VillaSpain Travel Blog

VillaSpain Travel Blog http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_rss.php The latest from VillaSpain Travel Blog en-us info@villaspain.co.uk (VillaSpain Webmaster) Wed, 22 May 2013 11:24:47 +0100 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:24:47 +0100 Golf on the Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=69 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=69 [CDATA[Find below my comments on the 3 courses I practiced during the week passed in spain 1) <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/clubdegolfifach.php" target="_blank">IFACH golf club</a> a. 20 minutes from <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/holidays_in_moraira/126/1/villa_ladera/" target="_blank">Ladera</a> Villa b. 9 holes / no practice range / 30&euro; for 18 holes c. Golf course for &quot;beginners&quot; / only par 3 &amp; 4 / Quite dangerous sometimes because tee shots and greens are close and distances are not well indicated 2) <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/clubdegolfjavea.php" target="_blank">JAVEA golf club</a> a. 15 minutes from Ladera Villa b. 9 holes / practice range / 35&euro; for 18 holes c. Golf course quite easy (slope 126) but your handicap must be 28 for men and 36 for women 3) <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/clubdegolflasella.php" target="_blank">LA SELLA golf club</a> (into Mariott resort) a. 50 minutes from Ladera Villa (15 minutes after leaving Denia) b. 3 x 9 holes / practice range /&nbsp; 55&euro; for 18 holes c. A challenging golf course (slope 136) with great greens about ball rollin&#39; / your handicap must be 36 for men <img src="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/images/clubdegolflasella2.jpg" alt=" " hspace="3" vspace="3" width="250" height="197" align="left" />My favorite one is <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/clubdegolflasella.php" target="_blank">LA SELLA</a> but it&#39;s quite far from Ladera and my second one is Javea My handicap is 20 and I&#39;m 33 Prices are the twilight prices Nicolas Durand&nbsp;]] Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0100 Driving down to Calpe http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=70 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=70 [CDATA[The following account was submitted by our client Mr Des O&#39;Connor from Dublin, Ireland, who was prompted to drive down after reading our newsletter regarding travelling with your dog down to Spain. &#39; Driving from Roscoff in France to Calpe.First night stop in Bordeaux dont stay at thr Hotel Corintel.&pound;65.00 per night ended up being &pound;153.00 including bottle of wine and a slice of cheese ?.Second night in Hotel Fidalgo in Calamocha 50 km. south of Zaragoza &pound;75.00 including dinner plus wine for 2 and the 2 dogs,we all staggered up the stairs that night great value. Next day arrive at Calpe.Total return cost petrol &pound;320.0 and tolls &pound;120.00. The Vet we used in Roscoff was Cabinet Veterinaire 11, Place de Ieveche.29250 Saint Pol de Leon. and the charge for the 2 dogs Sandy and daisy was &pound;75.00 the wife Ann was free. Taking the car was a great idea.&#39;]] Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0100 My Go Karting experience in Moraira, Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=68 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=68 [CDATA[ After much persuasion by my fellow holidaymakers, we made our way over to the <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/activities.php" target="_blank" title="Go karting and other activities">Go Kart</a> &nbsp;track in Teulada/<a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/moraira.php" target="_blank" title="moraira">Moraira</a>. I was a bit apprehensive, as I had visions of ploughing into a wall on a bend, shunted out the way by these demon drivers for being too slow. &nbsp; There were 5 of us and we had varying degrees of experience, yes you guessed it, I was at the bottom. Anyway we got there and the place did look great, much larger than I thought, well looked after and it even had a small zoo!! The swimming pools looked inviting but we were &ldquo;here for the adrenalin rush&rdquo;. My friends words not mine. We made our way over to the appropriate track, they had to pull me away from the childrens track with the tiny engined go karts!!! Not kicking and screaming of course, after all I am a lady!! I was given the Honda kart for beginners. My smug friends were then given the Suzuki karts for &ldquo;the fast drivers&rdquo;. They tried to get the racer karts but were deemed not experienced enough &hellip;... hee hee!!! Well, I must say, after stalling the first 2 times, I got into my stride, calmed down and did enjoy it a lot. I even overtook 2 karts, o.k they were driven by kids but I still think a pat on the back is called for. &nbsp;Afterwards we went to the bar/restaurant had a drink and a snack. Then sat in the grandstand with a drink and whiled away a couple of hours watching all the action on the track as some karts were doing about 70mph. We chatted and laughed about our experience and it was a really really nice day. &nbsp;Joanne Shaw ]] Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100 My wonderful spanish villa holiday with Villa Spain http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=67 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=67 [CDATA[ &nbsp;Last year I spent a fabulous week in a Spanish villa, <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/holidays_in_moraira/146/1/villa_mirador_al_sur/" target="_blank" title="Luxury villa with private pool">Mirador al Sur</a>, just above the town of <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/moraira.php" target="_blank" title="Information about Moraira">Moraira</a> in an area known as Golden Valley on the <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/costablanca.php" target="_blank" title="Information about Costa Blanca">Costa Blanca</a>. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a completely up to date kitchen, but this was the least memorable thing about it, it&rsquo;s unlike anywhere I have ever stayed in before. &nbsp; The large sitting room made up of at least three seating areas is cleverly designed to bring the outdoors indoors. At night sitting behind a huge turret wall made up of glass windows, which all open to look out across a valley towards the sea, is like being in your very own fairyland with lights twinkling in the town or Moraira, but no traffic noise, or other buildings in sight to block your view, and nothing whatsoever to disturb you. Quickly you find yourself completely at rest with your own thoughts. &nbsp;The day times are quite different with fun for all the family. The Villa has a large garden and completely private swimming pool not overlooked by anyone. Again there are at least three seating areas in the garden with a three piece outdoor suite, tables and chairs nearby and of course seating and beds around the pool. Some of the most memorable moments were spent overlooking the garden and pool whilst consuming sumptuous lunches in the open downstairs dining room which is built like a cave, and manages to remain cool regardless of the hot sun outside.&nbsp; Shopping couldn&rsquo;t be easier as there are two supermarkets within walking distance, although it is better to take the car since the house is on the top of a hill and it is a struggle walking&nbsp;home loaded down with shopping. There are a great many things to do in the area. For foodies there are a large number of <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/restaurants.php" target="_blank" title="restaurants in Costa Blanca">restaurants</a> in Moraira, which in many ways is a typical seaside town. Pleasant seafood meals can be had sitting on the pavements in the sun, or shaded under huge umbrellas, although we had a wonderful meal in a fish restaurant called <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/restaurantsmoraira.php" target="_blank" title="Restaurants in moraira">Pisces</a>, which had a huge free standing glass screen which gave the impression of being under the sea.&nbsp; If it&rsquo;s the beach you crave nothing could be nicer than a day at Il Portet sun bathing, and swimming in this lovely cove, followed by a snack at one of the many cafes that surround the beach, for which there were some lovely mussels and chips to be had. For a night you will never forget <a href="http://villaspain.co.uk/benidormpalace.php" target="_blank" title="Benidorm Palace">Benidorm Palace</a> only a few miles along the coast road which has the best cabaret on the Mediterranean. &nbsp; Diana Jarvis ]] Wed, 12 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000 Rock climbing in Costa Blanca, winter has the perfect climate. http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=65 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=65 [CDATA[ &nbsp;Although the <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/costablanca.php" target="_blank" title="Costa Blanca info">Costa Blanca</a> is best known as a &ldquo;sun, sand and sangria&rdquo; resort in the summer, the winter attracts the more energetic holidaymaker. The area has long been considered one of the best destinations anywhere in the world for winter rock climbing and nowadays it attracts visitors from all over the world. Forget the hot, sweaty, crowded, noisy, expensive summer and go for the cheap winter sun. The winter has the mild climate (still t-shirt and shorts weather) and you benefit from <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/flights.php" target="_blank" title="Information on cheap flights">cheap flights</a> (can be as little as &pound;55 return from London airports), <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/holidays_in_moraira/21/1/villa_pintor/" target="_blank" title="villa Pintor">cheap accommodation</a> (3 Bed villa with private pool from &pound;170pw) and cheap <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/carhire.php" target="_blank" title="Car hire">car hire</a> from &pound;50pw. &nbsp; A great winter sun holiday More and more climbers leave the grey skies at home and head to Costa Blanca for a bit of winter sun and ideal climbing conditions. However it is not just the weather that draws them to the Costa Blanca. No other winter rock climbing destination in Europe offers the combination of reliable weather with the diversity of climbing on offer here. Ranging from low grade sport climbs, Via Ferattas and scrambling through to top grade sport climbs and long multi-pitch climbing routes both adjacent to the sea and high in the coastal mountain ranges. From novice to hardened climber The famous Penon de Ifach in Calpe and its classic routes have thrilled many from the novice to the hardened climber. The views are breathtaking even at the novice level, views that you will remember long after your holiday has finished. You can find more exciting climbs inland, the best being the Puig Campana that dominates and dwarfs the skyscrapers of Benidorm. The Puig is now fairly well known and well recognised by thousands of European rock climbers who have been coming here over the past decade for some autumn and spring rock climbing to chase away the winter blues. Costa Blanca is great for walks too The Costa Blanca also offers a series of great ridge walks which range from the famous Bernia Ridge to the dizzying knife-edge ridge of El Castellets. You will find the ridges of the Costa Blanca will provide you with some memorable days out, being both challenging and also taking in some incredibly beautiful scenery. However, these beautiful mountains are not just for mountaineers and climbers as several enjoyable walking routes are available via easy, if somewhat loose scree filled gullies.&nbsp;The Sierra Aitana, a range of mountains and isolated valleys near Benidorm in the Costa Blanca, is an ideal location for a superb trekking and walking holiday.. You can see and do a lot whether its in a weeks walking or just a few days, for example, visiting natural rock arches, teetered along narrow ridges, viewing prehistoric cave paintings, or even searching for the areas neveras, deep snow-pits which were once used to make ice from snow&hellip;the original fridges. Or just do as little as you want inbetween relaxing and taking in the winter sun, enjoy a couple of easy walks. There are a couple of gear shops, one in Alicante and one in Calpe. A wealth of information and routes are easily found online. Go on, treat yourself to a memorable inexpensive winter sun holiday. S.B ]] Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Island of Tabarca near Alicante http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=64 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=64 [CDATA[ Tabarca is a Marine Reserve, about three miles, and a 25 minute boat ride from Santa Pola near Alicante. It&#39;s a couple of kilometres long and about half a kilometre wide. There&#39;s a dusty path running around the outside of the island but most visitors stay amongst the houses near the port where there are a good number of restaurants and bars. The menus tend to be based on fish as you might expect for an island! &nbsp; The island is very flat and it is divided into two parts, a treeless area of level ground and a walled settlement which is entered through three gateways. The settlment was laid out to a grid plan in the 1700s on the orders of the King Carlos III to house several families of Genoese fishermen who were being held prisoner in the Tunisian city of Tabarka and also to prevent the island being used as a base by Berber pirates. The walls surrounding the town have been officially declared a Historical and Artistic Site and an Asset of Cultural Interest. &nbsp; The sea is a protected marine reserve which leaves the sea and Island teeming with wildlife &ndash; both in the sea and on the shore. The only way to get to this wonderful and unique island is by ferry (unless you have your own boat &ndash; of-course) and the ferry ride is surprisingly short. What you won&rsquo;t find here are hordes of tourists but what you will find is an interesting and unusual little island where you can happily spend a morning, an afternoon or even the whole day. &nbsp;S.BTWN9Q6PPAFG2 ]] Mon, 04 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Do your kids need GSM watches on your Costa Blanca Holiday? http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=62 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=62 [CDATA[ We were soon to go on our (much anticipated) <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/morairavillas.php" target="_blank" title="villas with private pools">spanish holiday</a>, a friend of mine, computer geek who regularly searches the net to see what&#39;s new (bless him) told me about this watch for kids that has GPS so you know where they are. As I have a 5yr old and like all parents worry about losing him whilst out shopping, on the beach, zoo etc thought I would take a look. Don&#39;t get me wrong, we are attentive parents but as they say &ldquo;it only takes a split second&rdquo;. So I searched on the internet for more info and reviews on GSM watches. <a name="more-1097" title="more-1097"></a>This watch is said to be designed for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years but as it is not particularly trendy I don&#39;t think older kids would wear it. Worn on the wrist like an ordinary watch, it is much more than just a device for telling the time: it contains GPS which allows you to locate the child anywhere anytime and can be used as a phone. Apparently it can tell you your child&rsquo;s location within 3 metres. You have to register and pay a monthly fee which varies then when you login you can track your childs movements and keep a watch (excuse the pun) without having to be physically present. They say if the device is removed, you will also receive an alert on your mobile. I suppose this option is good if someone is trying to forcibly remove the watch from the child. You can even set pre-determined locations for the child to be in and if he or she moves from there, you will receive a alert.