Quick guide to:

A giant paella is often cooked in the street which is free to all those who want to experience authentic Spanish cooking. Local people dress in national costume and dance late in to the night to live music. There is nearly always a spectacular firework display followed by the burning of a giant wooden statue errected in the main plaza.

Javea is known for it's hospitality, busy markets and many fiestas. For those wanting to explore, unspoilt beaches and sany coves are not too far away.

Javea's location is proptected by the magnificent Montgo (elephant) mountain and the town is divided into three different areas: The ancient medieval town, with white washed houses, narrow streets and fortified Gothic church of San Bartolome; a working fishing port and marina, restaurants and squares; and The Arenal, the bustling heart of the sandy palm bordered bay, with a long boulevard, lively bars and shops, offering a wide variety of entertainment.

The Arenal beach is worthy of a special mention, as the shallow waters and natural bay make it one of the safest places to swim for families with young children. In the summer evenings films are shown on a big screen set-up on the sand, and this is a great place to relax with a good bottle of wine after a hot day in the sun. Like so much of the entertainment in Javea, it is all free, so don't miss out!

Other beach activities include organised beach volley ball, where you can either watch or take part. Javea has a beach volley ball league and it is taken very seriously. You may also want to try your hand at sea kayaking or surfing. A little further around the headland are quieter areas such as Granadella beach, where the clear waters and rocky coves make an ideal environment for water sport activities such as snorkelling and scuba diving. On the other hand you could just relax with a drink at a beach bar or 'chiringuito.'

Javea Port is known for the many restaurants, bars and attractive beach. The nearby marina has also managed to retain the original charm of a traditional fishing village. There is a market which opens to sell the fresh produce from the fishing fleet when they arrive back in port, (usually twice a day). Javea has a popular tennis club which has helped to produce world champions and also a modern sports centre, where there are summer classes in everything from Pilates to Washinkai Karate.

There is a railway which runs up the coast from Alicante to Denia and a trip always makes a great day out. The train can be boarded at Denia or Gata station and tickets purchased on the train. The line runs through beautiful mountain scenery, clinging to the cliffs as it makes it's way down to the coast before arriving at Calpe. From here the train follows the contours of the land, stopping at Altea and Benidorm before terminating on the sea front at Alicante.

This part of Spain was principally Muslim and so led to the area becoming one of the largest producers of raisins in the world, as the growing of grapes for wine production was frowned upon at the time.