Hundreds of kilometres of the finest beaches in Europe Ð hidden away in coves, oropen and majestic, with fine golden sand or smooth shingle, under the shelter ofcliffs or open to the coastal plains. With warm water in summer and autumn, andlots of sun even in winter.

Along its entire length, the Land of Valencia is a major attraction for visitors andresidents alike, because local beaches are the ideal place for fun and sun, leisureand entertainment, where everyone can enjoy the sea and the weather. The CostaBlanca, Benidorm, Val�ncia Terra i Mar and the Costa Azahar are a permanent feastfor the senses, providing guaranteed enjoyment from dawn to dusk.

L A N D O F

VALENC IA

www.comunitatvalenciana.com

PROFILES

The coast of the Land of Valencia has a crescent moon shape

whose lower point is marked by the spectacular capes of La Nao

and San Antonio, near D�nia. From this point towards the

north, the Gulf of Valencia - reaching up to the Ebro river

estuary in Tarragona - includes the Costa Azahar, or "orange

blossom" coast in Castell�n province and the gently curving

coast of Valencia province, with its sandy beaches interspersed

with areas containing pebbles of varying sizes. Of note along

this flattish coast are two spectacular interruptions Ð the tiny

peninsula of Pe��scola above Alcossebre, and the cape of

Oropesa further south. The Costa Blanca, the haunt of many

tourists and the home of not a few foreign residents, combines

magnificent beaches and cliffs with enchanting coves.

The sun rises over the Mediterranean and shines on this stretch

of land for almost 3,000 hours a year, dropping into the

peninsula to create continental sunsets which are sometimes

dramatic, after which the sea looks up in search of sparkling

moonlight.

THE MEDITERRANEAN BALCONY

The coast of the Land of Valencia lines the western edge of

a sea which has been shared by a number of countries and

cultures for as long as man can remember, a sacred sea which

has given shape to the minds and morals of the modern world

through the ancient Greco-Roman culture. It has been called

the ÔworldÕs navelÕ, and of course the Romans called it simply

Ôour seaÕ. From the eastern end, Asiatic migrators made their

way across it, only to settle down and stay for centuries on

end. The Mediterranean was certainly the maritime bed that

nurtured humanity in its early days. The Land of Valencia has beaches for enjoying the fine weather all year round. La Granadella cove, a beauty spotsurrounded by cliffs (facing page); the golden sands and quiet waters of the Levante beach in Benidorm (above); thesand dunes in Guardamar del Segura, the pine trees and the sea offer an almost virgin landscape (above right).

The Rock of Ifach has been declared aLand of Valencia Nature Park. It is animpressive rock connected to theshore by a narrow headland. From thesummit there are superb views overthe coast and the inland mountains.

The Valencian coastline is mostly flat, with very long beaches of fine sand. In Canet d'En Berenguer andSagunto, the seashore is covered by sand and dunes, and beaches have a family atmosphere.

ENDLESS BEACHES

In Canet dÕEn Berenguer and Sagunto, the shoreline

recovers its attraction for all comers, thanks to sweeping dunes

and sandy beaches, with clear water and an exotic access

through the local orange groves. Sand is king here, with no

rocky interruptions. To the north of the city of Valencia there

are various beachfront holiday centres such as Alboraya, La

Pobla de Farnals, El Puig, enabling locals and inland folk to

enjoy the beach in areas that were farmlands not so long ago.

Within the Valencia city limits, the Malvarrosa and Levante

beaches offer city-style beach-life, day or night, with a

promenade, lots of caf�s and restaurants and leisure and sports

areas. Southwards again, the El Saler beach allows nature to

take over once again, as the Albufera Nature Park is a protected

reserve with a Mediterranean pine forest growing on sand dunes

facing the sea, with the freshwater Albufera lagoon behind it.

The long sandy beach provides varying degrees of privacy even

in midsummer. Further on, the beaches of Sueca, Cullera,

Gandia and Oliva combine beautiful landscapes with lots of

sports and recreational facilities in an area intended for fun and

enjoyment. Fine sand and clean water, with a backdrop of

rugged mountains in the interior, provide scenic views well

worth seeing.

ORANGE BLOSSOM SEA

From north to south, the scenic and historic attraction of

Pe��scola is unquestionable. It has a good accommodation

lineup and many complementary attractions, sharing the fun-

and-sun attractions for a growing tourist turnout each year

with nearby Benicarl� and Vinar�s.

The last spurs of the Irta mountains flank the sea for a num-

ber of kilometres down to Alcal� de Xivert and its beachfront

satellite area Alcossebre, which has its cliffs, small rocky

coves and one broad sandy beach with fresh-water springs bub-

bling up from the seabed. Located south of the protected

nature reserve called Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca, is Orope-

sa del Mar, where sunbathers and swimmers take over again

on the handsome beach of La Concha. The coast keeps a low

profile until it becomes a wide sandy beach in Benic�ssim, a

family holiday centre with apartment buildings and leisure

attractions. All the towns and villages in the proximity of Cas-

tell�n have their little roads to the beach.

