'''Javea''', is in the Costa Blanca region in Alicante, Spain. The town has three main areas namely Javea old town, Javea port, & the beach area. The old town has not changed much and is a maze of narrow winding streets with homes that have wrought iron balconies and windows in gothic style. There are many ancient churchs and other structures. The harbor and fishing port has numerous restaurants and bars overlooking the sea. The Arenal beach area is the main commercial and recreation centre of the town.

Get in

Javea is also known by its Valenciano name: Xabia

Valencia airport is 100 km to the north.

Alicante is found 100 km to the south, and Murcia a bit further

Get around

Rent a car and walking

See

Excerpts from a talk by Sylvia Matheson on the history of the area: <!-- copyvio? -->

Montgo's prehistoric cave dwellers and hunters dating from at least 30,000 years ago, and its paintings in Migdia cave are well-enough known. Its slopes have certainly yielded evidence of the ancient past to many local residents whether collecting Stone-Age handaxes and flints, Roman pottery or Muslim ceramics. If you are among those who gather the wild herbs still struggling to survive amid ever-increasing construction, just think of the Moorish Caliph Abd ur Rahman the Third who, 1000 years ago, at the beginning of the 10th century, made a special journey from Cordoba to collect over a hundred medicinal herbs from the slopes of our Montgo.

The slopes of Montgo, the tops of surrounding hills and the valley itself, all tell of the earliest known Neolithic settlements in the Western Mediterrean, where men developed agriculture and domesticated animals from around 3000 BC and into the Valencian Bronze Age between 1900 and 500 BC. In our Museum you can see Iberian beads, sherds of decorated pottery, stone axes and pestle and mortars found all around us, including from a fox's burrow dig into the hill crowned by the Santa Lucia Ermita, and which revealed a Bronze Age and Roman Village.

Visigoths were here too. In the 6th century AD. Christian Visigoth monks whoses ancestors had accompanied the troops sent to battle in North Africa, came across to Javeda and founded the monastery of San Martin, now disappeared but which probably gave its name to the Cabo San Martin. Here Hermangildo, son of the Visigoth king Leogevild of Toledo, sought refuge in the Monastery after angering his father by marrying a Christian girl. When his father's troops arrived to arrest him all but one ancient monk fled to Portichol - but Hermengild and the old monk were killed. You'll find a number of Javiense with Visigoth names even today.

A dilapidated village house in the angle of Santa Marta, leading off the Church Square, was pulled down and in the brief period given the archaeologists to examine the site, they made an astonishing discovery- The foundations of the 17th - 18th century house had been built right on top of a 3000 year old Bronze Age farming site, thus preserving the remains of two cabins and several silos. And in San Bartholome. the next street, facing the church, another house has been demolished to reveal relicsof a 14th. century dwelling with a cistern, well and various ceramics and coins.

Come to that, do you remember when the police station, then part of the Ayuntamiento was moved to its purpose-built location opposite the car park, in 1994(?) The intention was to open a tourist office in the old premises, part of the Ayuntamiento, and renovations included relaying the floor. But what did they find? Fourteenth century graves- some with several skeletons added later, all of the first Christians to repopulate Javea after the long Muslim occupation- The cemetery was in use for another two hundred years and archaeologists found the remains of what appeared to have been a high, fortified tower and the later, smaller, 17th century chapel of the Desamparados. Making use of some of this material the original Ayuntamiento was built over them in 1774. Fortunately several of the rock-cut graves - without their skeleton inmates which have been removed to the nearby Museum - have been preserved and can be seen under the glass floor as you enter what is one of the Ayuntamiento's offices.

A datable lead weight used by Roman fishing boats, put back Roman occupation of Javea to the 2nd century BC, making ours the oldest known Roman site on the coast with a commercial port for fish and minerals. And of course you know about the important Roman fish factory under the Parador, and the nearby cemetery, probably the largest in the province, part of which lies under the recently built "Alkazaba holiday apartments.

