Jávea / Xábia is one of the most beautiful and charming towns on the Costa Blanca. The natural setting in which it sits is idyllic: on the shores of a small bay guarded by Cape San Antonio, to the north, and Cape San Martin, to the south. At the foot of the Montgó, “El Vell Montgó”, an emblematic mountain that boasts the Marina Alta region, where rainfall is the highest in the region and, therefore, the mountains and fields of muscatel, olive and almond trees look green all year round. It is not surprising that Sorolla himself was fascinated by Jávea, its coastal landscapes and its Mediterranean light.
Would you like to know the best plans and places to make the most of your stay in Jávea? Read on, we’ll show them to you below!
8 Essential Plans in Jávea / Xàbia
1. To be surprised when visiting Cova Tallada
Sculpted with chisel and hammer more than 5 centuries ago, Cova Tallada (“cut cave”) is a fascinating grotto located by the sea, at the foot of the cliffs of the Cabo de San Antonio Marine Nature Reserve, a maritime extension of the Montgó Natural Park.
Partly natural and partly artificial, the Cova Tallada was an important quarry of rough stone. From here, from the very bowels of the earth, the expert stonemasons were extracting, one by one and with the sweat of their brow, the ashlars that would shape the most unique buildings of Xàbia, which we can know by visiting the historic center of the town.
The Cova Tallada and its surroundings are part of an ecosystem of great environmental value, a fragile ecosystem and very sensitive to human presence. That is why it will be necessary to book in advance to visit this wonder of Xabia. We tell you all the details in our
guide about the Cova Tallada
.
2. Getting lost in Historic Xàbia
The historic center of Xàbia is one of the best preserved of the entire province of Alicante: it maintains practically intact its medieval essence, with a picturesque network of narrow streets that unfold from the Church of San Bartolomé, epicenter of the town.
The white houses of Xàbia, many of them stately and noble, speak to us of times past, of the splendor of the muscatel raisin The wine was exported throughout Europe during the 19th century until the phylloxera plague at the beginning of the 20th century radically put an end to the boom period.
A highly recommended plan to discover the historic center of Javea is to participate in the guided tours that the council usually organizes each season.
Very close to the church, a visit to the Mercado Municipal de Abastos will allow us to purchase top quality local products.
Charming Hotels in Jávea / Xàbia
✔ Hotel Sol de Jávea. A stone’s throw from the Arenal Beach, in the center of the bay.
✔ Nomad Hotel Xàbia Port. Next to the port of Jávea and the Grava beach.
✔ The Beach House Studios & Suites. Overlooking the Gravel Beach.
✔ Hotel Jávea. Excellent location and price within walking distance of the Grava Beach.
✔ Hotel Triskel. Charming hotel in the old town of Javea (2 km from the beach).
✔ Telegraph House. Family rooms in the old town of Javea.
If you want to see more options, check all the hotels in Jávea.
3. Jávea Coves: among the most beautiful of the Costa Blanca.
The stretch of coast belonging to Jávea is, surely, the most beautiful of all those we can admire in the province of Alicante. Although there are “conventional” urban beaches in the municipality, such as El Arenal, the real protagonists here are the coves, headlands, islets and cliffs.
A succession of geographical features of wild beauty (increasingly harassed by unstoppable urban development) that shape the coastline of Xàbia and that, in recent years, have not ceased to gain followers.
Yes, Xàbia is in fashion. And, let’s not fool ourselves, this also has its drawbacks: if you come in high season be prepared to get up very early if you want to get a spot in its beautiful coves (there is limited capacity). The effort, however, will surely have been worth it.
It is also very important, due to the delicate environmental balance of Jávea’s coastline, to follow the recommendations of the town council: be sure to consult the Decalogue of the Responsible Tourist as well as the guide on the importance of preserving the Oceanic Posidonia (the delicate underwater meadows that make Jávea’s waters look so clean and transparent).
If you want to know more about the best places to enjoy a swim, do not miss our article about the best coves in Xàbia / Jávea.
