What to see and do in Villajoyosa (Alicante): between beaches and hanging houses

Until a few years ago, for many Villajoyosa It was little more than a day trip from Benidorm o Alicante.

But now its attractions are well known and it is already a destination in itself to which much more time is dedicated.

Their beaches, so different from each other, from the large sandy area which is located next to the urban area, small coves Truly isolated, they allow you to enjoy the sea and water sports.

On the other hand, his famous colored houses that adorn the front next to the beach and other places, make Villajoyosa in a happy and bright destination to which you always want to return.

It must be remembered that the name of Villajoyosa, which in Valencian is The Vila Joiosa, means nothing other than “the happy city”. And we can think that it is a very accurate place name.

Villajoyosa, Spanish capital of chocolate

Furthermore, the name suits this city very well since it is a kind of Spanish capital of chocolate, with several companies dedicated to manufacturing this delicacy that almost all of us like.

There are also artisanal nougat factories, and we can say that on several occasions, walking through its streets, we felt a sweet aroma that generated a very pleasant atmosphere.

Here is the Valencian Chocolate Museum that receives an incessant flow of visitors, which is located in the Valor chocolate factory, but two more companies also have their small museums.

What to see and do when visiting Villajoyosa in Alicante

Besides a urban area that is worth exploring, we must highlight among its attractions its 15 kilometer coastline.

Some important stretches of this coast are unbuilt and leave numerous natural enclaves that can be explored on foot or by bicycle.

In its cultural offering, the Vilamuseu, City Museum, which shows wonders from the city's past and is also considered the most accessible museum in Europe.

Villajoyosa It is a city of about 35.000 inhabitants with good restaurant and hotel services, both in the urban area and in other neighborhoods scattered throughout the municipality, so it is easy to consider a stay of several days and dedicate yourself to living. The Vila calmly enjoying its attractions.

But in case we can only dedicate a couple of days, we will have to take into account a series of places that should not be missed.

Colorful houses in the old town of Villajoyosa

The best known of The Vila is the old town.

It is famous for its colorful and cheerful facades, but we must not forget that it is a very well preserved set of popular architecture, perhaps the best of all Valencian Community.

Being originally a Fisher's town, there is no architecture of ashlar mansions, but plastered masonry buildings, which has allowed the existence of colored facades.

It can be said that it is one of the best traditional polychrome sets from all over the Mediterranean.

On the Peninsula, probably only the city of Girona.

Hanging Houses in Villajoyosa

The largest set of painted houses We find it on the edge of the sea, but there are also several in the part that overlooks the riverbed. amadorio river.

The latter are known as the Hanging houses.

Within this set of popular architecture, we find two unique monuments: the church-fortress of Our Lady of the Assumption and walls.

Walls of Villajoyosa

Both tell us about a time of turbulence and fear of pirate attacks.

It can be said that the walls of Villajoyosa are a unique example of pre-bastioned Renaissance defensive urban architecture.

There are very few similar examples since they mark the end of the medieval defensive system before star-shaped fortresses with triangular bastions became widespread.

It is integrated into the wall the church, Catalan Gothic style, and, in fact, the apse constitutes the most prominent tower of the wall.

Chalet Centella in Villajoyosa

Another unique building is the Chalet Centella, built almost 100 years ago.

It is one of those buildings typical of the late 20s that mixed different styles and thus has classical and modern influences with details that can be of Greek, neo-baroque or modernist origin.

Currently it houses the tourist office.

Vilamuseu, City Museum in Villajoyosa

A few meters away you will find Vilamuseu, City Museum.

It is a first-rate cultural space, with truly beautiful pieces and probably more important than what we might expect from a small-town museum.

Here the 2700 years of history of The Vila Joiosa.

There are really curious objects, such as an Egyptian canteen or a gold necklace that shows influences from the East.

All these pieces reflect the importance that its port must have had more than two millennia ago.

Interpretation Center of the Bou Ferrer wreck in Villajoyosa

It should be noted that this museum is the Bou Ferrer Wreck Interpretation Center, a unique treasure in the Mediterranean.

This flotsam is a roman ship of 30 meters that sank one kilometer from the coast when traveling to Rome with thousands of amphorae full of garum and with several lead ingots owned by the Emperor Nero.

Valencian Chocolate Museum in Villajoyosa

When talking about museums we must not forget the already mentioned Valencian Chocolate Museum next to factory of value, where a review is made of both the cultural history of cocoa and the chocolate industry.

It is worth mentioning again that other chocolate factories as Clavileño y Pérez They also have their respective museums and receive the visitors they want visit their facilities and taste their products.

Promenade and Beach Center in Villajoyosa

However The Vila It is above all sea, and the Promenade It is a place to pass by a thousand times.

La Downtown Beach It is a wonderful sandy area of ​​more than 1.300 meters, perfect for bathing and relaxing for families.

At one end during the summer a accessible beach service so that everyone can enjoy the sun, sea and sand.

This area is close to the sports and fishing ports, which are always animated by the entry of sailboats and fishing boats.

Best beaches of Villajoyosa in Alicante

There are many beaches on the coast of the municipal area of The Vila.

It is not a question of visiting them all, but there are some that are very worth it.

One of them is the El Torres beach, which is located a couple of kilometers from the town center in the direction of Benidorm.

Roman tower in Villajoyosa

It stands out for its large eucalyptus trees, which offer good shade, and above all for the extraordinary Roman monument known as Sant Josep Tower o Tower of Hercules.

It is nothing less than the most important Roman funerary monument in the entire Peninsula.

From this beach there is a path that runs along a stretch of intact coastline.

Aguiló Tower in Villajoyosa

If we follow it, destiny is Aguiló Tower, one of the towers built to defend coastal towns from pirate attacks in the 16th century. From there the views of Benidorm are spectacular.

On this walk you pass next to cliffs and the views of the sea are fabulous.

The path goes to a certain height but a detour allows you to go down to the Racó de Conill, a hidden cove.

On the other side of the coast, between The Vila and Alicante, there are many other beaches and places of interest.

One of the first we found is the Puntas del Moro beach, in a natural setting despite being a very short distance from the urban area.

In this area is the Iberian archaeological site of Malladeta.

Further away are other beaches that tend to be relatively quiet, such as l'Espalleró y La Caleta.

From the latter there is a path that allows you to reach the El Xarco beach, place where there is another defense tower against the privateers and the whole thing is really delicious.

Map: how to get to Villajoyosa in Alicante

Villajoyosa is located half an hour by car north of Alicante, and a quarter of an hour from Benidorm.