&nbsp; Weighing it all up I think, obviously it is a personal decision. For me, if only small children wear the watch as its too boring for older kids then you wouldn&#39;t allow them too much freedom on their own anyway. Also, in effect you are strapping a mobile phone on to them so there is also the issue of radiation etc. Then the monthly fee which apparently can be &pound;30 a month or more dependant on package. If you are going to purchase this then of course you would go for the full package, maximum protection and all that. I personally feel this is just another kids gadget but of course the final decision has to be yours dear parent. Just another decision to obsess about...... sigh!!I haven&#39;t added any links to websites that sell these watches as I don&#39;t know their validity so you will need to do your own searches I&#39;m afraid. Just Google &quot;GPS watches for kids&quot;. Elaine Burnside ]] Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira is the place to go saysTony Osborne http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=61 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=61 [CDATA[Explore the area, quiet town but everything there, good market on a Friday, if you want to avoid gangs of lager louts then <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/moraira.php" target="_blank" title="About Moraira">Moraira</a> is the place to go, would suit couples, families, great beaches and friendly locals.]] Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira restaurants by Karen Jones http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=60 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=60 [CDATA[&nbsp;WE RECOMMEND A <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/restaurantsmoraira.php" target="_blank" title="Restaurants in Moraira">RESTAURANT IN MORAIRA</a> CALLED CAPTAINS. THEY DO REALLY GOOD FOOD. ALSO A GOOD LITTLE TAPAS SPANISH, OF COURSE, CALLED MUNDEROS OPPOSITE THE CHURCH. JUST BELLOW THE <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/holidays_in_moraira/21/1/villa_pintor/" target="_blank" title="villa details">VILLA PINTOR</a> THERE IS AN EXCELLENT FISH AND CHIP SHOP!! THE SIZE OF FISH IS UNBELIEVABLE! AND GOOD PRICES TOO.&nbsp; HE DOES EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING. KAREN JONES ]] Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Kayaking in Moraira, Javea, Calpe or Denia http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=59 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=59 [CDATA[   We had a fabulous holiday in <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/moraira.php" target="_blank" title="About Moraira">Moraira</a> , Costa Blanca staying at a beautiful villa called <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/holidays_in_moraira/5/1/villa_bonita/" target="_blank" title="villa details">Bonita</a> . The views were breathtaking and the villa was very comfortable with everything you could want. A colleague at work recommended the company, Villaspain and we were not disappointed from start to finish. We all love lounging by the pool or lounging on a beach, which are extremely clean by the way, or lounging by a bar but this time we thought we must try to at least once or twice to do something a bit more energetic during our holiday. For the first activity we decided to go for kayaking and as most of us had not tried it before we opted for the tours &amp; excursions package with <a href="http://www.coastmountainkayak.com/" target="_blank" title="their website">Coast Mountain Kayak</a> . It was &euro;35 for 2.5-3 hours which we thought was very good. We met at their shop at 9am and they fitted us all with the correct equipment and we headed out to the departure point. We took the Moraira Tour so we left from El Portet, the old fishing village that lies close by to the Cabo D&acute;Oro. We kayaked from there out and around the cliffs towards Cala Llebeig, a small fishermens bay that you apparently can&#39;t get to by road which still retained the cave houses and old fisherman&rsquo;s huts from a previous era. Amazingly our instructor said that many of them are still is use. Along the way we stopped to do some snorkeling, we saw so many colourful fish, some starfish and little octopuses. It really was a beautiful sight and there were some great caves to explore too. We stopped again when we got to Cala Llebeig where we did some more snorkeling which by now we were very comfortable and confident doing. Then we got back into our kayaks and headed back to El Portet. It was an amazing experience that we would thoroughly recommend. After all that activity we retreated back to the villa and it took us a good 2 days to get over the &ldquo;physical exertion&rdquo; with plenty of food and plenty of wine to help with the recovery!!!! Our second energetic activity was planned .................. for our next holiday!!! Too much of a good thing and all that!!! We will be booking with Villaspain again, perhaps <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/denia.php" target="_blank" title="About Denia">Denia</a> for a change. Nick Garcia ]] Tue, 31 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Costa Blanca surprised Jackie http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=58 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=58 [CDATA[This was my first visit to <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/costablanca.php" target="_blank" title="About Costa Blanca">Costa Blanca</a> Spain and I must say it exceeded my (very low) expectations. My preconceived notion about Costa Blanca was rows of high-rise hotels, English restaurants and beaches crammed with &ldquo;lobster&rdquo; people and not a word of Spanish heard within miles. Why did I go? I was going with a group of friends and according to budget, travel time, weather etc Costa Blanca was the one that ticked all the boxes. I didn&rsquo;t mind too much as it&rsquo;s the company that makes or breaks a holiday ... and I enjoy my company... only kidding!! Two friends did the homework and looked for villas to rent. There were hundreds of sites that rent villas and millions of holiday villas to view. Finally we booked a lovely villa with Villa Spain and managed to get <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/flights.php" target="_blank" title="Cheap flights to Spain">cheap flights to Spain</a> via their site.&nbsp;Our holiday in Spain finally arrived and we were greeted at Alicante with brilliant sunshine &hellip; so far so good!! The <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/holidays_in_moraira/40/1/villa_la_madrugada/" target="_blank" title="villa in spain">villa</a> was very clean and well equipped and one of the best villas I have stayed in. The villa was a short distance to the beach in El Portet, which I preferred to Moraira or Calpe because it was smaller and had a fantastic bar/caf&eacute; right beside the beach where they served delicious Paella and house wine was very nice and reasonable. We had printed off the info from the website of Villa Spain, &ldquo;Things to do&rdquo; which enhanced our holiday. Four clueless women, well clueless on holiday in Costa Blanca, needed all the help we could get. Just to set the record straight we are not entirely clueless, just ask anybody ....... and obviously give them a few hours to think of something. We had bought a map (my idea) and a phrase book (again my idea, obviously the brains in the outfit). So we managed to go sightseeing to the many places of interest. We visited <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/guadalest.php" target="_blank" title="guadalest">Guadalest</a> , which was amazing. It really was like time stood still. Views were breathtaking and we had a lovely lunch at XORTA which was recommended by Villa Spain. Another visit was to Elche, Costa Blanca because we had read it was steeped in history with buildings dating from the 8th Century. We all were looking forward to being immersed in historic splendour &hellip;&hellip; o.k o.k, we actually went because it was the &ldquo;Spanish footwear capital&rdquo;&hellip;&hellip; Sigh &hellip;. Heaven!! We did see the historic buildings aswell, honest&hellip;. Erm&hellip; through the shoe shop window but we did see them. We all decided we would come back here one august to see the fiesta with fireworks. Our next visit was Benidorm, Costa Blanca, I know, I know, what was I thinking, Lobsterville!! But according to Villa Spain website there is a lot to see, so we decided <a href="http://villaspain.co.uk/benidormpalace.php" target="_blank" title="benidorm palace">Benidorm Palace</a> with a meal and cabaret. It was like seeing a Vegas show. Never been but this is what they looked like in the old movies!! Had a wander around the old town beforehand and had a siesta on the beach after a few obligatory glasses of rioja &hellip;. When in rome!! Didn&rsquo;t fancy the Medieval Tournament just outside Benidorm though, I don&rsquo;t know but the thought of King Alejandro and the Round Table just didn&rsquo;t do it for me!! (my version not theirs&hellip;&hellip; just incase their lawyers are reading my Blog!!) and while we contemplate the miniscule chances of anyone reading my Blog (George Clooney &hellip; WILL YOU MARRY ME!!) &nbsp; We also visited Calpe and climbed the rock. The views (attached photo) were amazing and the birds fly eye level when you get higher which was really weird. We didn&rsquo;t get to the top as half way up we realised it&rsquo;s lunchtime and with great disappointment and a heavy heart we descended to a local tapas bar for more rioja. It really was a great villa holiday in Spain and I&rsquo;m glad my friends chose Costa Blanca. Always try new things, you just never know. &nbsp; Kind Regards Jackie and the Girls (women) ]] Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Using taxis in Javea from Nicole Cutler http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=57 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=57 [CDATA[If you don&#39;t speak Spanish then ordering a taxi*(see below) is not going to happen! However, if you walk down to the main road, turn right and go to the restaurant on opposite side of road, they will order you a taxi. best to have a drink there and raise a smile. Taxis are very cheap and its worth having a night off from driving.We also found that leaving our car in the beach side car park overnight didn&#39;t cause any problems.Nicole Cutler*Villaspain:- Please visit the following page on our website that lists useful phrases and includes booking a taxi;<a href=&quot;http://www.villaspain.co.uk/spanish.php&quot;>http://www.villaspain.co.uk/spanish.php </a> ]] Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Angela Job enjoyed eating in Moraira http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=56 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=56 [CDATA[Bar Del Mar in town was good for evening meal. Chinese restaurant on main Calpe Road from Moraira excellent value for money. Angela Job ....... ]] Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Calpe recommendations by Alex Saboulis http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=55 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=55 [CDATA[We enjoyed a meal at the boomerang steakhouse in <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/calpe.php" target="_blank" title="About Calpe">Calpe</a> . The texas steakhouse in Calpe served fantastic ham on the bone and bbq ribs. Alex Saboulis .....]] Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Kenny Woods Calpe recommendations http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=54 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=54 [CDATA[2 great restaurants in the old town of <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/calpe.php" target="_blank" title="About Calpe">Calpe</a> , La Casa and The Patio de la fentay (not sure how to spell it) the food and service is excellent. A great bar also in the old town is the Toro Blanca, run by very friendly British people. Kenny Wood.... ]] Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Costa Blanca restaurant tips from David Dixon http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=52 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=52 [CDATA[The Montevideo Restaurant in Benitachell is very good value and quality,although speaking Spanish would be a definite help. (VS - please see Blog &quot;Some words and phrases for your Spanish holiday&quot;) Also Scallops Restaurant in Javea is unbelievable value.A good three course meal and bottle of wine for nine Euros and free English breakfast if you want it. David Dixon]] Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Brenda Deveneys recommendations for Costa Blanca holiday http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=53 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=53 [CDATA[Guadalest, a hill-top fortress is a beautiful place to visit especially on a sunny day as the views are outstanding.... (VS - Please visit <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/guadalest.php" target="_blank" title="Guadalest">http://www.villaspain.co.uk/guadalest.php</a> for more info. If you have time it is worth trying to also go to Fuentes d&#39;Algar (Waterfalls) near Callosa d&#39;en Sarria on the way. They are beautiful and such a peaceful setting....... (VS - Please visit <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/callosa.php" target="_blank" title="Callosa">http://www.villaspain.co.uk/callosa.php</a> for more info) The buffet restaurant Gran Chino near Calpe was also excellent value for money as are many restaurants in Calpe and Moraria. We also had an excellent meal at Monroe&#39;s Carvery just outside Moraira...... (VS - Please visit <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/restaurants.php" target="_blank" title="Restaurants">http://www.villaspain.co.uk/restaurants.php</a> for a list of local restaurants.) Mrs Brenda Deveney]] Sat, 26 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Royd enjoyed the chinese restaurant in Moraira http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=51 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=51 [CDATA[We met some ex pats who told us about a Chinese Restaurant called The Asiatic Xing Xing in Moraira (driving down the road fron Telauda take the last exit at the roundabout with the Pepi la Sal supermarket on the left, 300 yards from the Moraira roundabout). Great set meals from 8 to 12 euros. Excellent service and more importantly excellent food. Family run. Royd Ransom]] Sun, 30 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Some words and phrases for your Spanish holiday http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=50 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=50 [CDATA[It is always nice to be able to say a few words of the local language when you are abroad but it can be a bit daunting. Picture this ..... before your holiday and with all good intentions you buy a phrase book so you are ready to converse with the locals and ....... be at one with them. You arrive in the country all excited and raring to speak &quot;the lingo&quot;. Sit down in a restaurant, look at the menu, flip through the phrase book and even before you can decipher the first word the waiter is there, towering above you, rattling off a sentence ... or is it one very long word, I&#39;m sure there were no gaps in between!! Anyway, you are staring open mouthed at him and already you know he has decided that ..... YOU are a moron!! O.K, quick say something ... Errr ...avez vous...err ........cuppa..Doh!! We&#39;ve all been there haven&#39;t we? There is so much in a phrase book that by the time you look a word up, 6 hours have passed!! It is much better to learn just a few good words/phrases rather than try and prepare for every eventuality. So I have listed a few simple words and phrases below. If you wish to learn more Spanish then please go to <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/spanish.php" target="_blank" title="spanish words">http://www.villaspain.co.uk/spanish.php</a> .A few every day words/phrases:- Goodbye - adi&oacute;s Hello - hola [ola] Left/Right - izquierda/derecha [ith-keer- dah] No/Yes - no/ si&shy; Pardon - perd&oacute;n Please - por favor Sir/Madam/Miss &ndash; se&ntilde;or/ se&ntilde;ora/ se&ntilde;orita Thanks - gracias [grathyas] You&#39;re welcome - de nada Do you speak English? - &iquest;Habla ingl&eacute;s? [ah-blah] No Comprendo &ndash; I don&rsquo;t understand Can you help me? - &iquest;Puedes ayudarme? [poo-edes] How much is it? - &iquest;Cu&Atilde;&iexcl;nto es? [kwanto es] We&#39;re looking for ... - Estamos buscando [es-tamos boos-kando] Restaurants:- I would like to see the menu, please? - &iquest; Quiero ver el men&uacute;, por favor? [key-ero] To start, I would like ..? - De primero me gustar&iacute;a..[goos-tayria] For the main course ... - Como plato principal ... A phrase book is always a good idea anyway. Once you are comfortable with the few basic words above you will then feel more confident to refer to the phrase book more often. Thus expanding your language skills. Like us, people all over the world appreciate it if you try saying a few words of their language. It shows you are trying, that you respect their country and their language.S.B&nbsp; ]] Tue, 11 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100 Great restaurant in Moraira says Nikki http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=49 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=49 [CDATA[Thoroughly recommend the Bar/Restaurant &#39;11&#39; on Moraira sea front, absolutely top class food, service &amp; venue. Nikki McCallum .....]] Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Cycling and Mountain Biking in the Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=47 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=47 [CDATA[Some people think the <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/costablanca.php" target="_blank" title="About Costa Blanca">Costa Blanca</a> just offers a sun, sand and sangria type of holiday. How wrong they are as there is so much more to the area, such a variety of activities and experiences with cycling being just one. There are many routes available to cyclists of all levels, north of Alicante between Alcoi and Denia. The roads are of good quality and there is a choice of coastal, hilly or even mountainous rides, with some roads going to 1,200 metres. There are flat routes to be found between Javea and Denia. Some areas have cycle paths on their main roads. With so much in the way of offroad trails leading through the mountains of the Costa Blanca, there is undoubtedly an abundance of mountain biking to be found. You can also hire bikes out there and hire shops can be found in most towns even the smaller ones like <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/javea.php" target="_blank" title="Javea info">Javea</a> and <a href="http://www.villaspain.co.uk/moraira.php" target="_blank" title="Moraira info">Moraira</a> . The Costa Blanca, Sierra Espu&ntilde;a, and the Marina Alta mountains offer an excellent variety of both single track and wide forest trails and have long been used by professional riders such as seven times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and his US Postal Team as a training base. Opportunities abound inland for walkers, cyclists and mountain bikers as the mountainous terrain of the Costa Blanca are the perfect playground. Also it is a well know fact that the weather is much warmer in the Costa Blanca than other parts of Europe and that is the reason why many top professional teams use the area for their pre season training is. Here are few names from the present &amp; recent past Miguel Indurain, Abraham Olano, Marco Pantani, Matt White, Alex Zulla, Johan Bruyneel, Paolo Bettini. Lance Armstrong &amp; Alberto Contador (Astana) Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Alexander Kolobnev (Saxobank ) Tom Boonen (Quickstep). Pro rider Trent Lowe of Team Garmin has lived and trained here for the past three years. In Feb 09 Cycle Sport magazine asked Trent about his life on the Costa Blanca &quot;Training is fantastic around here; it&rsquo;s probably up there with the best places I have trained in around the world.&quot; SBVHA84VTT3S6N]] Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Walk from Benitichall to El Portet, near Moraira http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=48 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=48 [CDATA[To reach the start point above Cala del Moraig by car: From Moraira take the road to Benitachell and about 2 kms before reaching the village, at Rusty&rsquo;s Restaurant, turn right towards the Cumbre du Sol urbanisation. Wind your way up the hill to the top and at the large roundabout follow the signs down the other side to La Playa (Cala de Moraig). About 100m before you reach the small parking area well above the steep beach road you will see the waymark for the start of the walk, pointing up a short, steep incline through bushes. Coming from Javea, pass Mas Y Mas supermarket on your left when entering Benitachell. Take first turning left at the next traffic lights to &quot;Cumbre del Sol&quot;; Follow the signs for the beach (&quot;Playa&quot; or &quot;Cova de les Arcs&quot;). The road dips down into a steep-sided gulley where there are few houses and widens, park here. (There is a board on the left which says &quot;Morres de Benitatxell&quot; and &quot;Penysegats&quot;). Walk up the turning on the right and you will see the waymark on the left, after about 100 metres. Cars can be parked at the side to the road or, if preferred, at the small parking area mentioned above. To leave a car(s) at the end point of the walk take the road from Moraira to El Portet. Park near the beach. Then drive back through Moraira and follow the directions above to start the walk. (Classed as Moderately strenuous) Start to la Cova de Pepet del Morret 25mins From the way mark next to the road, go up the short rocky incline through the bushes and walk straight ahead. Keep on this track, which runs along a wide ledge about half way up the cliff face. Note houses peeping over the top of the almost vertical rock high above, and a gentler descent to the sea below escarped with rich vegetation. Take time to admire the views of the sea, the Playa de Moraig below, and the coastal scenery around to Cap de Nao. The path is lined with varied vegetation, with many flowers at the right time of year, including Giant Fennel, Pitch trefoil, and high on the cliff face Virgin&#39;s Slippers. Carob and fig trees have been planted at various points along the route. The cliff is eroded in a number of places, and it is best not to linger at one obvious site of rock falls. Several dry-stone shelters constructed against the rock face are to be seen, including Cova de las Morettes and Cova del ti Domingo l&#39;Abiar. Apparently, these living spaces were used by fishermen and by agricultural men of Benitatxell who went to cultivate the small available earth strips and, were also visited by smugglers, hidden in the caves, who waited for the arrival of tenders loaded with tobacco, fabrics, silk and shawls from Manila. After about (25 mins), you will reach a point where a number of large fallen boulders have created a cave-like enclosure, called la Cova de Pepet del Morret. This is a convenient point to pause for a while, and take refreshments. Don&rsquo;t forget to duck your head on the way out! La Cova de Pepet del Morret to Cala de Llebeig 60 mins After another 25 mins or so the walk emerges above a beautiful cove (Cala de Llebeig), with a shingle beach, flanked by some rather ramshackle huts built (presumably) by local people who go there to fish etc&hellip;. There is also a coastal guard, reflected by the popular name Smugglers&rsquo; Cove. To get to the beach, however, you first have to manoeuvre through a short, narrow rocky descent to the rough track winding down the hillside. This is quite steep and the ground is not always stable, so care is required (a stick can be a great help here). As the walk emerges at the beach you will see the waymark for the barranca part of the walk to El Portet. After the beach stop, those preferring to return to their cars at Cala de Moraig (rather than go on to El Portet) face a return climb up the hill. Cala de Llebeig to residential El Portet 1 hr 30 mins Those choosing the linear route must follow the left direction at the waymark, for Portet de Moraira. The walk goes along the barranca and requires some fairly easy rock scrambling. To keep to the correct track follow the direction marks (white/green stripes, or red dots) painted on the rocks. The route is a fairly gentle incline for the first part, up through the valley but, in sight of the urbanisations up on the hillside, it climbs up to the left, before entering the final section to El Portet. Here the walk is largely though woodland, finally emerging (about 30 mins. from the beach) through an orange grove into the residential area. There is a small parking area here where the track meets the road. Turn left. The tarmac walk to El Portet 2hr 30mins Walk about 1 km to El Portet beach and your second car. This is on tarmac but all down hill, taking 20-25 mins. It can be avoided if cars are left at the end of the barranca (just past the orange grove) instead of near El Portet beach. ]] Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Calpe walk with great views http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=45 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=45 [CDATA[How to get there: Turn from the CN-332 on a road signposted to the Calpe railway station (ferrocarril). Drive 3 kilometers uphill to a camping site (Zona de Acampada) following the signs &quot;Monte Olta - Zona de Acampada&quot;. Distance: 7 km/1h55min You find the circuit track of Olta above the parking area of the camping site (235m). Start following the track clockwise to the south. Ignore the tracks that fork to the right. Soon you have a nice sea view with Calpe and Ifach monolite, towering to 332m, on the left. After passing a building and a sign to &quot;Ermita Vella&quot; and &quot;Cim de Olta&quot; on your right (10min) (330 m), the track curves sharply, and the impressive walls of Olta rise in front of you. The southern and western faces of the mountain range are partly composed of clays from the Triassic Period, which are easily recognisable by their reddish colour, lack of compaction and easy erosion ability. By the information board (20min), the track forks. Continue uphill to the right. Behind the bend, you find the chapel Vella (330 m). The track curves to the right and forks. Turn left to &quot;Olta Sur&quot;. As the pines get lower, the views open up to the bay and mountains surrounding it. In the front, you see first the oblong Morro de Toix, and a little bit later, on the opposite side of the bay, the Helada mountain. After passing the ruins of a building on your left the castle of Calpe comes into sight, and, soon after, the tunnel going through the Mascarat Gorge. In the next valley, you can see a number of towns, including Altea, Albir, Alfaz del Pi and Benidorm. Further on, the mountain range of Bernia starts to dominate the views. A great variety of plants line the track and slopes of Olta. Standing out among the unique plants found in Olta are medicinal plants, many of which are also fragrant and used as seasonings, as is the case with ryegrass. You will also be able to find thyme, rosemary, lavender, camomile, chenille and rock tea. When you meet the first signpost on the western side of Olta (40min) (320 m), go ahead to &quot;La Canal&quot;. Do not turn to the right to &quot;Pou de la Mola&quot;. By the second signpost (50min), again, go ahead. Do not turn to the left to &quot;Camp de Tir&quot;. On the northwestern side of Olta, the pines grow taller. The shady conditions beneath the pines make it difficult for plants to thrive, but it has favoured the appearance of the woody vines called lianes, which scale the walls of Olta. Since the rocks are volcanic in origin, the walls are darker in the northwestern and northern part of Olta. When you come to a large, solitary pine tree and ruins of a building on your left, the track forks (1h) (320 m). A signpost tells that you are 3240 m from the camping site (Zona