What's on in Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca — the "white coast" — runs down the Alicante province with a split personality that's part of its charm. In the south you've got Benidorm, all high-rise energy, British bars and a genuinely brilliant events scene; head north and the coast softens into Jávea, Dénia and Calpe, where the cliffs, coves and the great rock of the Peñón de Ifach feel a world away from the strip.

June is the headline month. Alicante's Hogueras de San Juan is one of Spain's great fire festivals — giant satirical monuments built across the city, then burned to the ground on the night of the 24th in the Cremà, with a week of nightly fireworks competitions to follow. Jávea holds its own Fogueres at the same time. Through summer, Benidorm keeps the calendar busy with the Low Festival, Benidorm Pride and the Virgen del Carmen celebrations, while Dénia's bull-running fiestas and Moors and Christians parades bring the old town to life.

Alicante–Elche airport (ALC) is the gateway, a short hop from the UK and well connected to both ends of the coast — the TRAM light railway runs all the way from Alicante up to Benidorm and Dénia, which is handy. That said, the prettier northern towns and the inland valleys reward having a car.

From a Benidorm break to a quieter family holiday in Jávea, this is your guide to what's on across the Costa Blanca while you're visiting — the big fiestas to time your trip around and the local celebrations worth seeking out.