The picturesque peninsula of Pe��scola rises up from the Costa Azahar, surmounted by the ÒPapa LunaÓ castle (Pope Benedict XIII)(above). The last rays of the sun are reflected in the waters of the bay of Torreblanca, an open invitation to swimmers (aboveright). In Oropesa del Mar (facing page), the Concha beach and the marina are two magnificent ways to enjoy the sea.

The Cullera shoreline is a bustling place,particularly in the summer months. Thelong beach and numerous leisure facilitiesmake this an outstanding tourist destina-tion.

Gandia beach (above left) has ample space for its numerous sports and recreation facilities. In Piles and Oliva(above right), the beaches are tranquil places, ideal for enjoying the sun, the sea and lots of water sports.

L A N D O F

VALENC IA

are breathtakingly beautiful, creating cliff-faces, hid-

den coves and sharp, sloping beaches, some with sand,

others with shingle. J�vea, Teulada, Benissa, Calpe,

Altea and La Vila Joiosa... these are true seafarer

villages, sitting on the coast, looking out to sea, and

inviting visitors to partake of their delights and disco-

ver their secrets. In Benidorm, however, the bravado

of the coast seems to tone down once again, opening

out to create an incredibly broad stretch of southerly-

facing sand enjoying year-round sun. This was SpainÕs

first tourist enclave, and it is still going strong.

LA MARINA

From D�nia to Benidorm, the coastline acquires

monumental proportions. Left behind in the north are

the flat, fertile orchards and the leisurely lowlands.

Here the mountains dip their feet in the sea, breaking

off abruptly on this coastal area of the Land of Valen-

cia, where crystal-clear waters, attractive seabeds

and bright, sandy beaches are always part of the

landscape. The capes of San Antonio and La Nao,

Moraira, and a little further south, the Rock of Ifach,

Above, a view of the Luis Campomonas marina in Altea, a place to breathe the Mediterrane-an and cosmopolitan airs that suffuse this seaside town.

Transparent water, nautical sports, a busy night life... On the Costa Blanca, by the sea, fun is gua-ranteed. Below from left to right: water sports in Moraira, a caf� terrace with Benidorm island inthe distance, Benitachell cove, and the Mal Pas cove in Benidorm.

The immense Levante beach inBenidorm is internationallyfamous and welcomes visitorsfrom all over the world throug-hout the year.

L A N D O F

VALENC IA

SALT AND SAND

Deeper into the south, El Campello, San Juan and

the city of Alicante itself complete this vacation

showcase, whose sun and fun products more than jus-

tify a lengthy and leisurely stay.

Near the southernmost tip of the Land of Valencia,

totalling 466km of coastline, visitors again encounter

fine, sandy beaches at Orihuela and Elx, and La

Dehesa de Campoamor, becoming saltier in the salt

flats of Torrevieja and Santa Pola, then changing to

picturesque dunes in Guardamar del Segura, and

finally turning into small-scale cliffs in Cabo Roig and

the coast of Pilar de la Horadada.

BLUE FLAGS

The Blue Flag flutters over the beaches of the Costa

Blanca, Benidorm, the Costa Azahar and Val�ncia Terra

i Mar, as a distinctive badge of the water and beach

service quality. You will find all kinds of facilities and

services here: play areas for children, sports facilities

including basketball and volleyball areas, moored rafts,

eco-friendly footbaths that use desalinized sea-water,

cleaning and maintenance services, waste-paper

baskets, walkways, etc.

The Alicante coast is noted for its long sandy beaches and the quality of itswaters. Postiguet beach (above) and San Juan beach (facing page).

The palm tree is an attractionthat is found all along the coastli-ne of the Land of Valencia and isa symbol of this part of thecountry. Below, an exotic beach inTorrevieja.

The Costa Blanca shoreline offers calm, transparent waters in which tomake the most of the sea and the water sports while on holiday.

Alicante's Postiguet beach takes part in the urban life of the city and hasall kinds of facilities for both children and adults.

VALENCIA

BENIDORM

ALTEALÕALFËS DEL PI

CASTELLîNde la Plana

ALICANTE

N

EO

S

VINARñS

BENICARLî

PE�êSCOLA

ALCALç DE XIVERT

TORREBLANCA

OROPESA

BENICËSSIM

MONCOFA

CANET DEÕN BERENGUER

SAGUNTO

SUECA

CULLERA

TAVERNES DE LA VALLDIGNA

GANDêA

OLIVA

D�NIA

XËBIA

TEULADA-MORAIRABENISSA

LA VILA JOIOSA

EL CAMPELLO

SANTA POLA

GUARDAMAR DEL SEGURA

TORREVIEJA

PILAR DE LA HORADADA

Mar Xica / Morrongo / Caracola

Triador/ Fortí / Fora ForatEl Clot

Norte / Sur / Calas de la Costa Sur

ALCOSSEBRE

Platges de Ribamar / Les Fonts / CarregadorRomana / Moro / Tres Playas / L’EstanySerradal / Capicorb

