The Costa Blanca is more than just sun, sand and sea. It is also about nature, relaxation and gastronomy. From the authentic stews of ancient mountain style recipes, to the avant-garde unique cuisine of today, the Costa Blanca offers an impressive range of experiences that has placed it on the map of world gastronomy. And it's not just on the beach where you will find great gastronomic wonders; if you delve inland you may just find some hidden pleasures like aromatically flavoured mountain rice or paella, crusty baked bread, gazpacho, traditional broth with meatballs and a variety of stews with local meat and vegetables. All these delights can be found in the Vega Baja, Alicante, La Marina Baixa, or La Marina Alta regions.

Alicante offers unique products with diverse contrasts that bring a Mediterranean and personal character to the dining table. Combinations of salted canned fish with pickles, like tuna or roe. The salted fish delicacy cover different varieties such as sardine and salted cod and use a wide range of processing and conservation dating back to past centuries. But a great gourmet feast is not the same without one of the elaborate desserts from Alicante; Jijona nougat or turron. For centuries this hand-made sweet stands with the symbol of quality and native crafts. Most popular around Christmas, turron is of Arab origin and is a nougat manufactured in the town Jijona. The main ingredient are locally produced almonds and a proportion of pure honey that gives that special feature. Travelling further inland to Alcoy, you will find tasty sweet ear-shaped biscuits, Villa Jiosa brings the delicious marzipan with egg yolk and not to forget the famous tortas from the Elche region.

Wine has been produced in the region since Roman times and is an integral part of most Spanish meals. There are vineyards throughout the Costa Blanca with some areas better known for their wine production than others. The picturesque Jalon valley produces some superb wines and has many bodegas where you can sample their products. Monovar is a large wine producing area with a fantastic dessert wine, matured for two decades giving it a pretty potent kick. The town of Jumilla is another popular area for wine tasting along with some interesting wining & dining and is certainly well worth a visit as it boasts some lovely views and has an ancient castle.

Alicante is being increasingly recognized for its award-winning wines, and having some of the most renowned international restaurants. Weather conditions and the amalgamation of varieties, make the wines infuse all that Mediterranean flavour to your palate. There is the famous Monastrell red grape of Alicante producing the Muscat of the high sea; fresh sweet and intense. Then there are noble and vintage wines such as the Fondillon; an indisputable historic jewel which has been mentioned in the books of Shakespeare. The Costa Blanca has a long tradition in wine, alongside its customs, monuments, fiestas and craftsmanship, this region offers a special mix of charm and flavour. With this journey through the world of wine, you have the possibility of experiencing interesting gastronomic activities, guided visits to vineyards, wine-tasting and a whole world of unique visual and sensory impact.