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  2. Area Info
  3. Benissa

 

 

Benissa is an upmarket coastal resort situated on the Northern Costa Blanca in Spain and is neatly sandwiched between Moraira to the north, an upmarket tourist resort and the ever popular sea side resort to the south of Calpe with it’s Penon de Ifach, the Calpe Rock, being the dominant landmark.


Benissa is located just off the motorway and the N332 with a ninety minute drive from Valencia and Alicante Airports. Benissa is one of the oldest towns on the Costa Blanca.

Benissa enjoys many beaches:-

The Bay of Les Bassetes has a magnificent view of the Peñón de Ifach.


La Fustera is a beach of fine natural sand - from 15th June to 15th September there is a Red Cross Life Guard Post.

Els Pinets Cove - This is a small rock and sand cove from which you can take a short walk to the"Mar Morta"i"Roques Negres"(Dead Sea & Black Rocks).

La Llobella Cove is the most natural, tranquil and unspoilt of all Benissa's coves. It is a pebble beach suitable for the practice of sub-aquatic sports.

L'Advocat Beach with a jetty and small esplanade where you can take a peaceful stroll. There is a small protected sandy beach ideal for children and in the summer season there is a beach bar.

El Baladrar Cove has a beach bar offering live music

Benissa is steeped in history. If you want to enjoy one of the region's best conserved Medieval town centres take a stroll through the Old Town of Benissa that dates back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and relive the epoch of Valencia's Classic book and author, Tirant lo Blanc and Ausias March

The Town Hall is located in the Plaza del Portal square. The ancient building started life as the town's hospital constructed in 1790 for the care of the sick, and the poor and needy. In 1981 the building reopened its doors as Town Hall after having undergone a complete restoration.

Plaza del Portal(Gateway square). This square can be found opposite the Town Hall. Its name refers to one of the old gates to the ancient walled town of Benissa that was placed there. Up until the ‘70s remains of the old wall were still visible as was the main gate to the town. At one end of the square you will find the Fundación Abargues building. On the death of its owner -the nun Luisa Vives Abargues(born in 1899 joining the Congregation of the Sisters of Loreto at an early age)- in 1937 this estate was left to charity, to a foundation dedicated to the Christian education of the local children.


House museum Abargues

This is a 18th-19th century stately home. Over the front door is an exact replica of the family coat of arms in which we see the two "abarcas" (traditional espadrille sandals) that give this family its name. Inside the house the visitor will find decoration and furniture typical of the noble households of the time: coats of arms, grand stair-cases, private dining rooms, the old kitchen, stables, rooms for storing agricultural products, the family chapel, and the servants' quarters.

Franciscan Monastery

In 1611 a group of Franciscan monks settled in Benissa where they founded the Convento de la Inmaculada Concepción (Convent of the Immaculate Conception), monastery that opened on the 23rd September 1613.

The construction of this building meant the extension of the town towards the west and at the same time configured a new bastion giving protection against the pirate attacks that were rife at the time.


Franciscan Seminary

In 1915 the new Seraphic School (Minor Seminary) was built at the back of the Monastery and joined to the main building by means of a tunnel. Today the Seminary houses various civic facilities and services such as CREAMA, the Local Enterprises Agency or the Municipal School of Music and Dance. In this seminary boys used to be educated to become Franciscan monks.


Ecological path for the coast

Enjoy the breeze and warmth of the Benissa coast as you walk along this eco-footpath

Benissa has a 4km long rocky coastline with cliffs and small coves surrounded by pine trees. An eco-trail runs along the coastline and can be enjoyed throughout the year thanks to the mild climate.

The Paseo Ecológico (Eco-Trail) is the best trip along the coast of Benissa. The starting point is the "Tourist Info Benissa Playa - Aula de la Mar" (Tourist Office-Sea Rooms) services that operate in the "Casa dels Cent Vents" (House of the Hundred Winds). The trail consists of two routes: south and north, and runs all along the coast with information panels describing local customs and history, the varied flora and geographical aspects of the coastline, and offers an easy and attractive walk.