Norte / Torrenostra

Amplaries / Morro de Gos / Concha / Les Platgetes

Voramar / Almadraba / Torre San VicenteEls Terrers / Heliópolis

L'Arenal

NULES Nules

Playa Norte / Playa Sur

Grau / Masbó

BURRIANA

Corinto-Malvarrosa / AlmardáPuerto Sagunto

Racó de Mar

LA POBLA DE FARNALS

ALBORAYA

EL PUIG

Port-Saplaya Norte / Port-Saplaya / Patacona

Plans-Barri de Pescadors-Santa Elvira / Puig Val-Play Puig

Malvarrosa / Cabañal-Arenas / Pinedo / El SalerLa Devesa / Recatí

Playa Norte / Playa Sur

El Perelló / Les Palmeretes / ReyBega de Mar / Mareny Blau

Mareny de San Llorenç / Dossel / El Faro / Los OlivosCap Blanc / Racó / San Antonio / Marenyet / Estany / Brosquil

Playa de Xeraco

Tavernes de la Valldigna / La Goleta

Pope o Tangó / La Grava / Muntanyar I / El Arenal / Cala BlancaCala Sardinera / La Barraca o Portitxol / Ambolo / La Granadella

Les Deveses / La Almadrava / Les Bovetes / Les MarinesPunta del Raset / Marineta Cassiana / Les Rotes

D’Ahuir / Playa Nord / Venecia / Rafalcaid

Les Bassetes / Del Mallorquí / Calalga / Levante o La Fossa / Del PenyalEl Racó / Cantal Roig / Arenal-Bol / La Manzanera / Puerto BlancoLes Urques / Gasparet / Racó del Corv

Cala Ti Ximo / La Almadrava / Levante / Mal Pas / Poniente

Del Torres / Almadrava / Estudiants / Tio Roig / Playa Centro o Ciutat / Playa ParadísPlaya Bon Nou / La Caleta

Cala de Finestrat

Playa de San Juan / Playa de la Albufereta / Playa del Postiguet / Playa del Saladar / Isla de Tabarca

Carrer la Mar / Almadrava / Mutxavista / Calas del Campello

L’Altet / Arenals del Sol / El Pinet / La Marina / Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo / El Carabassí

Tabarca

El Serradal / El Gurugú / El Pinar

CHILCHES

ALMENARA Playa Casablanca

XERACO

FINESTRAT

ELX

ORIHUELA

Terranova / Burguera / Pau-Pi / Les Aigües BlanquesL’Aigua Morta / La Devesa

Los Pedregales / Daimús

CABANES La Ribera de Cabanes / La Torre de la Sal

Pla de la Torre / Ben-AfeliALMASSORA

MASSAMAGRELLMELIANA

BENITACHELL

DAIMòSGUARDAMARBELLREGUARD

MIRAMARPILES

Del MoraigDel Portet / L´Ampolla / Platgetes / L’Andragó

Baladrar / Advogat-Lobella / Els Pinets / La FusteraCALPE

Platja del Mascarat / La Barreta de Gualda / La Solsida / Platges de l’OllaCala de Soio / Cap Negret / La Roda / Cap BlanchPlaya del Albir

Calas del Cabo / Calas Sant Pola del Este / Varadero / Llevant / Playas de Santiago BernabeuGran Playa / Playa Lisa / Tamarit / El Pinet / La Gola

Els Tusals-Los Tusales / Els Vivers-Los Viveros / Playa Centro/ La Roqueta / El MoncayoPlaya del Campo / Les Ortigues

Playa de la Mata / Playa de los Locos / Playa del Cura / Playa de los Naúfragos

Punta Prima / Playa Flamenca / Playa de la Zenia / Playa de Cabo Roig / Dehesa de Campoamor / Mil Palmeras

Mil Palmeras / Jesuitas-Cala Rincón / Puerto / La Villas-Higuericas / El Mojón

Playa de Massamagrell

Playa de Meliana

Playa de GuardamarPlaya de BellreguardPlaya de Miramar

Playa de Piles

BEACHES OF THE LAND OF VALENCIA

MEDITERRANEANSEA

OUR BEACHES

The beaches of the Land of Valencia possess excellent qualities that ena-

ble them to be enjoyed to the full. Below is a list of beaches along the

coastline, with symbols describing their major characteristics.

open beach cove rustic beach semi-urban beach urban beach

virgin beach fine sand coarse sand shingle pebbles

rocks nudist lifeguard state of the sea disabled access

red cross tourist information point footbath and showers walkways sports area

playground moored rafts toilets hotels campsites

restaurants sailing windsurfing water skiing seafront promenade

car park public telephone bus stop taxi rank railway