de Acampada). In the front, you see a rock called finger of Olta (El Dit d&#39;Olta). Turn uphill to the right. When the track forks the first time, keep left. Pass the ruins of a building (1h10min) (370 m). When the track forks the second time, keep left again. When the track meets another track (1h20min), turn right, and follow the signs to &quot;La Canal&quot;. From this junction you can see a number of mountains, including the reddish Montgo in the north. After walking some 350 meters uphill, you reach a small clearing with ruins of a building. (1h25min) (395 m). The track bends to the left, and turns into a path that starts descending - first gently, but then very steeply - to another track. On your way, ignore all paths that fork to the right. When the path meets a track (1h40min) (315 m), turn right. Ignore all paths, until you reach a sign to the &quot;Zona d&#39;Acampada&quot; (1h45min). By this sign, turn to the path on your right. The path descends to a track, which joins the circuit track. Turn left, and return to the parking place (1h55min). Alternative Circuit of Olta If you want to avoid the steep descent from the Canal to the circuit track, do not turn right when the track forks by the large, solitary pine tree and ruins of a building on your left (1h) (320 m). Instead go straight ahead. Ignore all forks to the left. The track turns into a paved road (1h40). Continue until you reach a junction with a sign &quot;Olta 49&quot; (1h50min). Turn right. When you come to a crossroads (1h55min), turn uphill to the left. Walk some 40 meters, and turn right to a track by a white house. Ignore all paths that join the track from right until the track starts to descend and you reach a sign to the &quot;Zona d&#39;Acampada&quot; (2h15min). By this sign, turn to the path on your right. The path descends to a track, which joins the circuit track. Turn left, and return to the parking place (2h25min). SB ]] Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Walk starting at Orba, Costa Blanca near Jalon Valley http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=46 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=46 [CDATA[How to get there: Drive on the CV-715 towards Orba. By Orba turn to &quot;La Vall de Laguar&quot; on CV-718. This road joins the CV-721, which leads to the Fontilles junction. Turn left on the CV-7210 towards Fontilles, and drive on this road some 200 meters.On the left side of the road you see a parking place and wooden signs. Distance: 1h10min/4km Start by crossing the road (255 m) to the path with a white-yellow waymark. The path ascends to a paved road (5min) (310 m). Turn left and look for a track that forks to the right. Take this track and then fork to a path on your left (8min) (330 m). When you come to a narrow asphalt road (15min) (390 m), turn right. On the left hand side of the road you find the Gel fountain (Font del Gel) (18min) (380 m). Some 60 meters from the fountain, you see a sign for Campell on your right. Take this descending narrow road. (This point offers an alternative route to Cavall Vert, if you take the steps on your left. When the path forks after some five minutes go right. Two minutes later, cross a track. A couple of steps further, go left, and immediately after that take the asphalt road right uphill. At the next fork, some five minutes later, keep left. In three minutes, you see a house on your right. By the house, you meet an asphalt road. Go right uphill. The road bends sharply left. Find a white-yellow waymark on the right hand side, and take the path uphill. The path crosses an asphalt road, and comes to another asphalt road. Turn left. Walk some 100 metres and turn right to a concrete way uphill. Again walk some five minutes and turn left to a path, right before the concrete way ends. In ten minutes, cross a track and keep on the ascending path that takes you to the Penya Roig within another ten minutes.) The road to Campell passes first the camping site of the Laguart valley, then the Campell fountain (Font de Campell) and washing house (28min) (355 m); comes to an information board about the walking routes (30min), and continues to the church. By the church, the road forks. Take the left fork. Soon you see a sign for Tunel d&#39;Isbert on the left side of the road (35min) (345 m). Start descending on the path towards the Isbert tunnel. In front of you opens a view to the Denia valley and Seg&aacute;ria mountain. When the path meets a track (40min) (270 m), go left. Do not continue on the path. When the track forks, go left again, and some thirty meters further, fork to a path on your right. Walk some fifteen meters, and turn right to the direction pointed by a red arrow (43min) (255 m). Do not follow the white-yellow waymark, which would lead you left downhill. (If you follow the white-yellow waymarks to the Isbert tunnel, you have to trespass a private property. You can avoid the trespassing by goint to the Isbert dam without entering the tunnel, but then you have to walk back the same way, or negociate an alternative route by following the narrow roads that criss-cross the valley. On your way to Isbert dam, follow the path some five minutes, fork left on a track, and keep left some five minutes until you come to a sandroad with the sign for the tunnel. The sign points to the left where you see a white house. The track goes by the left wall of the house, but the owner dislikes the trespassing. Therefore ignore the sign for the tunnel, and turn right. Walk some hundred meters and fork left for the Isbert dam (Presa d&#39;Isber). In five minutes, the path comes to a track. Cross the track. After descending some 20 meters by a creek, which might be without water, you find the path again. In some five minutes, you reach the bed of the Gorge of Inferno (Barranc d&#39;Infern). You might get your feet wet in the puddles. Cross it to a track, walk some ten minutes to the left and fork on a path that leads back to the barranc bed. Turn left and keep walking on the bed to the Isbert dam, which you reach in ten minutes.) The path with the red arrow leads to a house by a fountain (Font d&#39;Isber) where it turns into a concrete walkway that goes to the CV-721. (50min) (280 m). Turn left, walk some ten meters and climb to a path with a white-yellow waymark on your right. On the other side of the Gorge of Hortes (Barranco de las Hortes) you see the sanatorium of Saint Francisco de Borja (Sanatorio San Francisco de Borja). The path descends to a creek (1h05min) (235 m), crosses it, and ascends to the parking place on the CV-7210. (1h10m) SB ]] Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Garraf Natural Park near Barcelona http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=43 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=43 [CDATA[The Garraf Natural Park lies just 30km to the south-west of Barcelona, but despite this proximity, it is remarkable how bleak and wild the landscape feels. A combination of limestone bedrock and human activities has created this classic Karst Mediterranean landscape with an absence of surface water. Although the park&rsquo;s north-eastern fringes are cloaked in dense pinewoods, most of the massif is covered by a low garrigue, which has taken hold as fire and overgrazing over the centuries reduced the ancient forests. The area was declared a Natural Park in 1986, forming part of a green belt that surrounds the strongest urbanized sector in Spain. Although a sense of emptiness envelopes one as one walks or drives through the park today, there was once a large human population, and the massif was intensively farmed until the late nineteenth century, when the outbreak of Phylloxera almost entirely ruined the vineyards that occupied the hill slopes. This led to the rapid abandonment of the area, with many of the impoverished farmers heading for the slums of nearby Barcelona. In the village of La Plana Novella the area has seen a recent growth in second homes and tourism is growing in importance. Birdlife The dry conditions make the park a great site for typical Mediterranean species. Breeding birds include: thekla lark, tawny pipit, black eared wheatear, rock thrush, Dartford warbler, Sardinian warbler, southern grey shrike, ortolan bunting, peregrine, pallid swift, red-rumped swallow and crag martin. Star of the show though goes to the pair of bonelli&rsquo;s eagle. The massif is also a good spot for observation of migratory raptors and storks, as they head down the coastline on their way to Africa. Reptiles and Mammals The high level of sunshine and the lack of surface water means the park does not have a rich mammal life, though wild boar, fox, genet and beech marten are all present. Reptiles include typical Mediterranean species horseshoe whipsnake and snub-nosed viper. Walks Routes are properly marked, usually circular, transiting through different parts of the park naturally designed to show the richness of its natural heritage and/or cultural. Some of them have a leaflet explaining the route that allows self-guided walks. Much of the Garraf massif is crossed by caves, potholes and channels formed by the dissolving of limestone after contact with air and water. Some potholes can be hundreds of meters deep so we recommend extreme caution if you leave the marked trails and paths. Park Office Tel. 935 971 819 p.garraf@diba.es Monday-Friday: 8 to 15:00SB ]] Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Mountain walks in Javea and Calpe, Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=44 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=44 [CDATA[Walking on the Costa Blanca is a popular past time for hikers of all tastes and abilities. However because it is not as well known a walking destination as say Mallorca, the countryside remains unspoilt. From September to May this area offers some of the best winter walking in Europe under sunny skies with temperatures in the 60&acute;s (13&ndash;18 C). From casual ramblers to experienced walkers, all have been impressed by the beauty and variety of the walks and found it to be a great alternative to better-known but more expensive winter walking areas. The breathtaking Sierra Bernia and Sierra Aitana mountain ranges, which loom over the bustling coastal towns of Calpe, Altea and Benidorm, offer a variety of walks and plenty of scope for rock climbers who will delight in the virgin crags, plunging canyons and towering peaks of this virtually untouched territory. A 25 minute drive inland from the main tourist traps will transport you to another world where most foreigners fear to tread - an unspoilt land of pine-covered slopes, mountain villages where time seems to have stood still for centuries, beautiful beaches where you can picnic and lush valleys awash with orange, almond and olive groves. You may need to get advice regarding some of the more remote areas, as you may need to employ the services of a local expert because even some of the marked trails can be difficult to follow. The mists which can suddenly descend on a bright sunny day can make independent mountain hiking in the area extremely hazardous. But many popular walks along or near the coast can be taken without a guide and are relatively easy half day excursions. Listed below are the firm favourites among local walkers and visitors:- Javea &ndash; For spectacular views of mountainous countryside, towns, beaches and the sea then the Montgo mountains is the ideal walk with its 753-metre peak which takes about 2.5 hours to reach the top. Calpe - Costa Blanca&rsquo;s most famous landmark is the 332 metre Pe&ntilde;on d&#39;Ifach, which is also Spain&#39;s smallest nature reserve. Well laid out paths zig zag upto a tunnel which you pass through and then the path gets very rugged and caution must be practised. It is so easy to be distracted looking at the rare plant species and a huge variety of sea birds including cormorants, peregrine falcons and a huge colony of shrieking seagulls. Benidorm - You can escape Costa Blanca&rsquo;s busiest resort by visiting the 438-metre high Sierra Helada mountain. Follow the well marked trail leading from Benidorm&#39;s northern promenade which skirts Levante beach as this route offers a relatively easy but beautiful walk. Local tourist information offices provide further details of these and other popular walks. Also recommended is Bob Stansfield, author of widely respected walking guides for the Costa Blanca and founder member of the popular Costa Blanca Mountain Walkers SB NBYM2G9YT2AC ]] Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Melanie loved Altea and Javea http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=42 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=42 [CDATA[All bars and restaurants we visited were friendly and we ate very well. Lovely spanish food and had a great chinese on the front at Moraira. Great places to visit were Altea (beautiful) and Javea (very smart) Melanie Morris]] Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000 Rustys bar in Moraira is always good says Teresa Harris http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=41 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=41 [CDATA[Rusty&#39;s Bar restaurant always provides good food and has live entertainment on Fridays and Mondays. Bar Jacaranda, which we found for the first time on this visit offers good food in a friendly and informal manner. On previous visits one of our favourite restaurants was The Olive tree which unfortunately wasn&#39;t open on the night we visited this time. Teresa Harris]] Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Helpful tips for your Moraira holiday from Jane http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=39 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=39 [CDATA[Check the weather before going out there as Cumbre del Sol is a difficult place to be in bad weather - we did get bored as it was too cold and wet to go out. We wish we had taken some dvds, board games etc as they would have helped pass the time. Do go down to Javea a 15 minute drive from Cumbre del Sol - there are some great restaurants and bars along the Arenal beach and the evening markets are good too.]] Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira in August. Excellent time had by all! says Jimmy http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=40 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=40 [CDATA[Villa was beautiful, Moraira is quiet and boy was it Hot! We found that the Del Mar by the marina was a tad expensive but the menu is fantastic and food is great, my only reservation is they charge 18e for a 1ltr jug of sangria i thought that was very expensive. If you like English then try Munroes they have a nice carvery and alacarte and is very reasonably priced just off the main road into town casse Negra.......i think. We also liked a small French restaurant near the church good food not too expensive. Beach was pretty packed out we only went 3 times in 2 weeks, also the sea has small rocks you can&rsquo;t see cut my toe pretty bad.......so be careful. Jim Terry ]] Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira does not have to be expensive says Hilary http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=38 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=38 [CDATA[We have always found it really pays to look for bars and restaurants away from the beachfront - those used by Spaniards are particularly good value. This year we had a fantastic, great-value paella lunch in Teulada (Las Vegas Rest &amp; Bar) and another great meal (3-course menu del dia with bread, alioli and drinks) for E7.50 each! Down at the beach the prices were still reasonable, but not so much as these places - and more aimed at the Brits too, with all the burgers and chips. We found that both Mas y Mas and Mercadona had very drinkable Cava at only about E1.45 per bottle - and for sangria, the cartons of Spanish vino tinto at 55 cents per litre was phenomenally good value! We also found a delicious piece of pork loin in Pepe La Sal for only E4.30. It was easily enough for three people and would probably have cost about &pound;12 at home. Hilary Browning]] Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Helpful tips for your Javea holiday by Kathryn. http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=37 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=37 [CDATA[Good restaurants in Jesus Probe. The chinese in Javea along the front was superb. 11 euro for everything. The food was incredible and kept coming. You must try it. Restaurants at port end very good but will cost you more. When you visit supermarkets you must take the number of the fruit, salad or veg. you buy and put it into the weighing scales. If you fail to do this they will send you back with everything. The fish from the supermarkets great. We purchased squid, prawns, tuna, sword fish etc. excellent value and cooked well on the bbq. Have been to Javea twice now and loved it. Watch your speed - we got stopped by police and couldn&#39;t understand why.We were doing the correct speed limit. They wanted 98 euros on the spot. We asked for evidence and in fact they got the wrong car (it wasn&#39;t us at all). Phew!! So be careful. Actually they didn&#39;t even apologise..... MRS Kathryn Mills]] Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Calpe by James Matthews http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=36 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=36 [CDATA[Brilliant; fantastic; relaxing; hot-hot-hot! That&rsquo;s the best way to describe our holiday. To start with, some might consider that Calpe is a Benidorm &ldquo;wannabe&rdquo;. What with the high-rise hotels and with as much as possible squeezed into limited space. Although Carrera offered privacy with its location and excellent gardens. As is made clear in the description, the gardens are mature. Aside from the privacy aspect, this creates a sun trap on the pool terrace. Every day the temperatures soared above 40 degrees on that terrace. Not everybody can stand that heat, but nobody wants to sit indoors every day, either. The shady naya is the ideal compromise. Large enough for the grandchildren to play in without feeling imprisoned, and close enough to the pool side to limit sun burn on tender knees, feet and shoulders. The villa offers plenty of room for the extended family, with privacy all round. True, we found the ground floor kitchen under-equipped, but it was not a hindrance to our enjoyment of a lovely, cool villa. The Carrio Urbanization confused my satellite navigation system. If you are using similar means to find Carrera make certain that you increase the accuracy to the maximum as the numerous roads are close together. I do not know who was closer to blowing a fuse as mine insisted that I take a non-existent right turn to a road six feet below me. That said, once I could find my way around it was easy to respect the added privacy that the maze of roads afforded. (I once stayed in a villa in Portugal in an area where the local youths loved to ride their mopeds after dark.) The tremendous heat soon had us adopting the Spanish way of taking a siesta during the hottest moments of the day, and enjoying the cool of the night. And there is no better way to enjoy that than joining the locals and other holiday makers as the promenaded along the sea front. I must make a point here: I am disabled, so I hired a mobility scooter from Amiga 24 in Benidorm. If I do not offend Villa Spain by plugging them after I was left disappointed by another firm that claimed they were &ldquo;Easy&rdquo; to deal with... If, like me, you struggle to walk any distance at all, or even if you are getting on in years and would prefer to take things a little easier, Amiga 24 will deliver and collect your scooter/wheelchair, manual chair or electrically propelled. It costs about &euro;12 a day, and my Auriga 10 carried me from the villa into Calpe and around the town and back up the not-inconsiderable hill back &ldquo;home&rdquo; with no strain on the batteries. Back to the promenade; the local authorities have paved the long walkway and put inaccessible slopes where steps would have proved the cheaper option. So nobody is excluded from joining and enjoying the promenade, from very young children right up to the oldest and most infirm. The Pe&ntilde;&oacute;n de Ifach is the best known landmark on the Costa Blanca and it commands most views in Calpe unless you deliberately choose to miss it out. It is a nature park, so gaudy lighting is not used. However, the pale grey rock formation is visible to the naked eye and can be photographed with suitable cameras; not the point and shoot type, alas. Well, not in its entirety. It is also possible to see Benidorm, lit up like any holiday resort, as you stroll along enjoying the cool breezes coming across the Mediterranean Sea; but don&rsquo;t forget to look closer to home. There is an area that is fenced off from the public, and first impressions are that it is a building site awaiting the workers to move in. Instead, they are archaeological remains. On the seaward side you can look down on geometric formations amongst the rocks. Called the Banys De La Reina, which means the queen&rsquo;s baths, they are Roman remains thought to be a part of a fish market. Of course, there are typical holiday shops along the way, selling anything from post cards, through beach inflatable&rsquo;s and ice creams (helados), to footwear appropriate to the conditions. And competition keeps prices low. The hot days will probably make you feel that you don&rsquo;t wish to eat so, by the time you have promenaded into the old quarter, you are probably going to feel ravenous. Again, this is where the competition between businesses will work in your favour. There are enough pubs and restaurants catering to the basic English taste, as well as German, Italian, French, Belgian, Swiss... I won&rsquo;t go on, except to say that typical Spanish eateries are short on the ground in Calpe. There are far too many to mention here, so please make sure your read the &ldquo;Welcome&rdquo; booklet that goes into more detail. I will just add that a typical entree course will cost around &euro;7.50, so you will be able to enjoy three courses and drinks and still have change from &euro;20. I did promise the staff of one restaurant that I would give them a plug. The Boomerang Steakhouse. I have brought a menu home with me as a souvenir (a freely-available one, provided for that purpose). A plain steak will cost you &euro;7.95, and it is served with chips and fresh salad if desired. You can add any sauce from a list of ten, but what they don&rsquo;t tell you is that every steak is a fillet steak. You can also choose Chicken breast or (my favourite) Pork Schnitzel. Desserts are as available, and cost around &euro;4.95. Starters are similarly priced, as well. Oh, and they do a &ldquo;Gourmet Special&rdquo; with all three courses available for &euro;16.95 (sauces extra). And kids get a main course and dessert for &euro;4.95. You will find Boomerang at C/La Pinta-Corner, not far from the roundabout with a fountain, near the old town. In fairness to those with differing tastes, there is a vast array of dining experiences to be enjoyed, and it is well worth reminding the reader to refer to the &ldquo;Welcome&rdquo; booklet again, as it mentions eateries popular with locals and holiday makers alike; especially in and around Moraira. A day trip to Benidorm is a short drive along the N332 (toll free, although it does wind through the Altea hills), and there you will find thousands of things to coax your last Euro out of you. Very busy and totally adapted to catering for the tourist, it is worth the visit purely for the experience alone. Our favourite place to visit lies in the opposite direction, where we have had Villa Spain holidays in the past. Moraira. Although there is a large exile community for both Germans and British, with pubs and restaurants (including a &ldquo;chippie&rdquo;) catering to them, the town till retains a Spanish air about it, as it is a popular resort for more wealthy Spaniards. A true glimpse into the Spanish lifestyle is made available every Friday, when the local market takes place. Sadly, many stalls now cater for holiday makers, but the locals still go there to get their fresh oranges, along with other fruit and vegetables. I highly recommend Moraira Friday market for inclusion in your holiday plans. And, if you wish to have a paddle in the sea, there is the main Ampolla beach and, the much better, El Portet just along from the marina. And a brief stop in the Marina to see where fish will come and wait to be fed must be included. I could go on and on because I have not even mentioned the sites and sights further inland. Again, refer to the &ldquo;Welcome&rdquo; booklet for ideas. Whatever you choose to do with your time I hope you enjoy it as much as the Matthews family from Norwich did. In closing, I would like to say a special thank you to the owners of Carrera for making their home available for us to enjoy. And special thanks to Villa Spain for making the most luxurious villas affordable, rather than capitalising as other property management companies do. Plus the excellent manner in which our concerns were dealt with with as little fuss as possible. ]] Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira is a super place said Keith http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=35 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=35 [CDATA[*Chinese Restaurant on the Moraria/Calpe road - can&#39;t quite remember if it&#39;s The Wok/The Big Wok or The Extra Wok!!! Excellent food, service and well attended. *Free large carpark on the left as you enter Moraira from the Calpe Road where everyone parks. *The Friday weekly market is excellent. Very clean, fabulous items on offer situated in the large free carpark. *The Mercadona Supermarket on the way to Benitatchell is the cheapest - it&#39;s large and stocks everything. *Super place, very upmarket compared to the big resorts that surround it with loads of places to eat. Keith McGowan]] Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Tapas in the old town, Calpe by Cherry http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=34 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=34 [CDATA[You must visit the old town of Calpe for lovely tapas bars and beautiful restaurants with it&#39;s lovely evening street market with a fantastic choice of jewellery and leather gifts etc. Our favourite restaurant was in the old town and was called &quot;Los Dos Canones&quot; which was near the church. Cherry Cooper]] Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 You must meet dolphins in Benidorm says Morten http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=33 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=33 [CDATA[Go to MundoMar in Benidorm and book time to meet the Dolphines. Even though expensive (&euro;50) this is quite an experience and not many place have this. Remember to bring swimsuit and book reserve time at the entry. Morten Hastrup]] Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Beat the crowds on your Moraira holiday. http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=32 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=32 [CDATA[Perfect location; walkable into El Portet; a couple of miles from Moraira beach. Quiet location; neighbour said there was a bbq ban but other locals disagreed; check before taking neighbour&#39;s word for it! Buy fish in Mercadona; meat in Pepe Le Salle; english brands in Mas Y Mas supermarkets. Go to Aqualandia on a Saturday (changeover day) as the english are at the airport so less busy than during the week!). Go to Terra Mitica after 5pm; special price and easily do-able in the 5 hours till the rides stop. Also less hot and shorter queues. Sue Rix ]] Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira is the place for Paul http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=31 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=31 [CDATA[A visit to the markets is a must for different things, my daughters spent a fortune !! We also went down to Moraira in the evening and sat and had cocktails in a bar overlooking the marina, very nice.This is a very pleasant area to visit not like the over commercialised area of Calpe, but its still worth a visit. We will definetely be returning to this part of Spain again but to a bigger villa with more family members. Paul Roberts]] Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Visit Altea during your spanish holiday like Kate http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=30 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=30 [CDATA[I can highly recommend a trip to Altea just up the coast for an afternoon or lunch, the old arts quadrant is definitely worth a look, has view on all three sides - spectacular! and good restaurants too. Kate Morgan]] Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Jennifer and Andrew recommend Moraira restaurants... http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=29 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=29 [CDATA[There are some really nice restaurants near in Moraira, which is only about 7 minutes drive from the villa. One in particular which we found really nice was the Bajul Indonesian Restaurant, second street on from the car park situated in Moraira town. Another, which we found enjoyable was just on the outskirts of Moraira, on the road to Calpe - the Gemissant, which is an italian restaurant, nice food for a reasonable price. JENNY BARRETT AND ANDREW NUTTALL]] Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Some words and phrases for your Spanish holiday http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=28 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=28 [CDATA[It is always nice to be able to say a few words of the local language when you are abroad but it can be a bit daunting. Picture this ..... before your holiday and with all good intentions you buy a phrase book so you are ready to converse with the locals and ....... be at one with them. You arrive in the country all excited and raring to speak &quot;the lingo&quot;. Sit down in a restaurant, look at the menu, flip through the phrase book and even before you can decipher the first word the waiter is there, towering above you, rattling off a sentence ... or is it one very long word, I&#39;m sure there were no gaps in between!! Anyway, you are staring open mouthed at him and already you know he has decided that ..... you are a moron!! O.K, quick say something ... Errr ...avez vous...err ........cuppa..Doh!! We&#39;ve all been there haven&#39;t we? There is so much in a phrase book that by the time you look a word up, 6 hours have passed!! It is much better to learn just a few good words/phrases rather than try and prepare for every eventuality. So I have listed a few simple words and phrases below. If you wish to learn more Spanish then please go to <a href=&quot;https://secure.villaspain.co.uk/spanish.php&quot; title=&quot;Learn Spanish&quot;>http://www.villaspain.co.uk/spanish.php</a>.A few every day words/phrases:- Goodbye - adi&oacute;s Hello - hola [ola] Left/Right - izquierda/derecha [ith-keer- dah] No/Yes - no/ si&shy; Pardon - perd&oacute;n Please - por favor Sir/Madam/Miss &ndash; se&ntilde;or/ se&ntilde;ora/ se&ntilde;orita Thanks - gracias [grathyas] You&#39;re welcome - de nada Do you speak English? - &iquest;Habla ingl&eacute;s? [ah-blah] No Comprendo &ndash; I don&rsquo;t understand Can you help me? - &iquest;Puedes ayudarme? [poo-edes] How much is it? - &iquest;Cu&Atilde;&iexcl;nto es? [kwanto es] We&#39;re looking for ... - Estamos buscando [es-tamos boos-kando] Restaurants:- I would like to see the menu, please? - &iquest; Quiero ver el men&uacute;, por favor? [key-ero] To start, I would like ..? - De primero me gustar&iacute;a..