Australia Travel

Villajoyosa means happy town and with rows and rows of colourfully decorated houses, the town certainly does seem happy. The houses were all decorated in bright colours back when Villajoyosa was a thriving fishing town so that the sailors would be able to easily identify where they lived whilst out at sea.

The sailors would set off somewhere along the towns 3 kilometers of beaches. The most famous beaches are the centro beaches (downtown). These are the Paradis beach, the Xarco beach and the Torres beach and also the cove of Raco Conill which is perfect for naturism (apparently). As with most destinations along the Costa Blanca, the calm, clear waters make it perfect to learn to windsurf or scuba dive with visitors from all over coming over to rent Costa Blanca villas for rent on the beaches especially for this purpose. The Ali Sub Multiaventura centre offers SSI courses at different levels from beginners to instructors, as well as introductory dives. They organise dives at over 15 local high-interest spots, especially at the Llosa and Island of Benidorm, perfect places for underwater photography because of the enormously varied species of marine life.

The former fishing community is obviously well known for its seafood. Along with the traditional paella, salted fish is very popular in the best restaurants in the port or on the beach which offer daily 3 course menus for around 9 euros. The restaurants and the market place were major factors in the declaration of the older town as an historic monument. The heart of the city, with its multi-colored facades and its narrow streets seems to draw you in and invite you to discover the emotion and the beauty of this recently restored village.

Even if you’re not planning to rent a accommodation in Costa Blanca in the town itself, with Alicante 32 km away and Benidorm only 10km away, this colourful ‘happy town’ is still worth a visit.

My two other suggestions for day trips would be the breathtaking Canelobre Caves and the beautiful Algar falls.The caves can be found near Busot, 24 km north of Alicante. This year round attraction is a huge natural underground chamber where the mineral deposits resemble candelabra. Effectively lit to properly illuminate nature’s fantastic handiwork the caves are also used for concerts due to their acoustic properties. There are great views and paths for walking tours close to the entrance.

The Algar falls are situated high in the mountains behind Altea. These beautiful waterfalls and springs cascade into fabulous natural pools where you can enjoy a dip in a lush, tropical paradise. These days the surrounding area is protected by environmental initiatives to preserve what is an amazing natural phenomenon. Visitor facilities include barbecues, bars, toilets and showers, and you’ll probably want to visit the site’s Museum of the Environment. There are other tourist attractions near the falls including the Algar Cactus Co. and the Railway Museum to keep all the family entertained and out of the apartments in Costa Blanca for the afternoon.