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Moraira is located on the northern Costa Blanca coast, about 50 miles north of Alicante and 70 miles south of Valencia, which are the two nearest airports. It is about 10 miles off the A7 motorway, which follows the Mediterranean coast of Spain from the French border via Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante to the south. Moraira is ideally situated between a coast with both sandy beaches and rocky coves, and the mountains of the Marina Alta. The climate is ideal both for holidays and all-the-year-round living. The World Health Organization has identified the northern Costa Blanca as having as near to an ideal climate as possible, being neither overwhelmingly hot in summer nor unpleasantly cold in winter. Average temperatures range from the mid-eighties (26-29C) in the high season to the low sixties (15C) in the middle of winter, and even in winter the average number of rainy days is around only five per month. In recent times this quiet and peaceful fishing port has become a busy yet pleasant resort, which can perhaps best be summarized by what it doesn't have. There are no high-rises, no large hotels, no package tours, and no large and noisy nightclubs. However, there are places that have these things such as Benidorm and Javea, which are only a short drive away. It is simply a small yet busy town with many shops, restaurants and bars, surrounded by whitewashed villas nestling on the tree-covered hillsides. It has a large and multi-national resident population, and therefore remains lively throughout the year. Its popularity can be judged by the very large number of visitors who return year after year. Moraira has four beaches, each very different in character from the others. The beach of El Portet is the northernmost of these, being situated at the end of a sheltered shell-shaped bay, quiet with clear water and a gently sloping seabed, being ideal and safe for swimming. The town beach, or L'Ampolla, is a large sandy beach with a play area and restaurants. Platgetes is quieter and partly sand/partly rock; and L'Andrago is a boulder beach, ideal for snorkelling. Both to the north and south of Moraira there are many secluded bays and coves well worth exploring. Water sports that can be enjoyed include swimming, snorkelling, scuba-diving, jet skiing, windsurfing, and for the less energetic, sunbathing. The three main beaches are all European blue flagged, and zoned and life guarded so that various activities can be enjoyed safely. Other sports include walking, climbing, cycling and horse-riding. Moraira also has a popular marina, which is home or host to a myriad of yachts of all shapes and sizes. Like the rest of Spain, Moraira has many festivals throughout the year. when these take place the whole town takes part, with many activities for all the family. The town retains much of its former character as a fishing village. The narrow streets are lined with shops, bars and restaurants, with seafood being a particular specialty. A wholesale fish auction takes place on the quayside and there are two fishmongers selling freshly-caught fish. |