Altea Holiday – Vacation in Spain

Altea is a town of some 20,000 inhabitants. It is located in Alicante, one of the three provinces within the Valencian Community. The area is known as the the Costa Blanca or White Coast. It is renowned for among other things, its beauty, tranquility and good weather all year round. The region boasts very good summers and some of the shortest, warmest winters in the whole of Spain. It has been popular with artists since the 1960's and today there are several galleries around the town which exhibit paintings of the beautiful landscape in and around Altea. Altea has its origins as a small fishing village, which in spite of its beauty and location, was not affected nor destroyed during Spain’s tourist boom. The town kept its character as an old Spanish village and continued to enjoy the tranquility, sea views, good beaches, and wonderful views of the valley behind it, indifferent to the changes that took place on the other Costas in Spain.

A few years ago, the Old quarter of the town was declared 'World Heritage', and it is protected by law, that is to say that it is not permitted to make any changes in the style of its whitewashed houses, the design of its narrow streets, or to alter the small squares or view points. The tranquility of the town, plus the charm of the old quarter, together with the presence of the sea, beaches , the sea and mountain views make this small Spanish town a perfect location for holidays, or a place to spend a long weekend, either in the summer or winter months. Strolling in the narrow streets of the town, especially in the evenings, one can see the housewives, sitting outsides theirs houses in small groups, chatting, knitting, doing manual chores, or just watching people pass by. This reunion or Tertulia is traditional, and is a very old Spanish custom that is still observed in this part of the Costa Blanca The town has a very attractive promenade parallel to the sea front; this is a meeting point for many alteanos and tourists of the region.

The paseo has several restaurants, coffee shops, and tapas bars, where one can sit and enjoy a coffee, or a drink in a very tranquil environment. Altea is situated between the cities of Alicante (70Km) and Valencia (100) km. Each of these cities has its own airport with flights to the main Spanish and European cities. The journey to Altea takes approximately 45 minutes from Alicante Airport and 60 minutes from Valencia airport. Altea has a very good selection of restaurants, with a variety of dishes that range from local and national to international cuisine and at very affordable prices. Most restaurants are located on the seafront promenade, but there are some small and charming restaurants at the top of the old quarter, next to the Church Square. There is a small train station; from here a train service runs that follows the route from Alicante to Denia, passing through all the little villages on the way. This is a very popular way to get to know the region, the landscapes are superb. The busy town of Benidorm is only 15 minutes from Altea, via the motorway.