Moraira is a gem of a town just a short distance south of Javea on the coast of the central Costa Blanca and a 30 minute drive from Benidorm to the south. Formerly a quaint fishing village with stunning views across to El Peñon de Ifach, the rock of Calpe, it now survives from tourism whilst retaining much of the charm which has long attracted visitors and foreign residents.

Moraira is blessed with a wide selection of stylish cafés within its pleasant streets notably 'Deli' on Calle Calatayud which serves up an interesting selection of home cooked dishes including inventive salads, curries from many nations and quiche dishes. For more authentic Spanish fare try the shaded Las Gaviotas in the main square which lies in the shadow of the town's church. The main fish restaurants are located on the front overlooking the small port and fish market (La Lonja) where fish auctions take place every morning at 10am except Sundays.

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Platja de l'Ampolla is Moraira's only beach within comfortable walking distance of the centre lying just 500m from the fish market. Another attractive option is Platja del Portet which is 1.5km north of the centre. This is the most chilled out spot you could ever wish for with golden sand, turquoise waters and a few little café bars overlooking the beach. For more extensive beaches it's only a short drive to Javea and Denia where some of Spain's finest beaches can be found. Beaches immediately south of Moraira are rocky rather than sandy but are excellent for snorkelling.

An interesting excursion from Moraira is to take one of the jet skis from the seafront between the fish market and Moraira castle and go on a tour of the coastline as far as Cabo de la Nao, a headland that offers fabulous views towards Javea. if Jet Ski´s are not your thing then you could head to the Ermita de San Juan at El Portet and take one of the walks along the headland. The helpful tourist information on the outskirts of Moraira will give you a handy map of the area.

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For shopaholics Moraira's weekly market takes place on Fridays and there's another one every Wednesday in nearby Teulada. Teulada is actually the old town of Moraira and is well worth a visit to see Santa Catalina Church and the Divina Pastora Chapel amongst others. You can also sample some of the regions wines at the San Vicente Ferrer wine cellar. The Moscatel Festival in early September is another good time for a tipple!

History: The history of Moraira-Teulada has been traced back almost to the beginning of the history of civilised man. Remains of the first settlers (Upper Palaeolithic 15,000 to 20,000 BC) were discovered in a Cave (Cova de la Cendra) on the Cap d´Or (the headland that protects Moraira and El Portet beaches). At the Cova de Les Rates and El Morro de Castellar are rupestrian paintings depicting life in the bronze age. Much later there were Iberian settlers and ceramic remains have been discovered to support this on the Cap d´Or where the lookout tower would have guarded the Bay of Moraira.

Later still the Moors occupied the area and left their mark on the culture and economy of the area.
The signs of this early society can be noticed the architecture, agriculture, irrigation systems and town planning. Many Moraira-Teulada areas have been handed down from the Moorish era, e.g. Benimarco, Benimeit, Pouet del Morro, Moravit, Tabaira, Alcassar etc.

The Christian conqueror Jaime I expelled the Moors in the 13th century and then people from Catalonia and Aragon settled there, bringing with them the Valencian language.
The Lords of Llúria, Serría and Gandia founded the town of Teulada in 1386 and they were the owners. Later ownership was handed over to the Barons of Ariza and Teulada and in the nineteenth century it was claimed by the Spanish crown.

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