If you are looking for a perfect sun holiday destination or a great place to stay active in Spain then the coastal area of Alicante is an ideal option and a villa in Finestrat, in particular, offers access to postcard-perfect beaches and verdant landscapes inland. Here you can swim, tan, hike, bike, surf, snorkel, dive, and much more besides.
You can also explore the neighbouring towns such as Benidorm, a tourist town that visitors from the UK especially love, or the town and municipality of Villajoyosa (or La Vila Joiosa in Valencian) bordering the beach of Cala de Finestrat to the southwest. The, “Joyful Town,” often known locally simply as La Vila, is a historic fishing town full of character and known for its colourful buildings and as a centre of chocolate production in Spain. For a sweet and joyful day out on vacation in Finestrat, it’s the best place to visit!
White sandy beaches stretch for 3km along the town’s seafront, which have earned Blue Flag status for being immaculately clean. More hidden beaches can also be found in the area for those who prefer quieter days by the sea. Facing out onto the beautiful seafront beaches of the town, you will also find one of the other defining characteristics of this gem of a town: the iconic colourfully painted buildings in different shades.
One myth states that they were decorated in this manner so that fishermen could easily spot their homes from a distance while at sea and find their way home but, whether or not this is true (and it is actually likely a mere myth), they do remain a long-standing tradition of Villajoyosa. The brightly painted houses and buildings also continue further into the town, beyond the seafront and there are charming little streets and alleys that wind between them, making going for a little wander and getting a little lost, soaking it all in, an excellent activity in its own right. Bring your camera and get some nice commemorative shots of yourself and your travel companions with these bright backdrops and keep an eye out for other photogenic subjects like trailing plants over balconies, wandering cats, murals painted on some walls and other bits of street art, as well as some simply particularly picturesque corners and alleys.
Other buildings, like the beautiful Gothic Catholic Church of the Assumption, with its Baroque altarpiece, and attractions, like the ruins of the ancient city of Allon that predated Villajoyosa on this site, are definitely worth exploring as well.
Another key detail about this joyful place is that it was once the heart of chocolate production in Spain and continues to be the home of Valor Chocolate, one of the most popular chocolate brands in Spain. This was down to its location on the coast, being, for a long time, one of the main areas into which cocoa arrived to in Spain. In addition to Valor Chocolate, where you can visit and tour, there is the family-run Chocolates Pérez, which is the oldest in town, is still in its original factory building, and also offers free tours. Then, there is the third and final chocolate producers still in town today, Xocolates Clavileño, which has a museum that can be visited.
Remarkably beautiful, with plenty to see and do while you are in town, Villajoyosa is a joyful spot for a day-trip if you book one of our vacation rentals in Finestrat and want to see another of the gorgeous towns in the area during a holiday on the Costa Blanca.