Villajoyosa lies north of Alicante, a few kilometres south of Benidorm, on the Costa Blanca. It is a busy community with a thriving economy based not only on tourism but on fishing and the chocolate industry. Villajoyosa is a brightly coloured town, its tall houses being painted in various shades of blue, pink and earth tones. The town has retained its traditional atmosphere with narrow, higgledy-piggledy streets and alleyways strewn with washing lines and balconies filled with vibrant plants. Villajoyosa has good sandy beaches washed by clear blue waters and offers a wide range of recreational facilities both in and out of the water.
A Villajoyosa holiday offers lazy days on the beach interspersed with a variety of appealing attractions including a choice of water sports. The accommodation is good and there are many restaurants catering for all tastes. A Villajoyosa holiday possesses the essential ingredients for a relaxing break in the sun, far from the stresses of twenty-first century living.
A Villajoyosa holiday has wide appeal. It attracts families with young children, young singles and couples of all ages. Families enjoy the excellent beaches and the various children’s attractions. Water sports enthusiasts will find plenty to occupy their days including wind surfing. The fairly lively nightlife has something for everyone and those looking for livelier nights can easily travel the short distance to Benidorm where the partying is legendary.
The most popular time to take a Villajoyosa holiday is from April to October when the temperature ranges from a very pleasant twenty five degrees rising to the early thirties in the height of summer.
The beautifully named Villajoyosa, town of happiness, is a popular resort on the Costa Blanca with a long history, having first been settled in Phoenician times. Villajoyosa enjoys a temperate climate where temperatures remain comfortable in the summer and winters are mild. It is therefore a year round holiday destination where many Northern Europeans chose to winter.
Villajoyosa sits at the mouth of the River Amadoria and tall, gaily painted houses line the river bank and waterfront. There are many features in the town that deserve visiting. These include the sixteenth century Gothic church, the Hercules Tower, the 1859 bridge over the River Amadoria, as well as the narrow streets of the old town.
Villajoyosa has a wide range of hotels, apartments and studios which accommodate most budgets. Its numerous cafes, bars and restaurants provide a diverse cuisine and cater for even the most pernickety of tastes. The chocolate houses serve excellent hot chocolate. There are shops supplying all your holiday needs as well as a large market and an additional flea market where you can barter for your bargains.
Villajoyosa has several beaches, all washed by the clear blue Mediterranean waters. The wider bays are ideal for wind surfing and sailing. The waters in the smaller coves provide safe conditions for children and less confident swimmers.
The Moors and Christian festival, celebrated in the last week in July, attracts many visitors with its parades, music, dance and fireworks.
Being close to Benidorm, visitors can also benefit from the facilities found there. The Terra Mittica theme park, based on ancient civilisations, is a popular attraction with its thrilling rides. Aqualandia, the water park with daring slides, also attracts large numbers of visitors of all ages. At Rincon de Loix, Mundomar the marine and exotic animal park has dolphins, sea lions and penguins, as well as birds and other small creatures.
Villajoyosa has a fairly lively nightlife with restaurants, bars and clubs providing a range of entertainment that caters for most tastes. Those who enjoy a holiday flutter can do so at the Royal Palm Casino. Young singles with an insatiable appetite for partying can take a bus or taxi to neighbouring Benidorm with its clubs, discos and karaoke bars all serving low cost drinks.
As in all coastal resorts in Spain there are many beach, gift and souvenir shops. Villajoyosa has an outdoor market on Thursday and a flea market every Sunday. There is a daily fish market at the harbour where the fishermen sell off the remains of their catch. Traditional local handicrafts such as wickerwork, ceramics and leather goods, as well as an assortment of souvenirs and trinkets are widely available.
Villajoyosa has restaurants and cafes to cater for all tastes from fast food outlets to traditional fish restaurants and from tapas bars to those serving international cuisine. There are many restaurants that satisfy the needs of the less adventurous British palate. An ideal way to sample Spanish food is to order a plate of tapas which consists of a medley of bite-sized dishes. Tapas are also ideal for filling the sometimes long gap between lunch and dinner, which is served later in Spain than at home.
Children are always made very welcome in Spanish restaurants and their tastes and portion sizes are usually accommodated.
Local wines are pleasant and inexpensive.
