Javea - my happy place! a hop across the water from Ibiza, Spain...

Hope you all had an amazing half term!

We were meant to be in Javea, for those of you who check in on me you will know that Georgia’s passport was out of date by 2 days so we couldn’t travel. So rather than be defeated i headed North to the beautiful rolling hills of Yorkshire where i was born and have had the time to write that blog i promised the last time i went to Javea. 

I didnt quite anticipate how many people would be interested in my Javea (also spelt Xabia) tips and so to save time i decided that instead of emailing everyone i thought it was just easier to do a blog post! 

Javea is my happy place. I have been coming here since i was a teenager, we are fortunate enough to have a home there as do my in laws and parents, so its the one place we can all be together whilst not being on top of each other. You can hire a villa, stay in the local hotel or use Air B n B. You can go for a health retreat (Javea was voted the worlds most healthiest resort), there is a great partying aspect to Javea as well and there is often a cinema showing on the beach. I have an amazing fitness instructor that comes to me regularly, often we will work out on the beach early mornings - if anyone wants her details please get in touch with me. 

Javea is where i am happiest, its the one place on earth that i would move to apart from London. Hard to believe, when most of you know my love of Art and fashion, i actually love nothing more than being barefoot on a beach or amongst nature with my family.  

Javea is on the East coast of Spain, a hop across the water to Ibiza and an about an hours drive from Valencia or Alicante airport. As someone once said to if its commutable it ain’t beautiful. Its so worth the journey. To sum it up it has a bit of everything for every age group and interest. We have been going for years and experienced it in many different ways. People often ask me is it child friendly?  We have been going with the children since they were born… and in my opinion every where we went the locals could not have been more friendly. Its super normal to see children out late at night mainly because everyone seems to love a siesta between 1 and 3 pm. We don’t have child care with us in Spain and we are pretty chilled so we always go out for dinner as a family. Its an easy holiday and and despite having gone for years every time we go we are all so excited. 

One of the things i love about Javea is that you can pick and choose according to how you feel, you can go to a Michelin star resturant if you want but equally you can go to a tapas bar on the side of the road and have the most delicious local food. 

Our favourite times of the year are April Easter, June, July and October. Note, August is extremely hot and very busy on the Arenal. Easter is gorgeous is September and October if you want to avoid the crowds, it is cooler but i still love it as its definitely hotter than the UK!! My mother and father go a lot more as they are now retired, i know as well as mine and the girls its their happy place too and the health care is phenomenal with a large hospital only a few miles away. 

Every time i leave Javea i always feel a little bit sad, i am never quite ready to come home even although i truly love London! But I really do believe Xabia has magical healing powers.. really do feel rejuvenated, sun kissed and healthy.

WHEN TO GO?

I leave it entirely up to you. My parents love it all year around  and to us its amazing on and off season for lots of reasons. The only time i try to avoid is August just because even with air conditioning its so so hot! I love Easter, June, July and October and these times its not crowded. 

WHERE TO STAY 

I would recommend staying in a villa because they are SO beautiful and can often come with a cook and so on. It never made any financial sense to us to book a hotel because we would always need 2 adjoining rooms. If your booking a villa try ……the port (you can walk to the beach from here), below Montgo or the El Tosalet areas are all areas with beautiful views. Where we are we have sea views and its quiet although in Summer we get a bit noise from the road behind us, but its never really bothered us. 

There are not many hotels in Javea, mainly because the government has put a limit on them. The Parador and Hotel El Rodat are both good ones although as i said i prefer to be in the villa. We let our villa out when we are not using it, you can find details through Air B n B…

Its definitely more convenient to have a car, you will need it to drive to the different beaches and beach clubs resorts, there is a Marriot golf course on the Jesus Pobre road. We have used the same person to hire cars from for years, he will meet you at the airport and you can drop the car back either at Alicante or Valencia so it couldn’t be easier. Reach out if you would like his details. 

