Javea

The area was first inhabited in prehistoric times, 30,000 years ago by cave dwellers on Montgó. Subsequent residents have included Stone and Bronze-age peoples, Romans, Greeks, Phoenicians, Visigoths, Germanic, Carthaginians, and Moors.Roman fishing boats used the port, and there is evidence that dates the Roman occupation of Xàbia to the 2nd century BC, it makes Xàbia the oldest known Roman site on the coast with a commercial port for fish and minerals.

In the 6th century AD, Christian Visigoth monks came to Xàbia and founded the monastery of Sant Martí, which likely gave its name to the cape in the area named Cap San Martí. Hermenegild, son of the Visigoth king Leovigild of Toledo, sought refuge in the Monastery after angering his father by marrying a Christian girl. When his father's troops arrived to arrest him all but one monk fled to Portichol; Hermenegild and the old monk were killed. Several people with Visigoth names still live in the area.

From July 7 to July 14 the bulls to be used in the daily bullfights are run through the streets of the town to the bullring. Both locals and tourists participate in the event, made famous in Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises. The bullfight, or corrida, is held every afternoon. In addition to the secular events, the Procession of Saint Fermín, a religious celebration, takes place the morning of July 7.

There is little left of the Moors and their culture, other than some inscribed gravestones and ceramics. They had controlled the area from about 714 AD until they (the Moriscos) were finally expelled from the Alicante region in 1609. The hermitage of Popol dates to the 14th century.

In the 16th and 17th centuries pirate raids were prevalent, so a wall was built around the town for protection. The wall was later torn down, and today a replica exists in its place in certain sections. The Mediterranean Sea has many different climates to offer and beaches to suit every kind of holiday; from rocky beaches near mountain ranges to picture-perfect stretches of golden sand. From secluded and serene beaches to lively seaside towns offering an adventure, there’s something for everyone along the Mediterranean coast.

The Spanish Mediterranean starts with the rocky beaches on the northern side of the coast, near to the French border, and stretches down to the calm waters of Tarifa in the province of Cádiz; the southern tip of Europe.

The best way to visit multiple seaside destinations is to take a road trip. The train network along the coast is not very well connected and is not ideally suited to touring holidays. This is especially true in the south, where the stations are often quite far from the coast. The best way to see the changing landscapes of the Spanish coastline is to drive along it!