[goos-tayria] For the main course ... - Como plato principal ... A phrase book is always a good idea anyway. Once you are comfortable with the few basic words above you will then feel more confident to refer to the phrase book more often. Thus expanding your language skills. Like us, people all over the world appreciate it if you try saying a few words of their language. It shows you are trying, that you respect their country and their language. ]] Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Barbaras recommendations in Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=27 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=27 [CDATA[Gasolineria cafe (look for the Blue Bull) - on the road to Moraira is excellent for home-made cakes and refreshments. The owners are most welcoming. La Fustera Supermarket is approx 100m from the cafe and is open on a Sunday until 2.00 and they do beautiful meats for BBQ and are exceptionally reasonable on most prices. La Mamma Mia italian restuarant in Calpe is exceptionally good and reasonably priced. Superb market in Calpe on a Saturday Barbara J Johnson]] Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Experience Flamenco during your villa holiday. http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=26 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=26 [CDATA[Flamenco is a traditional Spanish musical genre combining Cante (song), Baile (dance) and Guitarra (the guitar). Originating from the province of Andalusia the flamenco can tell all imaginable stories from tragedy to comedy, and love to politics using song, dance and music to bring the story alive. Stories abound of the hazardous mountain landscape, where murderous highwaymen and bandits would kill their victims for the smallest sums of money, some of whom would become the stuff of legends, glorified by the romantic writers of the time. Flamenco is a passionate and seductive art form, a mysterious and misunderstood culture that has been burning in Andaluc&iacute;a for nearly five hundred years, and today flamenco has thousands of aficionado&rsquo;s worldwide. Originally many of the classes were illiterate, so the music and songs were passed on orally, eliminating any written history from being recorded. Many of the groups involved in the beginning of the flamenco culture were later persecuted, including the gypsies, the Jews and the Moors, taking any existing evidence with them at the time. Flamenco has been shrouded in mystery for many years, and it has only in recent years become known to, but not fully understood by, the rest of the world. Flamenco music made a comeback in the late eighteenth century in a time often referred to as the Golden Age of Flamenco. Singing and dancing performances started growing in popularity in the cities of Seville and Malaga and quickly spread throughout the province of Andalusia. As the movement grew, so did the different styles of flamenco; as local dance movements and traditions influenced the original art form. Many people mistakenly think of flamenco as being a form of dance, although it originally started as a form of singing to tell a story. Dance was later added to express the songs with movement to the music. The entire art form is a complex blend of music, dance and song and to the untrained eye may look wild and ardent. The sophisticated footwork and complex rhythms of music combine together to make flamenco the passionate art form that it is today. Flamenco is presented in many different varieties, and the colourful polka-dot dresses, castanets, and mellow tones of the acoustic guitar have become emblematic of Andaluc&iacute;a, but these do not represent the authentic side of flamenco. Castanets are not part of true flamenco, they are an element that has been added to enhance the finger snapping. Keep an eye out for the posters telling you were and when you might catch a show. If it&rsquo;s authentic then you will never forget it. ]] Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100 Cleve Palmers holiday in Javea Nov 08 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=24 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=24 [CDATA[Winter months in Javea are fairly quiet, however there are still plenty of cafes and restaurants open. Lots offer a &#39;menu of the day&#39; at very cheap prices but still good quality. Weather on our 15 day trip in November was sunny every day except two rainy days, daily temps averaged 19c, but it gets chilly in the evening so you need some heating in your accomodation. We had similar sunny days in January averaging 17c and no rain at all! Javea has a choice of two distinct areas which which are approx a mile apart along the sea front. The port and old town area is more traditional, again with plenty of bars/cafes and restaurants. The promenade cafes are popular in the daytime with locals and visitors. Alternatively you have the Arenal end of Javea which is more modern and buildings less attractive but still plenty of shops, restaurants/bars etc. Also a large sandy beach which is kept very clean. No package holidays visit Javea, but lots of Brits and non Spanish as a popular area to own second homes or retire to.]] Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Guadalest, Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=23 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=23 [CDATA[We recommend a trip to the mountain village of Guadalest, wonderful views with eagles flying near by. For a special treat try the restaurant. Trish And Simon Leverett ]] Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Moraira by Mary from Canada http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=22 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=22 [CDATA[We had a wonderful week at &quot;Amber&quot;. A couple of bad weather days, but that didn&#39;t deter us from doing what we wanted to do. The villa is very comfortable and well equipped. We also liked the location very much as we were able to walk to the beach and also to downtown Moraira. The fact that there were so many &quot;Brits&quot; there made it very easy for us in communication as most people there were able to speak english. We especially liked Moraira. We travelled about in the area and were very happy we were in Moraira and not some of the other areas with high-rise buildings. Many good restaurants in Moraira. We especially enjoyed Xin Xiang Chinese food (great food and exceptional value for our money) and also the Himilaya Restaurant. Mary Greatorex ]] Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Stuart&#39;s October 2008 Holiday in Moraira http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=21 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=21 [CDATA[Just returned from a week in Moraira staying at the Villa Estrella. Villa was lovely and in a great location. We had a long chat with the pool man. Really lovely guy who filled us in on the local news etc. We really like the Moraira area there is so much to do and plenty to see. With Denia, Calpe and Altea just minutes away you can get out and really see the sights of this area. Try some of the walks for a change from sunbathing. Go to the local Tourist office and they will provide you with maps and details of how easy the walks are and roughly how long they will take. Don&#39;t forget to visit the local markets too. You can get some great bargains and once again it makes a nice change from laying on the beach or by the pool. Will definitely be going back again next year and will use Villaspain. Hassle free bookings of great villas. Stuart Smart]] Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Moraira Restaurants by Gillian http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=20 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=20 [CDATA[We visited the commercial centre (Cumbre del Sol) on a few occasions. The Obsession Lounge (I think that was the name) was superb, with good food and entertainment at the weekends. We wished we had found it sooner. The Irish bar was a good venue to just sit and have a drink and watch the world go by. The service was very good and the waitress even remembered our drinks from a previous visit. We have mixed feelings about the Chinese restaurant. The first time we went we sat inside and the service and food was very good but not very busy. The next time we went we sat outside and they were very busy and the service and food went into decline. They couldn&#39;t seem to cope with all the tables full at the same time. Food was cold and we didnt get everything we ordered. We didn&#39;t visit a 3rd time....! The smaller cafe just along from the Chinese was very good as we went there the first day.]] Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Olga&#39;s Holiday in Moraira http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=19 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=19 [CDATA[The place was quiet, green, beautiful. The villa was really spacious, cozy and comfortable. Two floors had separated entrances, we and our guests liked an opportunity to have some privacy. It was a bit far from a sea but we had a car and it was not a problem at all. There are plenty of good restaurants in Moraira (we visited few, all places were full of people). The center of the city is busy all night, plenty of places to eat (authentic food, seafood, which is great) or to have a drink on an open air with a sea view. There is also a restaurant along the main beach which we used to have a lunch at. We really liked it. We really enjoyed our one-week vacation. (above: Olga&#39;s photo of Moraira beach) Dr Olga Vassieva]] Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Eating in Costa Blanca by the Sutcliffe family http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=18 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=18 [CDATA[The resort of Moraira was unknown to us but a real treasure and a wonderful spot. We would consider re-visiting the resort. The restaurant recommended by your web site guide - Le Dauphin, is absolutely fantastic! What a location and the food was superb with impeccable service. The pool man was a lovely fella who was also very sociable and helpful - please let him know that the restaurant he recommended in Xavea/Javea was exactly what we wanted and he was spot on with his description. It was right at the Northern end of the &#39;rocky beach&#39; as he called it, the second restaurant in, we sat outside, next to the beach with large candles lit around the tables. You could sit and people watch, there were musicians walking up and down the strip of restaurants giving entertainment to the diners. They did a menu of the day for only &euro;12 so was very reasonable but you could choose other things from the main menu if you preferred. The food was very traditional Spanish - paella was on the menu of the day. It seemed popular with Spanish as well as tourists. ]] Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100 NATURAL PARK OF IFACH ROCK, CALPE http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=17 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=17 [CDATA[Rising from the sparkling blue Mediterranean sea, the precipitous rock formation called Penon De Ifach watches over the bay of Calpe. One of the most famous sights along the Costa Blanca coastline, Spain, Penon De Ifach is now a protected Natural Park. In former times the rock was used as a watchtower - an excellent vantage point to spot attacks from Berber pirates and warn the surrounding community. Nowadays Penon De Ifach is a peaceful refuge for many plant and bird species and though it is a popular destination for tourists, there is a limit put on the number of people allowed to climb the rock at any one time (so arrive early during the busy months). There is a walking trail which takes you all the way to the summit by way of a tunnel constructed in 1918 to make the climb easier, but be warned, although the walking is reasonably easy on the lower slopes, it becomes very tricky beyond the tunnel. The summit of Penon De Ifach offers spectacular views of the surrounding area and makes it well worth the effort of the 330m climb to the summit. Some rare bird species can be seen on the rock including Audouin&#39;s gull, Eleanora&#39;s falcon and the peregrine falcon. There are also many species of wild flower including one rare orchid species found only on Penon De Ifach. The views are breathtaking from this rock. You can see the whole coastline of Calpe and beyond from different vantage points. Penon De Ifach can be easily accessed from the CV 746 at Calpe which branches off the main coast road - N332. Also close by is the AP-7 motorway, via junctions 63 or 64. Whilst you are visiting Penon De Ifach do not forget a