The late Solar Blasco, that fine artist who painted the triptich (now divided) over the Ermita de Popol's altar, and who was also our Alcalde, greatly concerned about Javea's past, showed me many Roman and Iberian sites already lost or being covered by apartments along the coast. He pointed out the remnants of a Roman theatre, now disappeared, on the slopes of Montgo overlooking the main Valencia road, and a temple site by the Arenal's Canal de la Fontana, among many other relics of Javea's ancient past.

There is little left of the Moors but some inscribed gravestones and ceramics, although they were here from about 714AD until the last were expelled from Javea and Denia in 1609. Most were farmers, cultivating and terracing the land but undoubtedly there are remains hidden beneath many buildings and wooded areas.

Well, walk where you will in the valley, town or hills, you can be sure of one thing, you are walking on history.

Do

  • Nothing, just relax!
  • Enjoy the magnificent views
  • Visit Mercadillos - weekly open air markets for all kinds of goods.
  • Go to one of the many local museums
  • Try fishing along the breakwaters or rocky shore.
  • Go for a drive in the mountains
  • Read a good book or two
  • Go visit the Fuentes del Algar Waterfalls in the Mountains
  • Use an Internet cafe, e-mail or surf the web
  • Go visit the caves near Benidoleig or Canalobre
  • Go swim, sun and surf at the Arenal Beach
  • Rent a sailboat, sailboard or jet ski
  • Take the ferry boats to Denia or Altea
  • Buy a roasted chicken hot off the spit and have a picnic
  • Go have Tapas at the local bars
  • Go shopping
  • Visit a castle, cathedral or religious monument
  • Take a hike to the top of Montgo
  • Go parasailing
  • Go skin or scuba diving in the sea
  • Watch the commercial fishing boats come in at the port
  • Take a walk along the pier
  • Go to the Terra Mitica theme park near Benidorm
  • Visit the Denia castle and museum
  • Go to the city markets for fresh seafood, meats and produce
  • Get some fresh breads, Spanish or German
  • Take a walk at the arenal
  • Have an afternoon siesta
  • Go visit one of the Safari Parks - Aitana or Vergel
  • Charter a fishing boat and get a tuna
  • Go hiking at one of the many trails in the area
  • Visit all the view spots of Miradors
  • Take a ferry to Ibiza or Mallorca
  • Play tennis or go golfing
  • Go nightclubbing
  • Have a family Paella - order in advance
  • Go to the Rastro - Antique markets - in Jalon on Saturday
  • Have a BBQ
  • Sunbathe by the pool
  • Go go-karting
  • Take a ride up to the castle in Guadelest
  • Go visit Alicante
  • Take a ride on the Lemon Express
  • Have a coffee and brandy on the seafront in the Port
  • Pick some books up at the used bookstore - Pollys
  • Go to the waterpark in Benidorm
  • Visit the tourist shops in Gata
  • Topless sunbathing at the beach
  • Take a walk down the tree lined street in Denia
  • Go mountain climbing
  • Eat at one of the many different ethnic restaurants
  • Have a cerveca - people watch, or visit an Irish pub
  • Go to a local fiesta
  • Watch some fireworks
  • Go horseback riding
  • Have a cuban cigar - habanos
  • Visit the Solar Blasco museum in the Town
  • Go to a Bodega and find an old bottle of wine - 64 Rioja!
  • Buy a Costa Blanca News on Friday - English!
  • Rent a video
  • Run with the bulls
  • Go pick some fresh herbs, like rosemary along the road
  • Try one of the fresh fish markets in Calpe harbour
  • Visit the fishermans church in Javea Port
  • Buy some fresh flowers
  • Rent a moped or bicycle
  • And if you need to... go to the Tourist information shop to find something to do!

