Villa Hire Costa Blanca: Where to Stay, Resort by Resort

The north is the quieter, greener end. Dénia, a town of around 41,700, has its castle, the El Montgó Natural Park on its doorstep and a ferry port. Jávea lies close by. Moraira is tiny, with fewer than 2,000 residents, and neighbouring Benitachell and Teulada are also small. That is why villa holidays in Moraira, Costa Blanca, are such a familiar idea to British travellers. Calpe (Calp) is defined by the Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park and the platja de la Fustera, while Altea, of a similar size, makes a gentler base.

Benidorm is the big one: around 70,000 residents, two long beaches and Terra Mítica, Aqualandia and Mundomar within easy reach. If you're weighing up family resorts, Costa Blanca's busiest town is the obvious place to start. Villajoyosa and El Campello sit just south. El Campello is 19 minutes from Alicante airport.

Alicante itself is a proper city of nearly 350,000, with Santa Bárbara Castle, the Archaeological Museum, the Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari and the Basilica of Saint Mary. Further south, Santa Pola has its fortress and is 9 minutes from the airport, and Torrevieja is 31 minutes from Alicante or 38 from Murcia.

Let the size of each town guide you. Benidorm and Alicante are large and busy, the natural territory for big resort hotels and city hotels where you can walk to the beach, the theme parks or the old quarter. In Torrevieja, Santa Pola and Villajoyosa, apartments and self-catering holidays on the Costa Blanca, Spain, suit couples and families who want a kitchen and space without being far from town.

The small northern places such as Moraira, Benitachell and Teulada are where villa holidays on the Costa Blanca make most sense. Renting a villa in Moraira gives you a private base among a resident population of under 2,000, and Calpe and Altea work for either a villa or a smaller hotel. Costa Blanca self-catering holidays in this northern stretch usually mean you'll want a car, so compare car hire here alongside your accommodation.

Most British travellers book a package, meaning flight, hotel and transfer together. Alicante is the main airport for the whole coast. It is 9 minutes from the city and Santa Pola, 19 from El Campello and 31 from Torrevieja, and Murcia is a sensible alternative for the south. You can compare package deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach on this page, and choose a board basis from room only through to all inclusive, depending on how much you plan to eat out.

July and August are the hottest months, at 30 to 31°C, and they coincide with UK school holidays, so book early if you're tied to those dates. May, June, September and October still bring highs of 22 to 26°C. If you need a villa with a pool, those months often feel like the sweet spot. Winter highs of 16 to 17°C suit longer, quieter stays. Check live hotel prices here, and add tours and tickets for Terra Mítica or Aqualandia if they are on the list.