4. Eating at a Michelin Star Restaurant
Of all the Michelin-starred restaurants in Alicante, in Jávea there are two award-winning restaurants:
BonAmb
Chef Alberto Ferruz, who is also in charge of the restaurant Casa Pepa in Ondara (1 Michelin Star), presents a creative cuisine with local raw materials as a base: fish and seafood, garden products and aromatic herbs. In 2021 they celebrate their 10th Anniversary.
Tula
Located in front of Jávea’s Arenal beach, this simple restaurant run by Borja Susilla and Clara Puig offers Mediterranean cuisine with a modern touch, with fish catches from the port of Jávea as one of its main values.
5. Discover its Route of Viewpoints
The Route of the Viewpoints of Jávea
is a route along 15 spectacular viewpoints scattered along the coast of Jávea. It is not a hiking route, but, due to its characteristics, it is best to visit the viewpoints by car or, better yet, by electric bicycle. Among our favorites are the viewpoint of La Falzia or Cap Negre, both near the popular Cala Portitxol.
6. Sailing along its coastline of islands, capes and cliffs.
A visit to Jávea will never be complete if we do not enjoy a sailing experience along its beautiful coastline. This is the only way to discover a unique and different point of view that cannot be seen from land.
The most intimate and personal experience, undoubtedly, is the one we can live by kayaking, small sustainable and environmentally friendly boats that allow us to explore every nook and cranny, entering into sea caves (fortunately, something prohibited for jet skis and motorboats) and disembark in secret coves. The kayak route from Cala Granadella to En Caló is our recommendation.
We can also admire the capes, islets and cliffs that shape the rugged coast of Xàbia aboard a catamaran, in a pleasant journey that will not leave you indifferent.[See Catamaran Route].
And if in addition to sailing you want to snorkel in an idyllic setting and only accessible by sea, this boat tour along the coast of Javea is for you.
Charming Hotels in Jávea / Xàbia
✔ Hotel Sol de Jávea. A stone’s throw from the Arenal Beach, in the center of the bay.
✔ Nomad Hotel Xàbia Port. Next to the port of Jávea and the Grava beach.
✔ The Beach House Studios & Suites. Overlooking the Gravel Beach.
✔ Hotel Jávea. Excellent location and price within walking distance of the Grava Beach.
✔ Hotel Triskel. Charming hotel in the old town of Javea (2 km from the beach).
✔ Telegraph House. Family rooms in the old town of Javea.
7. Visit the charming neighboring town of Denia.
If you are going to spend a few days in Jávea, it is certainly worth spending at least a day to visit the neighboring town of Dénia, the charming capital of the Marina Alta.
In fact, if you plan to make the route of the Cova Tallada, the most common and recommended route is the one that starts at the beautiful beach of Les Rotes in Denia.
I encourage you to take the spectacular and panoramic secondary road CV-736, which, in a winding route ascends to La Plana del Cabo de San Antonio, at the foot of Montgó. Following this amazing itinerary you will have the chance to visit two of Jávea’s viewpoints: El Cap de Sant Antoni and Els Molins de la Plana.
Once in Denia be sure to climb to its castle, stroll through its beautiful old town or savor its delicious cuisine. If you travel with your pet, Denia has a dog-friendly beach. We tell you more plans and places to see in our article about Dénia.
8. Climbing to the summit of Montgó
The Montgó
emblematic mountain of the Marina Alta region, has been a natural park since 1987. Located between the towns of Xàbia and Dénia, it is a natural environment of incalculable environmental value, highlighting the more than 650 species of flora present, many of them endemic (unique to this area).
Climbing to the summit of Montgó, despite its “modest” 753 meters high, is a difficult challenge. We only recommend this ascent -which can be done through several itineraries- to people with experience in hiking routes of medium/high difficulty, good physical shape and adequate material (good hiking shoes are essential). If all these requirements are met, the route to the summit of Montgó is one of the most beautiful and spectacular hiking routes of all those that can be done in the province of Alicante.
And if we are looking for a simpler excursion, we can enjoy the magnificent views from the Camí de la Colonia, the first part of the route up to the Montgó from the Ermita del Pare Pere de Dénia.
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