Costa Blanca Holidays: Resorts, Airports and Package Deals

Families tend to head for Benidorm, and the facts explain why: the Terra Mítica theme park, the Aqualandia waterpark and the Mundomar marine animal park are all on its doorstep, alongside the sandy sweeps of Platja de Llevant and Platja de Ponent. For costa blanca family holidays it is the obvious starting point, and it is by far the most searched resort on this coast.

Couples who want something gentler often look at Altea, Calpe or Moraira. Calpe has the Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park rising straight from the seafront and the beach at platja de la Fustera, while Moraira, with fewer than 2,000 residents, is the quietest base in this list. Those who like a city alongside the beach will find Alicante rewarding, with Santa Bárbara Castle, the Archaeological Museum, the Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari and the Basilica of Saint Mary all in town.

The holiday resorts of the Costa Blanca fall roughly into three groups. In the south, Torrevieja and Santa Pola are closest to the airports; Santa Pola adds a castle-fortress to its seafront. In the middle, Alicante, El Campello, Villajoyosa and Benidorm offer the most choice, Benidorm being the big-name resort with the theme parks and Alicante the cultural capital.

North of Benidorm the coast becomes greener and more rugged. Altea and Calpe are smaller towns with plenty to explore, and Dénia has its own castle, the El Montgó Natural Park on its edge and a ferry port. Holidays to Moraira on the Costa Blanca appeal to those after a slower pace: it sits beside Teulada and Benitachell, and the whole stretch suits people happy to trade nightlife for coves and cliff walks.

The best months run from May to November. June and September both reach around 26°C, July and August climb to 30 to 31°C, and October still manages about 25°C. May is pleasant at 22°C but is one of the wetter months, with around seven rainy days, and September can bring a few showers too.

Winter is mild rather than hot: highs of 16 to 17°C from December to February, with only two or three rainy days a month, which makes it a fair choice for walking and sightseeing. Expect package prices to rise during the UK school holidays, especially in July and August, so families who must travel then usually do best booking early and comparing several providers.

Two airports serve this coast with direct flights from the UK. Alicante is the main one: it is nine minutes by road from both Alicante and Santa Pola, 19 minutes from El Campello and 31 minutes from Torrevieja. Murcia is the alternative for the south, 38 minutes from Torrevieja and just under an hour from Santa Pola.

With a package, the transfer from the airport to your hotel is included, so you simply follow the signs to your rep or coach on arrival. If you prefer independence for exploring the Penyal d'Ifac or El Montgó, car hire can be compared on this page as well.

Package holidays to the Costa Blanca bundle your flight, hotel and transfers into one booking, and when sold as a package they are ATOL-protected, so you are covered if something goes wrong with the company. You choose your board basis, from room only or bed and breakfast up to half board or all inclusive, which is popular with families in Benidorm.

On this page you can compare live deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach side by side, check hotel prices, browse tours and tickets for places such as Terra Mítica or Mundomar, and compare car hire. If a holiday letting suits your group better than a hotel, it is worth weighing that against a package, bearing in mind that only the package carries ATOL protection.