trip into Calpe, formerly a medieval fishing village, now a major tourist destination due to its fine sandy beaches and fantastic water sports facilities. ]] Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Feeling guilty about carbon emissions when travelling? http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=15 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=15 [CDATA[As a first time blogger and as part of the team at Villaspain it occurred to me that I should say something of great interest, or so I think, so I have saved myself until now. Others can be the judge. Feeling guilty about carbon emissions when travelling? How many of us have the inclination to carbon offset our holidays or even have the time to source the best solution if we were so inclined? There are so many contributing factors that create too much CO2 in the world that it is, in my opinion, unfair for anyone to be made to feel guilty about taking that holiday abroad by plane. Just how many times can you holiday in the UK before you want to escape? Some airlines do have a program of carbon offsetting, which you can view on their website. The introduction of the carbon offsetting that started in 2008 (Plant a Tree for Free), is an unusual step forward for us at Villaspain, since it allows all travellers to our villas to be guilt free about their holiday trip with us. Even though we do not sell flights or car hire this simple program compensates for everyone in the party by carbon offsetting the entire trip to one of our villas in Spain. What we do is simply plant a tree for every person on the booking form (including children and babies), at no cost whatsoever to the holidaymaker. The total count is shown on a clickometer on the homepage. Few simple facts; Examples of CO2 emissions when travelling to Alicante Spain from the UK are shown below, according to calculations by the Carbon Neutral Company; London to Alicante return flight 1,763 miles = 0.4 tons of CO2 Glasgow to Alicante return flight 2,472 miles = 0.5 tons of CO2 Car hire 300 miles (based on a 4 door 2 ltr petrol car, with 2 sharing) = 0.05 tons of CO2. A single person will therefore contribute approximately 0.50 (&frac12;) ton of CO2 in total for the transport involved for their return flight and car hire usage within Spain. A tree will absorb .71 tons of CO2 in its lifetime, which more than compensates for the trip over its lifetime. Since it makes no difference where you plant a tree for carbon offsetting, then it can be considerably more beneficial to plant in areas of the world that can actually help local communities too. These trees used in agroforestry and reforestation techniques will also help to restore the natural resources of rural farmers&#39; degraded lands. The fast-growing trees will offer the farmer food, fodder and fuel, as well as land stability and fertilizer. Planting of the one-year-old healthy saplings is conducted independently by an accredited non profit-making tree-planting charity specialising in agroforestry throughout the developing world, where it is most needed in bringing social and economic benefits to the local communities. For more info about the trees then click on the CO2 Free Trees clickometer at the top of our homepage. Feeling better already? Bruce Gibson (soletrader of Villaspain) ]] Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100 Unspoilt Costa Blanca http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=14 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=14 [CDATA[It may seem like a contradiction in terms, but head for the villages and countryside north of Alicante and the vibe changes from turismo to tradicional. An hour and a half into my drive north of Alicante and I noticed something pretty dramatic - suddenly, almost within the turn of a corner, the landscape changed from brown and arid to green and mountainous; the high-rise concrete hotels gave way to smart villas, and I found myself in lush valleys of oranges, almonds and lemon groves. There are few places in the world where the northern part of a small coastline contrasts more with the south. I went expecting a landscape of mass tourism but, in the northern part of the Costa Blanca, I found quaint Spanish villages where bar owners spoke only 10 words of English, and I found a part of Europe where life goes on the way it has for decades, with siestas religiously adhered to, and local customs and culture still very much a part of everyday life. This part of Spain is undoubtedly one of the wealthiest in the country. Tourism earns considerable returns for the locals and property prices reflect the number of well-heeled northern Europeans who buy a second home in this tempting area. The weather has a lot to do with this. In the region&#39;s main town, Denia, the sun is said to shine 320 days a year. Denia Denia&#39;s skyline is dominated by the 18th-century Castillo de Denia. Not only does a trip to this honey-coloured fortress give you an insight into the region&#39;s long history, the building&#39;s grandness offers an excellent opportunity to get your bearings. Twenty miles of Blue Flag beaches extend from Denia to the north; head south and the rocky coves provide excellent scuba sites. I loved Denia. It had the feel of being a real working town. With its pavement cafes, smart shops (wonderful fashion boutiques!) and bustling indoor market I felt as if I was in a small version of Nice. There&#39;s just so much life about the place. Maybe that&#39;s why the town celebrates more fiestas than any other in Spain - quite an achievement. The biggest is the Hogueras de San Juan (22-24 June). Similar to the Fallas Festival in Valencia, it features hundreds of huge papier m&aring;ch&eacute; sculptures, representing anything from politicians and celebrities to hot issues of the moment. These are set up in the main streets and squares, only to be set alight in spectacular bonfires on June 24 to celebrate the arrival of summer. The carnival lasts through the night and, although there is no rowdy behaviour or drunkenness, the party atmosphere is positively electric. During July the town celebrates Santissima a Sangre, which celebrates the town&#39;s patron saint and the blood shed by Jesus Christ. Events include infamous Toros a la Mar bull running around the seafront, in which young men run in front of the bulls before throwing themselves into the sea. The following month, on August 14-16, sees the Moors and Christians Fiesta. This Moorish &#39;invasion&#39; is re-enacted every year with the accompanying canon- and musket-fire and the following day the Christians stage an attack and retake their castle with even more enthusiasm. For a great fish restaurant in Denia go to Restaurante mena, Final las Rotas (tel +34 96 578 0943). An excellent assortment and under &euro;15 a head. J&aacute;vea Well worth a visit is neighbouring J&aacute;vea, a portside town of 20,000 which sits astride a hill. I loved wandering the narrow streets with old houses built from Tosca sandstone. They cluster around the 15th-century Gothic fortress church of San Bartolome. No high-rise buildings are allowed in J&aacute;vea which explains its attractive landscape. Pueblo, the old village of J&aacute;vea, has made few concessions to tourism. Whitewashed houses surround the bay, and it&#39;s a great place to just sit in one of the outdoor cafes watching the fishermen bring in their fresh catches or watch the sailing boats set off from the marina. I stayed in a villa near J&aacute;vea run by the excellent operator Villa Select. Set halfway between Jesus Pobre and J&aacute;vea old town, Casa Valls sleeps 10, has its own tennis court and pool and is surrounded by its own two-acre oasis of orange and lemon groves and tropical gardens. In early summer it costs &pound;1,295 a week and even in July and August it is still available at under &pound;2,000 a week. Among the delights of this area are the scenic Orba and Jal&oacute;n valleys - a pleasure for walking or touring by car. Orba Valley Running inland from Denia, the Orba Valley is home to the Girona river and charming, atmospheric little villages such as Tormos, Rafol, Benidoleig, Sagra and Pedreguer. These five villages are collectively known as the &#39;Rector&iacute;a&#39;. As I sat with a strong coffee in an even stronger sunshine in the tiny hamlet of Tormos I realised that this was the Spain I was hoping to find but didn&#39;t dare count on. Old men sat in the street playing dominoes; women were conspicuously absent - apart from the industrious ones hanging out their washing on their balconies and spying on the menfolk below; children and dogs played in the squares and narrow streets. Located at the foot of the Sierra del Recingle, next to the Caval and Migd&iacute;a Sierras, it is an excellent base for walking and the odd visitor that one does see is clad in suitable hiking gear . The charm of the &#39;Rector&iacute;a&#39; villages is that they remain totally uncommercialised. In an area still mainly devoted to growing fruit, the inhabitants are country people and proud of it. This is the place to head for a complete chill-out. Jal&oacute;n Valley In the Jal&oacute;n Valley, just to the south, the Gorgos river running through it is a striking feature and the road follows its twists and turns for several miles. The most attractive villages here are Ll&iacute;ber, Alcalal&iacute;, Parcent and Gata de Gorgos. Each has its own distinct character and its own unique specialist produce drawn from the surrounding countryside - wine from the vines, baskets from the reeds or honey from the orange blossom. Ll&iacute;ber is the smallest village, with 498 inhabitants and, for me, it&#39;s the most charming. I had lunch there in a cafe where, between my halting Spanish and the owner&#39;s pidgin English, we managed a conversation about the local wine which is produced and marketed under the &#39;Vall de Xal&oacute;&#39; label by the Virgen Pobre cooperative. Their pride is the Muscatel and after half a bottle you&#39;ll know why. It&#39;s perfect with the garlic mushroom, sardines and stuffed tomatoes you often find in this region. Another beautiful place is the hillside village of Parcent. Head for the main square and enjoy a relaxed meal in the Co-Op - a place full of local workers enjoying a three-course meal with beer for &euro;12 - then sit back and listen to the peeling bells of the Immaculate Conception church. Parcent is sleepy for most of the year, but certainly not so between August 10 and 14 when the entire village celebrates the feast of their patron saint, St Lorenzo. Gata de Gorgos is worth visiting for its crafts shops, though more business in cane and wicker goodies tends to be done on the plentiful street stalls than in the shops. The houses here, white with ivory lintels, give the village a specific character, and don&#39;t miss the wonderfully ornate church which dates from 1535; the same year the village became an independent municipality from D&eacute;nia. Benissa is an enchanting medieval town. Located on the windy coastal road between Valencia and Alicante, its highlight is the &#39;Cathedral of the Marina Alta&#39; which was constructed in the 1920s by pious local masons who relied their own physical strength and money. It served as a wonderfully cool haven on an otherwise baking hot day, but there was a quality about it - which had nothing to do with the shade it provided - that made me want to linger. Perhaps it was the abundance of art in a small, unprepossessing town, for here you find a truly magnificent altarpiece in honour of the venerable patron saint of the village, the Blessed Xiquet. Its detail is incredible. The church also houses a statue attributed to the famous 16th-century Spanish artist Juan de Juanes. Explore the old quarter of Benissa starting from the Ayuntamiento -the former Hospital for the Poor - where you can see the beginning of the track used by the ancient ribereros (the workers who emigrated from Benissa to harvest rice on the Valencia coast). The houses here have ornate iron grilles on their windows and the floral display in the window-boxes are the cause of local rivalry. The result is a charming, photogenic little gem, reminiscent of the old parts of Granada. writes Katie Wood Thursday July 20 2006 guardian.co.uk]] Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Vegas style shows on your spanish holiday http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=13 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=13 [CDATA[BENIDORM PALACE A magnificent and gloriously colourful BIG show of international renown. Wine and dine first, or go later to enjoy some of Europes very best showtime entertainment in this plush, capacious, traditional style nightclub. Feast your eyes on the first-class, fabulous dancers in exotic, spectacularly glamorous feathered costumes who will take your breath away. A full programme of original, top artistes from around the world ensure you are thoroughly entertained. A must-do in Benidorm. Opens at 9 pm but get there for 8.30pm. Dinner is served soon after. Their menu is a delicious combination of fish, first class meat and vegetables. Vegetarian menus on request and Gluten Free on some menu categories. Showtime is at 10.30 pm. You can pay a deposit of just 5 EUR per person to secure the advance reservation of your table for the night of your choice. Opening nights are Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year. Also open Wednesdays during the summer. The Benidorm Palace is completely non-smoking. ]] Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000 Moraira by Wylde family http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=11 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=11 [CDATA[Just arrived back from villa pintor had a lovely time, the villa is lovely, will need a car as few ups and downs with the hills to getting there younger people can walk , not recommended for the older people. pool lovely well maintained. People really friendly, plenty of bars and restaurants locally, good ones to visit are - bentleys- open evenings only (excellent food ) new managers , around there you have drude,s cave bar, and the bell round the corner . go down the stairs and you will find tiffany,s bar, only open until 1.30pm for food but open for drinks in the evening{good karaoke on friday). toppers takeaway, b,s bar, and also the english butcher in case you want a barbie. 