Costa Blanca from Belfast: which resort, and why
Two hundred kilometres of coast where the character changes completely every twenty minutes. Benidorm at one end, limestone headlands and hidden coves at the other.
- Flight time
- 3h 5mfrom BFS
- Season
- April to October
- Direct from Belfast
- Yes
Why this coast matters from Belfast
It is the shortest flight to genuinely reliable Mediterranean heat, and the most internally varied coast you can reach direct.
The variety is the selling point that nobody sells. Within an hour of Alicante airport you can have a high-rise resort with the cheapest beds in Spain, a whitewashed hill town, a limestone headland with coves under it, or a salt lagoon. Most people book the first one without knowing the others are there.
Who it suits
Book it if you want value, a short flight, and the option of moving between very different places on one holiday.
Look elsewhere if you want a single quiet unspoilt resort with everything on the doorstep and no car.
North or south of the airport
This is the only decision that really matters.
North — Benidorm, Calpe, Altea, Jávea, Moraira. The coast is rockier and greener, the towns are older, the scenery is better, and beyond Benidorm you will want a car.
South — Santa Pola, Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa. Flatter, drier, more modern, more apartments than hotels, cheaper for a long stay, and dominated by residents rather than a weekly package trade.
Inland, in forty minutes
The Costa Blanca’s inland is closer than most Spanish coasts and almost nobody uses it.
Guadalest is a village on a rock above a reservoir the colour of antifreeze, forty minutes from Benidorm. The Algar waterfalls are twenty minutes further. Elche, near the airport, has a palm grove of over two hundred thousand trees, planted by the Moors and now a UNESCO site.
All three are half-day trips from a beach hotel, and all three are the kind of thing people assume this coast does not have.
Where to stay
- Value, nightlife, two big beaches
Benidorm
Efficient, cheap and much cleaner than its reputation. Levante for the busy end, Poniente for the quieter one, and an old town between them that surprises people.
- A landmark and a family beach
Calpe
Dominated by the Peñón de Ifach, a 332 m limestone rock you can climb in a couple of hours. Long sandy beach either side.
- Looking at
Altea
Whitewashed hill town with a blue-tiled dome above a pebble beach. The prettiest spot on the coast, and the beach is stones, not sand.
- Coves and a quieter week
Jávea
Three distinct parts — old town, port and the Arenal beach — on a headland between two capes. Popular with people who have been coming twenty years.
- Long stays and value
Torrevieja
South of the airport, big northern European long-stay community, and pink salt lakes just inland that genuinely are pink.
When to go
Among the highest sunshine totals in mainland Spain, and a microclimate around Jávea and Dénia that is noticeably milder in winter.
| Month | Air | Sea | How busy |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17°C | 14°C | Very quiet |
| February | 18°C | 14°C | Very quiet |
| March | 20°C | 15°C | Quiet |
| April | 22°C | 16°C | Easter spike |
| May | 25°C | 18°C | Sweet spot |
| June | 29°C | 22°C | Busy |
| July | 31°C | 25°C | School holidays |
| August | 32°C | 26°C | Peak |
| September | 29°C | 25°C | Sweet spot |
| October | 25°C | 22°C | Warm sea, quiet |
| November | 20°C | 19°C | Very quiet |
| December | 17°C | 16°C | Very quiet |
Typical averages, not forecasts. Sea temperature lags air temperature by roughly two months, which is why October often swims better than June.
Mistakes people make
Judging the whole coast by Benidorm. Those towers are about four kilometres of a two-hundred-kilometre coastline, and the northern half looks nothing like them.
Booking the north without a hire car. Jávea, Moraira and the coves around them have thin public transport. This is the car-dependent end.
Assuming Torrevieja is near Benidorm. They are on opposite sides of the airport, over an hour apart, and attract different crowds entirely.
Missing Guadalest and the inland valleys. Forty minutes inland from Benidorm there is a castle village on a rock above a turquoise reservoir. Almost nobody staying on the beach goes.
Frequently asked questions
Which end of the Costa Blanca should I book?
North of Alicante for scenery, coves and a car. South of Alicante for value, flatter beaches and long stays. Benidorm sits in between and is its own category.
How far is Benidorm from the airport?
About forty-five minutes by road. A coastal tram also runs from Alicante city, which is cheap and slow.
Is there anywhere quiet on this coast?
Yes, and it is mostly north of Calpe. Moraira, the coves around Jávea and the Granadella area are quiet even in August.
When is the sea warmest?
August and September, at around 25 to 26°C. October still holds 22°C, which is warmer than June.
Before you book
- Guide
What actually fits in hand luggage
Why bags that fit at home fail at the gate, and the measurement everyone gets wrong.
- Explainer
Flight only, or a package?
What the bundle is really worth, and the protection you lose by booking the parts separately.
- 3h 10m
Málaga
Three hours from Belfast, and the only Spanish beach coast where you can walk off the plane, get a train, and be on a promenade in twenty minutes without booking anything.