Jávea, Costa Blanca

The drive to our next destination, Jávea, took us along the coast road, past busy Alicante and even bigger and busier Benidorm, and through the centre of pretty Altea before the road became steeper and twisty as we began to climb higher before turning off and heading down to Camping El Naranjal.

Jávea is a small town, set in a beautiful bay, that has resisted the high-rise developments. Divided into three areas; the old town, the marina and the beach, and surrounded by the mountains of the Montgó Natural Park, it is a place that we quickly felt at home in.

Our campsite, once an orange grove and still surrounded by them, was small and friendly with the beach area and most other things just a 5 minute walk away. The old town, with its great market, narrow streets and inviting restaurants and shops, and the marina, were further away but made for a good walk which was rewarded by a cool drink and tapas overlooking the bay.

With the bike we went to the most eastern tip at Cabo de la Nao where, on a clear day you can see Ibiza, but not the day we were there, though the dramatic cliffs and indented coves below made up for it. On another trip, we took the narrow, twisty scenic road over to Denia, a major passenger port for the nearby Baleric islands. There were some very fancy boats in the marina there, which is much larger than the one in Jávea, but the old town is very attractive to wander around with lots of interesting restaurants set in pretty squares. On the way back, we stopped halfway at the lighthouse for a fantastic, panoramic view of Javeá and the bay.

Our visit also gave us the opportunity to meet up with friends Ray and Mel who have made Jávea their home after many years in Asia. Though we hadn't seen each other for a long time, it did not feel like that at all as we caught up on news and enjoyed each others company, as well as Mel's paella!

As we enjoyed a sundowner, watching Montgó mountain change colour in the evening sun and with the orange blossom fragrance filling the air, we wished we could stay longer but it wasn't possible on this occasion. But that was OK because we will definitely be back.Read more