Check current timetables with the operators before travelling.

Inside Xàbia you can walk within each district, but the three districts are separate, and the coves and the cape are reached by road. A car makes the stay easier. In summer, parking at Granadella is limited, so plan that day separately.

Best time to visit

Xàbia tourism lists average temperatures of 11°C in January and 27°C in August, with an annual average of 18°C, and says the Montgó shelters the town from continental winter cold fronts. Rain comes mainly in short, intense storms in September, October and November. Late spring and early autumn are good for walking the viewpoint route and the Montgó, and the sea is warmest after the summer. The town is busiest in July and August.

The tourism site places the Moors and Christians fiesta in the port district in July, the port’s patron festival of the Virgen de Loreto in the first week of September, and the fire festival of Sant Joan in June. We have no dates for the current year, so check the council programme before you plan a trip around a fiesta.

FAQ

Is Jávea a good place for a beach holiday?

Yes, with a caveat. The Arenal is the sandy beach with fine sand and shallow water, but the best-known swimming spots are rocky coves such as Granadella, which has gravel and pebbles.

Where should I stay in Jávea?

Choose the Arenal for beach and nightlife, the port for restaurants and the sea, or the old town for a quiet base with a market on Thursdays.

How far is Jávea from Alicante airport?

Xàbia tourism gives 90 km by road to Alicante and 97 km to Valencia. Allow more than an hour by car; check timings for your day of travel.

Is there a train to Jávea?

No. The nearest TRAM station is in Dénia, about 7.6 km away in a straight line, and buses link Dénia with Jávea.

Do I need a car in Jávea?

For the Arenal, the port and the old town you can manage without one. For Cala Granadella, Cap de la Nau and the viewpoint route, a car or a taxi is the practical choice.

Sources and freshness

Last checked: October 2026. Sources: Xàbia tourism, geographical location; Xàbia tourism, historical city centre; Xàbia tourism, the port; Xàbia tourism, Arenal; Xàbia tourism, Cala Granadella; Xàbia tourism, the weather; Xàbia tourism, protected areas; Xàbia tourism, local products and dishes; Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, Jávea; Generalitat Valenciana, Montgó natural park; INE, population figures 1 January 2025; Dénia tourism, how to get there.

Main photo: Concepcion AMAT ORTA…, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.