Benitachell (or Benitatxell in Valencian) is a town in the North-eastern part of the province of Alicante. It belongs to the region of Valencia in Spain and it is positioned at the Costa Blanca between Jávea and Moraira. You will find Benitachell at a distance of about 90 km from the airport of Alicante and about 100 km from Valencia.
This relatively small town lies in the interior, but its areas reach all the way to the sea and contain an almost two miles stretch of ever-changing coastline, high and beautiful above the Mediterranean Sea. Benitachell offers a variety of residential areas where you can find luxury holiday rental villas, houses, homes and apartments.
Benitachell (Benitatxell) - Costa Blanca - Spain
General information about Benitachell
Benitachell has a surface area of 1265 km 2 and, in 2001, it had 3425 inhabitants. The number of inhabitants has since grown, in part because of the building of the subdivision of Cumbre del Sol. This new urbanization is built on the mountain Cumbre. By 2006, Benitachell had 4276 inhabitants.
Benitachell is an independent town, founded in 1698, and is an important service centre for the large surrounding agricultural areas of the Costa Blanca , especially for the area that grows the Muscatel grapes.
History of Benitachell
In the alcove of Cova del Moro, prehistoric discoveries have been found which date back to 18.000 years ago. Other historical findings in this area show a long history of occupation by Iberians, Romans and Andalucians.
After the area was conquered by the Catalan-Aragonians in 1244, historical circumstances led to this area of Alqueria de Benitachell being deserted. Colonists came back in 1698 and this time they called their “pueblo” Poble Nou de Benitatxell. At the present time, the main economical sectors are agriculture, the production of muscatel grapes and the service industry
Landscape and surroundings of Benitachell
The whole area of the Costa Blanca is of course famous for its wonderful climate and beautiful beaches, but there is a lot more to find in the Northern part of the Costa Blanca. In the interior you will find a varied landscape of mountains and valleys, fields and forest and vast orchards with orange, lemon, almond, olive and pine trees. When in bloom, these orchards are a true feast for the eyes, spreading a wonderful Mediterranean perfume.
In spite of the many tourist-friendly zones and new urbanizations, Benitachell and surrounding areas have managed to maintain their traditional agriculture and the extensive vineyards for the growing of the muscatel grapes. The centre of Benitachell, situated on the top of a hill, has been preserved very well with all the characteristics of an original Valencian town.
Beaches of Benitachell
Benitachell lies in an interior area of the Costa Blanca, but its environs end with a coastal stretch of 2 km with two caves: the Cala Llebeig and the Tiestos, a cave for nudists. It is a rough coastline with several cliffs that at some points protrude out into the sea and are over 100 meters high. Sailing along the coast, this is a beautiful sight to behold. It is the perfect spot for diving enthusiasts to enjoy imposing caves and other underwater landscapes.
For those who may prefer sunbathing, there is an alcove named Cala del Moraig with a beautiful pebble-stone beach and crystal clear water. A little further along the coast you will find the alcove of La Cala dels Testos, a small, intimate pebble-stoned beach. La Cala dels Testos is almost inaccessible and it is a wonderful place for all those who would like to get away from the hassle of life.
Sights of Benitachell
The town of Benitachell is beautifully located in a rolling landscape of the Costa Blanca . You can take a walk through the typical narrow Spanish streets and visit the church Iglesia de Santa María Magdalena, a building of architectural value, is an absolute ‘must’.
Things to do in Benitachell
The rocks of the Cumbre del Sol at Benitachell are ideal for walking and hiking, with a beautiful view of the sea. Besides the Cumbre del Sol the environment of Benitachell has many different and sometimes challenging routes for hiking. Around Benitachell you can make beautiful walks through the surrounding area or an adventurous hike over the mountains and along the cliffs. Please let the local tourist office inform you regarding safety precautions before you start your hike!
Benitachell is a charming town in a beautiful environment, an ideal place to rest and relax. And in case you would like to take a little excursion, the environment provides many interesting and charming white-chalked little towns to explore. If, perhaps, you would like more activities, you can use a car to quickly get to one of the busier tourist towns like Moraira or Jávea
Benitachell is also not far from Benidorm, a place with many entertainment parks like Terra Mítica , the first theme park of Spain on the Costa Blanca . This theme park is divided into 5 areas: the five lost civilizations of the antiquity. The attractions take you back to the myths and legends of these antique cultures.
Aqualandia is a big water park where all ages can spend an unforgettable day in the many pools with diving boards, rapids, waterfalls and slides.
For the enjoyment of beautiful exotic sea-animals and other different shows and attractions one could visit the Safari Park at Vergel or the animal park Mundomar.
Cuisine of Benitachell
At the Costa Blanca the typical Spanish cuisine is in ample supply. The most representative dish of the different areas of the Costa Blanca is undoubtedly the Paella, a rice dish that can be prepared in many different ways.
In the mountains the typical Cooking rice is used as one of the ingredients. Together with pork, sausages, pumpkins, turnips, beets, garbanzos and other beans.
At the seaside especially numerous fish and shellfish are found on the menu. Near the sea, restaurants will almost always have fish, shellfish, and other seafood on the menu. The countless (fish) restaurants in the harbours offer you the most delicious local specialties: dorade, Lubina a la Sal (in a salt crust) or grilled with a bit of olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.
The cuisine of the Costa Blanca also offers wonderful desserts, like nougat and ice-cream from the Xixona region, grapes, raisins, dates, almond pie, pastry soaked in sugary syrup accompanied by coffee-liqueur from Alcoy and spicy-liqueur from the Sierra Mariola. The finest red and rosé wines come from the areas Alto Vinalopó and the Marina Alta.
Sports and recreation in Benitachell
As mentioned earlier, the environment of Benitachell provides many beautiful and varied walking routes through splendid natural vistas and mountains as well as adventurous opportunities to climb steep cliffs.
The rugged coast is ideal for those who love diving. Beautiful caves and underwater landscapes are waiting to be explored.
Another option in the area of Benitachell is to play golf. Benitachell is located almost next door to the Club de Golf of Jávea. The region of Alicante and Valencia offers many other golf courses, all built in the backdrop of the gorgeous Mediterranean landscape of the Costa Blanca.
Practical tips for Benitachell
In case you are in Benitachell in May: do not miss the unique festival of roses to honour the Virgin of the Rosary. During these festivities, on the first Sunday of May, the Virgin is honoured with religious rituals like masses and processions. A special highpoint is the procession through the town to hand out the “holy bread” to all the people.
Locations of Holiday rental houses, holiday rental villas and holiday rental apartments
You can find the holiday accommodations in the following areas:
- The living area of Abiar and Benicambra are situated in a quiet rural setting among the vineyards of Benitachell.
- Calistros is a quiet living area in Benitachell close to the golf course of Jávea. It has a beautiful view of the hilly landscape over the valley and mountain of Montgó, and over the old town centre of Benitachell.
- Cumbre del Sol, meaning “Plateau of the sun”, is a new urbanization on the mountain Cumbre. When the weather is exceptionally clear you can see the island of Ibiza from some places in the Cumbre del Sol.
Most accomodations have a private pool.
