Santa Pola Live Cam

From this bay, oriented to the south, that is Benidorm split in two by what is called The Castle, today the main tourist resort of the Costa Blanca, a mountain route begins by way of Alfaz del Pi (L'Alfas) take us close to La Nucía and show us Polop, leaving behind the Puig Campana, of which mysterious stories are told.

The road, between olive and fruit trees, goes up to the foot of the Aitana mountain range, where the village of Guadalest is located, its principals monuments being the castles of La Alcozaida and San José, with its towers and chapel, the Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) Square, and the house of Orduña, as well as the terrace-garden that opens to the valley.

Go around the Aitana mountains by La Bodegueta until reaching the narrow streets at Sella, and the river of the same name, then ascend, between pine trees and curves to Segura or continue from Guadalest by way of Cofrides, where textile craftsmanship can be found -shawls, headcovers and crocheted items-These are the two alternatives presented to the traveller in this route towards Penáguila, a village of medieval character, Cocentaina and Alcoy, between the mountain range of Mariola, the Carrascal and the Ull del Moro.

The monumental Cocentaina, between olive and almond trees, and grain crops, with the Gothic Count Palace and Castle, which crowns the city with a beautiful Homage tower, preserves part of the wall and heraldry houses from the XVIII century. One hardly has time to realise that this settlement is behind us, before we get close to the city of the bridges: Alcoy.

The city is located between five hills separated by two gorges of the River Serpis, that enclose a monumental, artistic and historical whole defined by its Main Square, (Plaza Mayor), San Nicolás Street, modernist houses, bridges like San Jorge and the Archeological Museum from the XVI century.

In the Museum, there is a copy of a lead engraving with inscriptions of Iberian letters, unique in Spain. According to scholars, the alphabet they used has a certain Greek influence.

Returning to Benilloba, where festivities are celebrated during the summer, as well as the rest of these mountain villages, with very cold winters, the route displays fruit tree villages, Gorga, Facheca (Fraxeca), Castell del Castells, that surround the mountain ranges of Serrella and Aixorta, amongst cherry, almond, apple and peach trees, arriving at Callosa de Sarriá (Callosa d'en Sarriá), which leads us back to the Marina between Altea and Calpe (Calp).

The Marina

Campello, just a few kilometres from the capital, preserves marine atmosphere, with its Carrer de la Mar, which provides a beautiful walk, as does Villajoyosa, (Vila Joiosa), with a notable fishing fleet, and houses painted in bright colours or suspended on the dry bed of the River Amadoiro.

Although one can enjoy any kind of nautical sports at any point of the Alicantine coastline, it is in Benidorm where the infrastructure for this type of leisure activity, and of sports in general, is more complete. From athletics in its well equipped tracks, to the horse-riding or hiking trails in the nearby mountains, or the gymnasium, bowling, fresh water games, etc. all are within reach of the traveller.

But Benidorm also offers its nights, with open air movies, selected restaurants, discotheques and pubs. With a small old center of town, which is attributed to the Arabian era, in days gone by for fishermen, two wonderful fine sand beaches, shopping malls, and a whole group of hotels for company meetings and conferences. At one time called Tossal de la Cala; where the "Venus Báquica" was found, it is dedicated to tourism.

The trip to Denia is a pleasant car ride, leaving the highway for a different kind of journey. But before, Altea, just a few kilometres from Benidorm, close to the mouth of the River Algar, built on a hill with streets in the form of stairs, offers a great variety of panoramic views, either directed to the mountains of Bemia, its own Marina or the Peñón de Ifach now in the sea, as well as the possibility of enjoying a game of golf or other nautical sports.

After Altea, the traveller arrives to the Barranco de Mascarat, where the cliffs and precipitous coast will provide magnificent panoramic views. A little farther up, the Peñón de Ifach announces the beautiful bay of Calpe, with ruins from the Roman occupation -Baths of the Queen- between the natural park and the village.

From here the route can take the alternative of going inland, by way of Benisa, where artistic furniture is made and a good muscatel grape can be tasted, to walk on its narrow streets of work houses grilled as protection against Berbers, and visit the Archeological Museum, from the XV Century and the church, for some the Cathedral of La Marina, and through Gata, where the visitor is welcomed with a sample of its craftmanship, to reach Javea (Xábea).

The other possibility is to continue by the coast line until Moraira-Teulada, a fishing port, with a watch tower, in order to discover coves, such as the Tiestos or Grandella, and the capes of La Nao and San Antonio, from which one can enjoy a full view of the beach at Jávea.

Also known as the white city for its extreme light, and with a year-round excellent microclimate, Jávea demostrates its care for aesthetic in the iron work of its balconies and doors, as well as its rough stones. The Ethnographic and Historical Museums, along with the Church of Saint Bartolomé, are a good reflexion of the people's interest in aesthetics.

Only nine kilometres, away there is Denia, end of our routes, but not the end of the great numbers of possibilities that Alicante offers to the traveller. It reserves for us, along with the castle, the historical quarters of Boix la Mar and La Xarza, the marine environment, a rich Archeological Museum, and near that, the hermitage of San Juan, with beaches to both north and the south.