Villajoyosa has been described by many as Spain’s “prettiest” beach town, with its colourful buildings, interesting archaeological sites and beautiful beaches, providing a dreamy and carefree holiday.
Villajoyosa, located south of Valencia and north of Murcia, literally translates as “joyful town”.
According to European Best Destinations, Villajoyosa was named the “Best Hidden Gem in Europe 2024”, based on its hidden corners, spots far from the crowds, beautiful villages lost in time and places where some of Europe’s best natural beauty is just a short walk away.
“This town in Alicante is exactly what we would like it to be,” the Spanish edition of Condé Nast Traveler said in 2018.
The beaches of Villajoyosa, with over a mile-and-a-half of golden coastline, all have Blue Flag awards, a testament to their beauty. Platja Villajoyosa lies just in front of the iconic rainbow houses and takes ninth place in the rankings of all of the 101 Alicante beaches.
Meanwhile, the organised Playa Centro is home to beach restaurants and giant inflatables and is framed by palm trees.
The story goes that the Old Town’s houses got their iconic colourful facade so that their fisherman owners could be guided home in the dark. Meanwhile, the best view of the city’s hanging houses, or casas colgadas, is from the road bridge across the River Amadorio. The Old Town walls were built in the 16th century to protect the city from pirates.
Elsewhere in the Old Town, narrow winding streets occasionally open into small squares. Carrer Santa Marta is particularly renowned for its eye-catching street art.
A defensive caste once stood in the area, at Carrer Vallet (meaning moat). Today, a mock-up model depicts it. Some residents have even taken large stones from the ruins and placed them in their gardens for decoration.
Several archaeological remains indicate that a settlement has been present in the area since the Bronze Age (1800 BC). At Carre Canalejas, a short detour from Villajoyosa, one can witness the ongoing dig, which so far has uncovered old Roman baths, a sauna and steam room, as well as a large number of Roman villa remains.
A more economically prosperous city flourished when the Roman Empire claimed Hispania, though pirates were a constant threat to the stretch of coastline. It eventually fell to ruin, but a better-fortified town was built around 1500.
The city’s museum provides a great explanation of the town’s history and houses a great wealth of artefacts from the Phoenician and Roman eras. Of particular note is Bou Ferrer, a Roman shipwreck off the coast, as well as storage jars which supposedly contain fish sauce.
Villajoyosa is conveniently located just a 30-minute drive from Alicante airport and there are regular tram services that transverse the coast. In terms of accommodation, there are plenty of great value hotels, including Hotel Allon Mediterrania, which has breakfast included, onsite parking for hire cars and several hotel rooms available.
There are plenty of great restaurants, many of which serve freshly caught fish which are sold at the fish auction at 4pm every weekend from Villajoyosa’s port. They serve their fish and seafood, and locally cured meats, in delicious rice dishes. For those with a sweet tooth, there are also three chocolate factories to explore, including Chocolates Valor which offers free tours ending with a hot chocolate and a couple of samples.
On Tripadvisor, one visitor was blown away by Villajoyosa’s colourful beachfront, saying: “It is a very beautiful first line of coast, I did not expect it. I had heard about Villajoyosa for its chocolate and beach tourism, but discovering its colourful houses has made me like it even more.”
Meanwhile, Playa El Torres was described by one visitor as a “quiet beautiful beach surrounded by colourful houses,” adding that it was also great “to get lost in the narrow streets”.
Another said: “It’s a very beautiful stone beach secluded by [eucalyptus] trees… It’s charming and romantic. It’s got lots of shade to sit in, crystal blue water. What’s not to love!!”
