Driving On The Costa Blanca

The Spanish phrase ‘Costa Blanca’ literally means “White Coast” in English. It actually comes from an old an advertising slogan in the late 1950s, when the airline BEA first began a scheduled service between London and Valencia.

Today, Costa Blanca is the well known stretch of Mediterranean coastline in Spain which is popular with British and German tourists in particular, and has been the focus for generations of holidaymakers since mass-market holidays to the region began in the mid 1970s.

Hiring a Car

Nowadays it is easy to book your own travel arrangements and make your own ‘bespoke’ holiday. Something that is becoming increasingly popular is booking your flight tickets and hiring a car at the other end in order to enjoy a ‘road trip’ holiday.

Driving in Spain can be a relaxing experience and hiring a car is straightforward. Making sure you have rental car insurance as part of the package is also essential.

The Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca is in the Alicante region of Spain and takes in the stretch of coast from Dénia in the north to Pilar de la Horadada in the south. The fact that there are a number of well known resorts along the way makes it perfect for a road trip.

Benidorm

Benidorm is probably the most famous of all Costa Blanca resorts and has more than five million visitors a year to prove it. It has built its reputation on being a family-orientated resort and is extremely popular with the Spanish people themselves.

Even if you don’t want to stay in the area, it is perfect for a visit as part of a driving holiday,
and its twin beaches make for a golden stretch of sand that runs for over three miles. Attractions away from the beach include Aqualandia, which is the biggest themed water park in Europe and Mundomar, which is the Costa Blanca’s SeaWorld.

Moraira

Moraira is a 30-minute drive north from Benidorm and is another particular favourite for Spanish families. The town has a long history as a fishing village and today the port is still a hub for working fishermen.

The La Lonja fish market holds traditional fish auctions every morning and the main fish restaurants are located on the seafront nearby.

Altea

One of the true gems of the Costa Blanca is Altea, which is just a 12 kilometres drive from Benidorm.

The beautiful old town centre contrasts with a chic new marina with stunning views of El Peñon de Ifach in Calpe to the north. The main beach is Playa de la Roda and the fact that it is quite narrow is part of the reason the town has managed to avoid the commercialisation that has affected some other resorts in the region.