Latest news with #Xàbia
Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Telegraph
Why there's more to holidays in the Costa Blanca than Benidorm
Costa Blanca is sun-soaked and blessed with natural beauty; it's no wonder that it has so many admirers. The 124-mile (200km) coastline in south-east Spain is an enticing brew of glittering sea, wild coves and terracotta-topped towns – all just a short flight from Britain. After a tourism boom in the 1950s, hordes of holidaymakers made a beeline for Benidorm. But the locals are happy for Benidorm to take the limelight – it means that hush-hush coves and bohemian pueblos remain closely-guarded secrets. Recently, there's been an exciting cultural shift, zooming in on local artisans and regional cuisine. In Dénia, weekly markets are filled with locally thrown ceramics while Michelin-starred restaurants serve boat-fresh seafood. In down-to-earth Xàbia, a new generation of chefs is dead-set on serving local produce in a way that's personal, humble and perfectly executed. And don't miss Altea, where cobbled streets lead to studios where artists work at paint-splattered easels. For more Costa Blanca inspiration, see our guides to the best restaurants, nightlife, beaches and things to do. In this guide: How to spend the perfect day Morning Start the day with an indulgent breakfast in Dénia. Niki&Niki is the best; a bakery, café and wine bar with a terrace offering glimpses of boats bobbing in the port. The coffee here is excellent, but a glass of organic cava from Catalonia's Can Suriol would go equally well with springy sourdough topped with home-cured salmon. Next, stroll through the picturesque old town, navigating the tangled streets, to find the stone archway leading to Castillo de Dénia (Dénia Castle). Here, it's a pleasant walk up the stone steps worn smooth by time to reach the lookout. Hang out with the seagulls and gaze at the sea views, before trying to find the 17th-century graffiti. It's an exquisite picture of a galley, made by a prisoner in their cell.
Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The best bars and nightlife in the Costa Blanca
Nights out in the Costa Blanca can be as wild or wound down as you fancy. On warm evenings, couples snuggle up on rooftop terraces, while sea-facing bars host parties, with home-grown DJs and open-air dance floors. For a more relaxed affair, go to Xàbia, where medieval streets twinkle with fairy lights and families potter between cocktail bars. Even the smallest coves hide chiringuitos (beach bars), where the sounds of the sea mingle with Cuban groove. The roguish nightlife of Benidorm is infamous, but for a grown-up night out, these are the best places to visit. All our recommendations below have been hand selected and tested by our resident destination expert to help you discover the best bars in the Costa Blanca. Find out more below or for more inspiration, see our guides to the best restaurants, beaches and things to do. Find bars by type: Best for brilliant wine Bodega Casa Benjamín This century-old wine bar is the kind of time-warp bodega every visitor dreams of stumbling upon. Bodega Casa Benjamín is impeccably dressed with upturned wine barrels, gingham fabric over the shelves and colourful tiles. On marble tabletops, groups of friends sip homemade vermouth and chilled cañas (small beer). In the evenings, it's filled with lively chatter and on Thursdays, the weekly flamenco night draws an even bigger crowd – settle in for dancing and the click-clacking of castanets. Bodegas Galiana Dénia Walk past Bodegas Galiana Dénia and it looks more like a deli than a bar, with shelves of artisan tinned fish and a counter filled with wheels of cheese. But improvised tables and a row of stools at the counter make this a fine place to sample top-quality wine, cava and champagne. Even the house cava is excellent – a crisp glass of what most consider to be Requena's best cava producer, Dominio de la Vega. ADuana Wine Experience Evenings in aDuana Wine Experience are an opulent affair. Found on the high street of Dénia, the wine bar and restaurant is a riot of abstract art, velvet upholstery and Louis Vuitton handbags swinging from the ceiling. Guests are welcomed by a slick team and magnums of Taittinger on ice. Take time to explore the enormous wine list with bottles from around the world. On a hot day, a chilled Perrier-Jouët champagne is ideal.