    Buy

    Flowers at the Javea port from funky florist Cream and Browns Florist, or visit there site at http://www.creamandbrowns.com/

    Eat

    '''Corral del Pato''' - One of our favourites outside of Gata on Lliber-Jalon road. Very good Catalan cuisine with popular menu; amazing wood fired lamb, oxen and duck! Eat in or outside under huge carob trees. Recommended/must book. Local Jalon wine by pitchers. Open except Monday. Tel. 96 575 68 34

    '''Casa Pepa''' - Fantastic food in a nice setting. This restaurant is located in the orange groves near Ondara. Great menu/food, and excellent wine list. Pricey but worth it! Tel. 96 576 6606 Open except Sun/Mon

    '''La Boheme (& Los Remos)''' - Are the two better restaurants at Javea's arenal. French owned/fine tapas. Consistently good reports. By Parador end of promenade Tel. 96 679 1600 OPen except Wednesdays

    '''El Clavo''' - In Port, Classic Spanish fisherman's bar we've frequented for 30 years. Fresh seafood and good values. Menu on wall only! Overlooking sea near fishing docks.

    '''El Mono Loco''' (Calle San Rafael, Arenal (opp. farmacia)): Opened in April 2007, this lounge bar/restaurant offers a unique eating experience on one of its six specially-designed barbeque tables. Order your choice of prepared meat and/or fish from the extensive barbeque menu and then relax whilst cooking your own meal, whether at lunchtime or in the evening. The restaurant is open seven days a week 11-4 then 6:30 til late. You can also enjoy a drink on the sunny terrace or in the comfortable lounge bar which is open from 10.30 until late. The bar shows all main sporting events and offers a range of draught beers, including Mahou Classic, Guinness, Tetley's Bitter and John Smith's Smooth Bitter. For reservations, phone El Mono Loco 965-794-936.

    '''Drassanes''' - Near Denia is one of the best fish restaurants. Excellent "memu Gastronomique". Denia harbour front, end of palm treed avenue north of roundabout Tel. 96 578 1118 Open except Mondays

    '''Mena''' - On rocks at end of Las Rotas road (over Montrgo-Denia rd, hard right at bottom roundabout. Tel. 96 578 0943 Lovely terrace right on the Sea! Good for rice dishes.

    '''Austrian Cafe Wien''' (& bakery) at arenal beach. Excellent bread, pastries and croissants (a favorite place for breakfast). Tel. 96 579 3804 Open except Wed Austrico restaurant is here too.

    '''Piripi''' - Excellent/imaginative copious "Tapas": on new pedestrian Javea port sea-front. Book or but worth the wait. Probably the most frequented by us for food and scenery. Open except Sun-pm & Mon

    '''Azorin''' - Javea Port (in street behind Napoli Pizza and Piripi) Super Fish & Chips (& chicken), great for kids! Order a paella or fidejua ahead of time. Great mixed fish plate. Tel 96 659 4495

    '''Cabo de la Nao''' - On the cliff next to the lighthouse Fantastic views and good food. Tel 96 577 1835

    '''Masena''' - Swiss owned with very good foods and wines. On road between Javea roundabout and Golf course, across the street from Giardino. Try the salt encrusted sea bass. Tel 96 579 3764

    '''Gota de Mar''' - On main road just below the villa at entrance to Tosalet and Hotel Rodat. Lovely terrace overlooking valley. Tel 96 577 1648 Xcept Sun/Mon

    '''Montgo''' - 2 to 3 km on Javea -Jesus Probre road on left with large patio below Montgo) Amazing value, quantity, quality & well presented. Praised for world's best fish & chips! Tel. 96 579 5021 Great view of the mountain. Also try Los Almendros across the street!

    Calpe Harbor - Can be the best place for fish: any restaurant will entice you in with marvelous displays of fresh fish. There is nothing like this anywhere else nearby. Strongly recommended.

    '''Montevideo''' - A favorite for meat. Just out of Benitachell on way to Cumbre Del Sol. Tel 96 649 3283

    '''Pepe Y Estrella''' - On sea front near the port. Classic spanish with a great view of the bay.

    Drink

    Sleep

    Get out