5 minutes drive into town and beach, lots of bars and eating areas , lovely harbour and a castle to visit, excellent beach not too big. supermarkets local on the way to beach, market in town on a friday worth a visit. Had a geat time will visit area again. mr &amp; mrs wylde x]] Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Our holiday in Moraira by the Lee family http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=12 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=12 [CDATA[The restaurant we really liked (having a son who does not like tapas or Rice) was Monroe&#39;s Carvery. It has a special deal where if you order before 7pm then an adult meal and dessert is just 7.75 euros and for children it is 4.25 It gets very busy so it is best to book and the food is lovely - we had a choice of 3 different meats and a vegetarian option - with mash and roast potatoes, 3 different types of veg and of course Yorkshire puddings. This was a great way to get our son to eat some veg as we found most restaurants just did chips and meat (some did beans !) There was another one where we ate twice but I cannot remember its name - it was a pub behind the English Butcher and Fish and Chip shop on the road to/from Moraira. It was run by a man called Don and his wife again reasonable price and nice food. We went to Terra Mitica and found it quite expensive but worth a full days visit. Aqualandia was very expensive and we did not find out until we were inside that our son was to short for ALL the rides - they have a blanket size for everything even the wave pool of 1.5 meters (our son is 1.2) and they would not let him on anything - a total waste of time and money. A really lovely villa and very clean - we found it very restful and spent most days and evenings sitting around the pool. We had some great sunsets/sun rises and my mum enjoyed sitting at the chess table reading early in the morning. We took our own dvd player but it was great to have your one - and our son enjoyed watching the TV to get out of the sun. Thanks again for a great holiday (one of the best villas we have stayed in) Michelle and Dave Lee (stayed in villa La Madrugada)]] Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Fiestas in Teulada- Moraira http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=9 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=9 [CDATA[After enjoying the beach and cooling off in the sea, you can if you wish enjoy one of the many fiestas, for which Spain is renowned throughout the world. In the Moraira/Teulada region, you will find different fiestas take place throughout the year. In preparation, the local people bake, cook, make fabulous costumes and organise huge firework displays. The two most important Fiestas are; San Vicente Ferrer, which takes place on the first Monday after Easter Monday, and Moors &amp; Christians, which is held the second weekend in June. San Vicente Ferrer is a 10 day religious fiesta to celebrate the Patron Saint of Teulada. However, the Spanish are masters at combining solemnity and la dolce vita, and if you follow the delicious aroma wafting around town you are likely to find a giant paella being served up somewhere. Everyone is invited, so just join in and enjoy yourself ! The history of Spanish occupation is celebrated by the week long Moors &amp; Christians fiesta. Theatrically presented in impressive costumes, the townspeople are separated into Moorish and Christian filas (groups), and hold marches and mock battles that take place at various times and places throughout the village. The high point of this fantastic fiesta is the firework display and procession on the last day. Whichever fiesta you watch, you will always be made welcome and encouraged to join in the fun, dancing and laughing alongside both participants and spectators. One thing is for sure - you should visit a Spanish fiesta at least once in your lifetime to get a feel for what is probably the most enjoyable aspect of the Spanish way of life.SB ]] Thu, 06 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Javea beaches and coves http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=8 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=8 [CDATA[Playa del arenal (Arenal Beach) Situated in the middle of the bay, this is the best-known beach and the one most visited by tourists. It is the only sandy beach, as the others are composed of rocks or gravel. At its Northern end there was a large Roman settlement, the site today of the Parador Nacional &ldquo;Costa Blanca.&rdquo; The beach has sun-shades, sun-beds, pedal-boat and boat hire. It is ideal for walks, shopping or having lunch by the sea. Cala Blanca (White Cove) Heading for Cabo de la Nao, after passing the second Monta&ntilde;ar, we find Cala Blanca, also known as La Caleta. The cove has many corners which combine rock and gravel. A good place for excursions and fishing and to visit Cap Prim. Cala de La Barraca (Cabin Cove) A quiet cove, especially popular with fishermen and the locals. From the cove you can see Portitxol Island (private property), unspoilt and intact, covered with vegetation. Cala de La Granadella (pictured above) Reached via the continuation of the road to Cabo de la Nao. It is one of J&aacute;vea&rsquo;s most notable coves, as it is one of the most beautiful in the Marina Alta region. The cove combines a maritime setting with abundant pine groves. It is a favourite place to practice underwater fishing. The XVIII-Century Granadella Castle is near the cove. Cala del Pope (Priest&rsquo;s Cove) A small cove in the area of the Port or Sea Customs. Also known as Playa del Tango. Gravel beach. Called Priest&rsquo;s Cove for an Orthodox priest (1898-1965) who visited it regularly. Very near here, toward Cabo San Antonio, is the Cala &ldquo;Dels Enamorats&rdquo; (Lovers&rsquo; Cove). Cala Ambolo Located toward Cabo de la Nao. Only nudist beach. The island Isla del Descubridor can be seen from the cove. Playa de la Grava (Gravel Beach) This is the beach of the Port of J&aacute;vea, composed of round stones. Its name comes because it was originally composed of gravel, but the action of the sea has changed it completely. Monta&ntilde;ar A long stone beach running along the bay, in summer it has beach restaurants and terrace bars. ]] Tue, 24 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100 The Costa Blanca (Well some of it). http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=7 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=7 [CDATA[Our stay at Moraira was our first family holiday abroad, So not knowing what to expect,we were more nervous than excited. The hour drive at night to the villa ( Casa Bonita ),was an adventure in itself. After getting lost immediately from leaving the airport,despite crystal clear directions from the team at villa spain,we finally navigated back onto course. On arrival at the villa in the hills of Cumbre Del Sol we were greeted with a view you could not pay for. The coastline of Calpe illuminated at night with the boats just off shore lit up like scattered stars.(corny i know, you would have to see it to believe it). Moraira was our first port of call, it is a quiet and very pretty little fishing village,not too overcrowded. There are two beaches (quite crowded) at peak hours. Next stop Calpe (( highly recommended),about 20 minutes drive around the coast from Moraira.Calpe has a lovely long mosaic walkway along its beach,and is a pleasurable walk from the town itself to the rock (Penon De Ifach ) and marina,which houses a few fishing restaurants and such,and a few market stalls at night. Benidorm was very busy ,no good if you have a large family (large beaches,very clean) again very crowded. Alicante was very nice, stunning architecture ,with an equally stunning mosaic promenade,again lovely clean beaches with adjoining cafes to watch your children play safely while you eat or drink( after you&#39;ve fed the children that is).we aim to return to Alicante ,not enough time to see it fully on our visit. In the other direction from Moraira,30 mins drive is Javea. We visited Javea at night time,lots of shops and stalls to enjoy,restaurants line the beach ,with a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We had the chance to visit a place called ( Fonts De Algar) 60 mins from Moraira,quite a memorable little place hidden among the vineyards and orange groves.It starts with a leisurely walk along a river and woodlands,then up the cascades of waterfalls to an open wide stretch of shallow river where any one young or old can swim or paddle and sun bathe.You can even buy some wine made in the valley on your way back down. Oh... and the villa,better than we could have ever hoped for,absolutely gorgeous with high panoramic views,everything catered for if your family is large or small. the shops were a short drive away and in Moraira on a Friday there was a large market ( quite pricey), we found that shops were often cheaper than markets. (STRANGE THAT),they must have seen us coming.. We cannot recommend the Costa Blanca or Villaspain enough. We are planning to return next year and cant wait. Thanks to all at Villaspain for making our family holiday a special one. Barry,Amanda and family. ]] Tue, 29 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Article on Moraira by Carol Sottili of The Washington Post http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=5 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=5 [CDATA[Attention all travelers who like the concept of getting out of their comfort zone and traveling unescorted through foreign lands, but who stick with the tried-and-true because they don&#39;t want to maneuver through strange roads, languages, customs, etc. I have discovered the perfect destination. Think exotic enough that you won&#39;t hear any American accents, but so comfortable, you&#39;ll wish you could afford to stay for a month. Head to the town of Moraira on Spain&#39;s Costa Blanca. Located north of Alicante and south of Valencia, Moraira is one of a string of fishing villages that have been transformed into quiet tourist towns that attract Europeans, especially those from Germany, Holland and England. Americans have not discovered it yet. Many foreigners have bought property and some have retired there, but the town has no high-rises, and is not dominated by hooligans on holiday (it&#39;s very different than Benidorm, a resort close to Alicante that attracts a young, and sometimes boorish, foreign clientele). The pristine town, dominated by a beachfront promenade, offers upscale shopping and restaurants. The promenade is lined with outdoor cafes, where you can sit for hours watching the sea, eating tapas and drinking reasonably priced Spanish wines. While it&#39;s nice to know a few words of Spanish, most everyone speaks some English. The roads are modern and easy to drive. Nearby are other interesting towns and villages, including Javea, which offers both a thriving port city and an old town in the hills with a 15th-century church, and Calpe, with wonderful seafood restaurants and open market shopping. **Carol has kindly agreed to us placing her article on our site**]] Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100 Baby arrival at villa http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=4 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=4 [CDATA[&#39;My wife Caroline and I have been living in the town of Nerja in the Malaga region with our three sons for the past year and a half . We are all originally from the UK . When we found that Caroline was pregnant we decided to take a last holiday shortly before the baby was due to have some quiet family time. I work as a scuba instructor and I also wanted to do some teaching with my eldest son. Our new baby was due on 7th February but in the early hours of Monday 17th January, Caroline began having contractions and we called the number of a local clinic (the aquario centre). They said they would send a midwife who lived in Denia around to the villa to &quot;have a look&quot; at the situation. Shortly after the midwife arrived Caroline gave birth to a baby girl at 3 am in the sitting room with all of our family present in a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere. One of the great things about the timing was that we had ten days holiday left together with our new arrival after her birth. This was a very special time for all of us and one that was greatly enhanced by the quality of the villa. We recently found that Ubi Bene is a latin phrase for &quot;where one feels good&quot; and this was certainly our experience. Both mum and baby (her name is Indi) are very well and main reason for Indi&#39;s early appearance was a miscalculation in the due date.&#39; David and Caroline Leigh-smith (stayed at Casa Ubi Bene, booked with Villaspain)]] Sun, 18 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0000 The Costa Blanca - definitely worth a visit http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=3 http://www.villaspain.co.uk/blog_main.php?bg=3 [CDATA[The sun-baked Costa Blanca is a 170 mile stretch of Spain&rsquo;s east coast, centered on Alicante and running from Denia in the north to Mazarr&oacute;n in the south. The greener landscape north of Alicante runs through particular pretty areas around Altea through to Calpe, Moraira, Javea and Denia, which are the areas where property is much more expensive than the areas south of Alicante. In July and August average temperatures can reach 33&deg;C, but it&rsquo;s a dry heat and quite enjoyable if you&rsquo;re by the sea or pool with a good supply of iced drinks! Even in the coldest months December to February average daily temperature is around 16 degrees, so the Costa Blanca is very pleasant for a winter break The countryside at the northern end of the Costa Blanca is attractively mountainous, with some excellent walking. On a clear day you can see Ibiza from the lighthouse at the Cabo de Ia Nao, while the spectacular Penon de Ifach a sort of mini Gibraltar at Calpe is a familiar symbol of the Costa Blanca. The resorts of Denia, Javea, Moraira, Calpe, Altea and Villajoyosa all have plenty to offer, including several golf courses and superb beaches, with an excellent choice of villas and apartments both near the sea and rising high into the hills behind. Wherever you stay, there will be plenty of and water-based sports on offer, as well as the Terra Mitica theme park near Benidorm (open all year). Other worthwhile excursions are to Europe&rsquo;s largest date palm plantations at Elche; the hilltop village of Guadalest; or Alicante, which is a holiday resort in its own right but also an interesting, character full city with good shopping. If you go in winter, you&rsquo;ll enjoy plenty of fine days and a seemingly endless supply of the sweet, juicy local oranges. And talking of sweetness, try visiting Jijona, a few miles inland from Alicante, where you can watch Turron being made. It&rsquo;s a delicious hard nougat made with honey and masses of local almonds, famous throughout Spain. If you&rsquo;re in the mood for exercise, it&rsquo;s possible to climb the Pe&ntilde;on at Calpe. It looks impossibly steep, but at the worst point a tunnel has been cut through. It&rsquo;s a stiff climb and you need a head for heights, but at the top the views are breathtaking. ]] Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0000