Moraira
Moraira Tourist Information
Moraira is a small coastal town part of Teulada, in the La Marina Alta district lying 80km north of the city of Alicante and 100km south of Valencia. Moraira remains one of the most unspoilt resorts on the Costa Blanca, with 8km of beautiful coastline backed by mountains, and a large vineyard covering 7km square.
Moraira is situated about 30 kilometres north of Benidorm and can be reached from the AP-7 motorway and from the N-332 coast road, it is about 55 minutes from Alicante airport (using the motorway).
The permanent population is only 9,500, although this rises to 30,000 in summer. There is a high proportion of expats living here on a permanent basis, and the area is very popular with retirees. The majority of visitors are a mixture of Germans, English and Russians.
Moraira’s roots as a fishing village have not changed much, and today the fishermen still go out in the early hours each day, bringing back a fresh catch which is sold by auction at the traditional fish market, one of the most popular in the Costa Blanca region. Moraira is also famous for the growing of Muscatel grapes for wine making.
Built in 1985, the Moraira Club Náutico has become one of the main nautical attractions of the Valencian Community. Moraira was one of the first to achieve the Blue Flag distinction for the cleanest shorelines in Europe. As a fishing village, the sea has been very important to Moraira. In 1985, the Marina and Moraira Club Náutico were built and have developed into one of the main nautical attractions of the Valencian Community. Many wealthy European’s moor their yachts here and can often be seen in the clubhouse enjoying a drink after a day on the seas.
Moraira is also seen as a culinary destination. Every year in December 11 restaurants organize together with the municipality a Gourmet week with international chefs, show cooking’s etc. Three restaurants are
listed in Gourmetour (The Spanish Michelin Guide)being: Ca Pepe, Le Dauphin and La Sort. This makes Moraira very appealing to people who are into quality food of the Michelin star agenda as such a small place has three fantastic restaurants
The economy of Moraira is built around tourism. Little remains of the fishing cottages that once made up the little port that serviced the town of Teulada that stands at the head of the valley. To preserve its
natural beauty, the Teulada council passed laws protecting the abundant pine trees and limited the height of buildings. The resulting development blended villas into the scenery creating a hamlet that retained the village atmosphere of its heritage.
Moraira is very popular with northern-Europeans, particularly the British, German and Dutch, all of whom have been warmly welcomed and integrated with the local Spanish community. During winter months the population is around 10,000, but rises to around 30,000 in the summer when many people descend on this fashionable, stylish resort.
Moraira was once a small fishing village and even though the tourism industry has developed here, it has done so sympathetically and in a manner which enhances the village, so much so, that at its essence, Moraira has not changed significantly.
Morairas weekly market is held every Friday beside the beach area
The town itself has pleasantly grown from a small fishing village to an attractive holiday and retirement resort, retaining its considerable charm that attracts visitors from all over Europe. It’s also particularly popular with Spanish holidaymakers from Madrid and Valencia.
Moraira has an impressive marina, an excellent variety of local shops, markets, harbourside fish restaurants and bars and best of all has still managed to preserve its Spanish character.
The two main local sandy beaches, gently shelve away into the Mediterranean Sea; both have been awarded the prestigious EEC Blue Flags for cleanliness and are well-tended and very safe for family bathing.
Tennis, football, squash, all water sports, boat hire and trips, horse-riding, go-kart racing tracks for both adults and children, a small fairground and three good night-clubs for all ages are all available in Moraira.
Three large golf courses can be enjoyed within a few minutes drive from Moraira.
Moraira offers plenty of good quality restaurants, including eight Michelin recommended restaurants in the immediate area, three of which are star rated and not too expensive.
Easily reached by car are some larger towns which are well worth visiting: Javea, Calpe, Denia and Altea are all within 15km, while Benidorm is about 30km away. ?There are many places of interest to see on day excursions, apart from the other coastal resorts there is also the spectacular inland and mountainous environments to discover including the wonderful mountain-top fortress of Guadalest, the Vergal Safari Park near Denia, Europe’s largest palm forest at Elche and the ancient city of Murcia.
Valencia (third largest city in Spain) is one and a half hours away and Barcelona (second largest) and the capital Madrid are both four hours away and can all be reached on the excellent motorway.
Moraira enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, with cool sea breezes in summer and protection by surrounding mountains against the cold North winds in winter. The area averages nearly 3,000 hours of sunshine each year and the average temperature easily exceeds 20 degrees.
In 1986 the World Health Organisation recommended the climate of the area as one of the most equitable in the world – neither too hot in the summer nor too cold in the winter. On average it can boast 325 sunny days each year making it an ideal all year-round destination.
Moraira Facts
Inhabitants 9500
Level above sea 0 meters
Nearest airport Alicante, Valence
Distance to airport 90 km
Distance to beach 0 meters
Max. temperature 40 C
Min. temperature 12 C
