The sunny and vibrant destination named Europe’s ‘best hidden gem’ with its charming villages, golden beaches and chocolate museum

It’s the beautiful coastal village that has been named Europe’s ‘best hidden gem’ in 2024 for its colourful facades, golden beaches and rich history that includes centuries of chocolate production.

Villajoyosa – meaning the joyful town – is located on the Costa Blanca in Spain, right on the Mediterranean Sea.

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It combines the uniquely beautiful old town for quiet coastal stays with magnificent beaches.

Its iconic colorful houses with facades painted in primary tones offer a particular change from the white coast houses seen through Spain.

It is located in the heart of the Costa Blanca near Alicante, making the city easily accessible – it only takes 30 minutes from Alicante airport to get there.

Despite its privileged location and unique offerings, it is the ideal place to enjoy the sun even during the summer months, as it is much less crowded than other hotspots in the area.

The town has around 30,000 inhabitants and is located between the iconic seaside resort of Benidorm and Alicante.

According to local legend, the brightly colored facades that give the town its unique appeal were painted to help fishermen find their way home at night.

The traditional fishing village is full of old world charm and character – with a promenade that stretches with lush palm trees, Restaurants and cafes.

This beautiful city has more than a dozen beaches and coves to choose from, including Playa Centro, the longest beach, Playa del Torres and Playa de la Caleta, two of the most popular beaches.

In addition to Paradis – a beach with many open-air bars and Bol Nou, a breathtaking beach surrounded by cliffs.

There are many water activities in the area.

Puntes del Moro and El Xarco beaches are popular with snorkelers.

Raco de Conill and L’Esparrello are two of the naturist beaches in the area.

Villajoyasa has all the delicious cuisine that Spain has to offer – with superb rice dishes, fresh fish and seafood caught in the harbour and local charcuterie.

The unique attraction of the village is its long history of chocolate making – which dates back to the 17th century.

There are three factories still in operation today and the Calor Chocolate Museum is a popular place for tourists wanting to learn more about the rich history of chocolate making in the region.

There is also an agricultural museum La Barbera des Aragones which exhibits everyday objects used from the 17th to the 20th century by prominent local Aragonese. family.

The old quarter is also a popular place for tourists with its Gothic church Iglesia de la Asuncion and other historical heritage sites such as El Portal, Plaza de la Iglesia and Capilla de Santa Claus The Marta’s are worth the detour.

The fishing port is a popular spot where passers-by can watch boats come into the dock at midday and begin preparing their catch for auction – with a yacht club in the marina.

There are plenty of accommodation options in the area – and hotel prices start at €120 a night for the Castelar Palace & SPA by Seaward Suites, a four-star hotel just 200 metres from the beach.

Visitors can go there from July 24 to 31 to attend the Moros y Cristianos festival. festival.

The festival has been held for 250 years and includes reenactments of pirate landings, parades, food competitions, fireworks and open-air concerts.

To get there from Ireland it takes just 3 hours and 20 minutes – flights from Dublin Airport to Alicante take two hours and 50 minutes and the journey from Alicante Airport to the city takes 30 minutes.

Flights from Dublin to Alicante start from just €22 with Ryanair.

This stunning location has been named Europe’s best hidden gem by the European Best Destination Awards 2024,

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