Costa Blanca
| Benissa
Benissa is located on the windy coastal road between Valencia
and Alicante, and has a white church similar to the churches
painted by Constable. The Church called the 'Cathedral of
the Marina Alta' was constructed in the 'twenties by pious
masons from Benissa who used their own physical strength and
monetary contributions to build it. The church was consecrated
during the 'Festival of St Peter the Apostle in 1929' and
measures 56 metres in length and 29 metres in width. It includes
a magnificent altarpiece in honour of the venerable patron
saint of the village, the Blessed Xiquet and a statue attributed
to Juan de Juanes. When visiting the cathedral, the curious
light shining through the roof onto the altar is not to be
missed. Interesting walks can be taken through the village
starting from the Ayuntamiento -the former Hospital for the
Poor - where you can see the magnificent 'huerta' and the
beginning of the track used by the ancient ribereros (the
workers who emigrated from Benissa to harvest rice on the
Valencia coast). On the calle Purísima observe the
iron grilles on the white houses bedecked with flowers - the
town is reminiscent of Montilla and Albaicín in Granada.
The streets of the town are mainly narrow and deserted, enabling
a peaceful walk through the most interesting places in the
town such as the Casa de la Cultura and the Lonja de Contratación
(exchange building)- Benissa's oldest building and the Museum
of Ethnography. The medieval centre of Benissa is situated
around the ancient prison, which today serves as a Casal de
la Joventut (Youth Centre). The municipal district has not
been re-developed on a large scale and its 4 km coastline
still offers small quiet beaches. These include Fustera -a
fine sandy beach with a range of services -, the Cala Pinets
and L' Advocat, which combines rocks and sand. Finally, the
Cala Baladrar is a shingled beach. Marine excursions and water
sports such as diving and fishing can all be enjoyed on these
beaches.
Location:
Near Calpe and 6 km from the coast. It is easily accessible
by train and road as the N-332 passes through it and there
is an exit off the A-7 in Benissa. It is located 71 km from
Alicante and 25 km from Benidorm.
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