There is a taxi rank, but note the taxis are expensive. 

WHICH BEACHES 

I adore Granadella, i definitely recommend to go on a morning as that beach doesny catch the sun on an afternoon. I often will book paella the day before (it is available on the day but you need to wait a little while). You  can access the beach from the road.  If you are arriving by boat, you can also just simply drop anchor and swim in. 

La Barraca (we call it slippy rock, i have no idea why, ha ha?) and we love it. We often will kayaking, there is an absolutely great resturant which you don’t need to book to get in. We often will go to this resturant at night as the food and views are just wow….

Javea arenal is where lots of families go as there are slides and mini playgrounds to keep children of all ages busy and of course its close to lots of resturant and shops.

Javea port beach, every Summer they erect a huge floating playground.

RESTURANTS

The girls favourite is CHABADA and their sister resturant LA SiESTA beach bar club (there is great beach shop attached to both stocked with gorgeous beach dresses and hippy style jewellery and accessories.  

There virgin Mojitos are a must according to my girls.

NORAY there sea food is amazing Eat upstairs by the windows, breathtaking views overlooking Javea port. Food is faultless. 

The market in the Old Town houses one of my favourite all time tapas bars.

Cala Bandida Ibizan stye twinkly lights with incredible sea views (the paella is amazing and they do lots of versions, none of us can bring ourselves to eat rabbit which of course is in the traditional paella. 

CAFE WIEN breakfast 

THE PASTA resturant (they do gluten free options)

PEPPES been around for years and just the ultimate italian family resturant. 

These are Michelin Star resturants and they are all exceptional, but i am jet as happy to g to the ones i mentioned above.

TOSCA Michelin Carrera de Benitachell 100, 03730 Javea 

TULA Avenida de la Liberat 36

NESFOR Cabo la Nao (Michelin resturant and good for kids)

…saying all of this I truly have never had a bad meal in Javea

WHERE TO SHOP

The Port area is my favourite place to shop. 

LC Tartaruga is probably the most exquisite jewellery shop i have ever come across, each piece handmade by the loveliest Señorita Lupe. If you get chance pop into the church opposite, its dedicated to the fishermen of the town and is built in the shape of a fishing net… its a really fantastic piece of modern architecture. 

For interiors for the life of me i cannot remember the name but it is situated just down the steps from Lupe’s and my favourite dress shop is next door. 

We often will pop across to Denia  over the elephant mountain Montgo (yes it really does look like an elephant apparently from Hannibal times) and explore the shops. 

And La Marina houses all high street shops such a Zara and Lefties (the Spanish version of Mango).

I have used the same hairdresser for years and he always cuts the girls hair at the end of every Summer before heading back to school.  Reach out if you want his number. 

I always go to El Rodat or Botanico Beauty for any spa treatments. 

OTHER THINGS TO DO 

The market is on a Thursday in the square “Plaza de la Constitution”. I love to take my baked and buy fresh produce and often will pick up bits for the house.

I adore the flea market in the Jalon valley about a 20 minute drive from Javea. Its every Saturday morning and i have picked up so many gorgeous bits for the house from handmade shell lights to rocking chairs!!

My older girls have done the sailing course in the port and Georgia has asked to do it as well. 

We often will hire a boat for the day from Mundo Mars, there are lots of places but these are just the ones we like. 

Surf school located on the Javea beach. 

You can go on amazing hikes, Montgo Cab de Nao and you can go with a guide. The Xabia de tourisme is in the port on the main road. 

Art museum (as  you will probably know i am art obsessed ) my favourite art gallery is in the port on the Arenal housing lots of local talent. 

If anyone has any other questions then feel free to get in touch with me by email but hopefully i have covered most friends. But have probably forgotten something as i am always juggling something ha ha.

If i haven’t said enough to persuade you to visit then all i can say is GO! and experience its magical healing powers i sea really do exist.. :)