The city of Moraira, in the north of the Costa Blanca, is undoubtedly one of the most unspoiled tourist centers on the entire Costa Blanca coastline. A small town located in the Marina Alta district of the Alicante province (about 80 km north of Alicante), Moraira was until 40 years ago, just a small group of fishermen’s houses located near the sea, under the administration of the neighboring town of Teulada, has since become a more exclusive holiday spot, while retaining much of its peaceful aura. Its permanent population of about 9,500 (of whom a large percentage are expats), rises to around 30,000 during the busy summer season.
Situated in a sheltered bay and backed by a beautiful mountainous landscape, Moraira has not been affected by the huge apartment blocks that have blighted some of its neighboring complexes, and a large part of its buildings are quaint villas set amongst orange groves and pine forests.
Like many other towns and villages along this part of the coast, Moraira has survived efficiently thanks to the fishing industry, and even today, fishing is very important to the town, its bustling fish market is a one of the most popular in the area. The region around Moraira and Teulada is also famous for the cultivation of Muscat grapes, most of which are used to make the fine, award-winning wines that the area produces.
Moraira is some distance from the busy coastal road (N332) and therefore does not have to put up with the massive influx of tourists that many of the nearby resorts have to put up with.
Although Moraira’s known history begins primarily with the Moors during the Moorish occupation, it is believed that there were settlers in the area around Moraira as early as the Bronze Age; Cave paintings from this period have been found in neighboring Teulada. Some evidence has been discovered in a cave (Cova de la Cendra) at Cap D’Or (Cape Dorado) that suggests there were even earlier settlements here in the Upper Palaeolithic Era (15,000-20,000 BC).
The town of Moraira itself was founded by the Moors and although they were defeated and expelled by Jaime I during the 13th century, they have left their mark on the architecture, irrigation methods and farming systems of the town. There is an ancient fable that suggests that the name Moraira is derived from ‘Ira la Mora’, the name of a pagan princess, although of course there is no evidence to support this, a much more likely explanation is that it is derived from Arabic. . for ‘moorish princess’.
Severely damaged by British forces in 1801, the now restored Moraira Castle (Torreon), was originally built in 1742 by the ruling Bourbon family of the time, their coat of arms still appears above the door. Although it is known as a castle, it was originally built as a defensive tower to protect itself from pirate attacks, now it looks out over one of the most popular beaches: Playa de la Ampolla.
The small port is home to the popular fish market (Lonja) which is held every day (Tuesday to Sunday), the magnificent marina which opened in 1985 is home to the Moraira Yacht Club.
Moraira’s 2 main beaches have ‘blue flag’ status and were in fact among the first to achieve this distinction of being the cleanest in Europe. The beaches are well maintained, clean and safe for families and there is a good range of water sports facilities available including jet skiing, diving, sailing and water skiing. A market is held every week on Fridays near the beach, and here you can stock up on locally grown fresh produce, clothing, gifts and leather goods.
Golfers can enjoy a round or two at the nearby Ifach Golf Club, while enjoying stunning views of the surrounding coastline, including the magnificent Peñón de Ifach in nearby Calpe.
Moraira also claims to be home to one of the best restaurants in Spain: the award-winning ‘Girasol’ is reputed to be the best restaurant on the Costa Blanca.
Along with most Spanish towns, Moraira has its fair share of fiestas and festivals, the most important being the Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians) which are celebrated between June 14 and 20, the Virgen del Carmen (15 -July 16) and the Fisherman’s Festival. which is also celebrated in July.
Moraira enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and mild winters, and along with the entire region, enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year. The town benefits from refreshing sea breezes during the hot summer months, keeping temperatures at a bearable level and during the winter, the surrounding mountains help protect Moraira from the cold northerly winds, keeping temperatures mild.
Moraira is located between Jávea and Calpe, about 30 km from Benidorm, it can be reached from the N332 coastal road and also from the A-7 motorway (exit 63).
