La Marina Alta, the coolest beach in Madrid
DENIA
We start our route in the capital of the Marina Alta, Denia, located in the bay that crowns the Montgó, declared a Natural Park in 1987. You will be received kilometers of white sand on beaches such as Les Marines or Les Deveses and cliffs at Les Rotes , cove which is accessed by a narrow staircase only for the brave. If you like the nudist vibe, you have to visit La Cala, one of the most remote and discreet in the Arenetes area.
Gastronomy is one of the strong points of the area that is beginning to be enjoyed by the great Quique Dacosta _(Urbanization El Poblet. Calle Rascassa, 1) _. This bastion of good gastronomy, with three Michelin stars, renews its menu every season. This year? 'DNA, the search' or the idea on which the chef has focused to trace the essence of the territory. Flavors that remain in his memory (and in ours after eating them), lost ingredients, a language based on beauty and an entire identity that have put this restaurant where it should be, among the stars.
If you go to Denia, save a little beforehand to treat yourself to one of the delicacies of the area, his majesty, the Red shrimp . One of the best places to do it is El Farallo _(Carrer del Fénix, 10 Les Rotes) _. This restaurant located in the area of Les Rotes, can boast of offering authentic 'Deniera' cuisine and the best product of the Marina Alta. Some red prawn croquettes that take your breath away, dry octopus, sepionets, esgarraet and of course, red prawns. Ask for them better cooked since, in this way, their flavor is enhanced more. To finish off the job, a banda or vegetable rice.
JSendra rice with rabbit
'Meditapear', the concept devised by The Setla _(Carretera de les Marines, 2B) _, consists of eat the Mediterranean in the form of tapas. This restaurant, with Miguel Frutos in the kitchen and Ximo Salva in the dining room, incorporates new à la carte dishes such as eel Zum-bao and 'all i pebre' or melon curry, lime-basil sorbet and celery ice cream.
Do you know that in bars you eat very well? we tell you for Miquel's Baret _(Carrer Historian Palau, 1) _. This is not just any bar, getting a reservation there is very complicated, but friends, it's worth the wait, and a lot. Michael Ruiz He was another one of those chefs with success, fame and Michelin stars who left everything and set up his little bar 'de cantó' (on the corner) to be happy. There he reinvents the typical cuisine of Valencian bars and does it wonderfully. Dishes such as cuttlefish figatell, herb coca with capellanet or its particular reinterpretation of the Denia fideuá and arroz a banda are already famous. We better let you find out for yourself.
And it was cocktail hour. zensa _(Marina de Denia) _, a space created to experience summer, has a huge swimming pool, good music, chill-out beds and cocktails. In addition, every Saturday they have a barbecue by the pool.
Let the cocktail hour catch you here
JAVEA
On the other side of the lavish Montgó, this area stands on the most pronounced projection of the coast, which has been opened up, little by little, to the people of Madrid. More and more people spend the summer in this select Mediterranean destination. And we say select because in Jávea there is cache, vacationers of high rank and many beautiful people. High standing housing estates, 'class' restaurants and bars for drinks facing the sea, have made it even more fashionable, if possible.
A few meters from the epicenter there are several coves that have little to envy to those of the islands. Those are Portixol, Ambolo or La Granadella. In summer it is advisable not to go too late as the extension is not large and you could run out of space.
One of the hot spots is the Arenal beach. It is not a magazine beach, it is rather normal, but gathers local and leisure everywhere. From the Parador de Jávea, in one of the corners of the bay, to Punta Zara, we find craft stalls, restaurants for foreigners (of which there are also many in Jávea) and a few places where it is worth stopping for lunch or dinner. One of them is It's Cover You , a bistro where you can try good seafood, signature pinchos, tapas (hence the name) and champagne by the glass.
Cala La Granadella, in Javea
Next stop, Tula Restaurant _(Avenida de la Llibertat, 36) _. This discreet establishment, opened just a year ago by Borja and Clara, is on everyone's lips. What makes it special? What do they do contemporary home cooking Very different from what we are used to in those parts. Red shrimp and monkfish salad with gel vinaigrette and Clotxinas a la Meunierè They are two of the hitazos that you have to try on your menu. We continue on The Pearl of Javea _(Avenida de la Llibertat, 21) _, a more classic restaurant where “success in simplicity” of its cuisine is its 'leitmotiv'. They have an extensive variety of rice and fideuás. we end up in Achill _(Piraeus Street) _ , a spectacular bar and 'dancefloor' with a terrace overlooking the sea.
For the most gourmets, Jávea has a restaurant with two Michelin stars, BonAmb _(Calle Benitachell, 100) _ . With the young chef Alberto Ferruz at the helm, it has established itself as one of the standards of cuisine in the area. In his proposal, the product of the area is respected, from small producers and with great care on the plate.
In addition, there are two other places where the national sport is to see and be seen. We are talking about two of the most traditional beach bars in the area. ** La Siesta and Montgo di Bongo **. Both located on the Avenida del Mediterráneo and facing the sea, they are the 'hot spot' every summer, where there are even elbows to make room between its bars, tables and Balinese beds. There, you can eat, relax and dance. On Montgo di Bongo every Saturday in July and August they organize ItMarket , an unmissable appointment with the latest trends. Put on your best outfit and go rub shoulders with the most select Javiense public. To continue the party, climb the mountain and enter The ranch . They have been dancing until dawn for more than 50 years...
La Siesta, 'the place to be'
MORAIRA
Last summer a good part of the advertising campaign that this area was doing in the capital could be seen in the city. In a deliberate appeal to the cat, they reminded them that "come August, go, go..." with a resounding "Here there is a beach. Teulada-Moraira" . We don't know for sure if it worked, but we think it's worth visiting.
It is much quieter than the previous ones. In fact, this summer they have launched Healthy Moraira , where every day and at various times, in the beaches of L'Ampolla and El Portet, you can practice yoga, taichí or 'running '. These beaches of fine sand and crystal clear waters are some of the most beautiful on the Mediterranean coast, which also makes them perfect areas for snorkeling or scuba diving.
For lunch or dinner on summer nights, we recommend the restaurant The Chamizo _(Ctra. Moraira to Calpe, Km 1.3) _. With Max and Manu at the helm, it stands in Platgetes cove and one of its greatest attractions is that it is a terrace over the Mediterranean, which makes it a spectacular viewpoint. And the food was not going to be less. here the rice dishes are protagonists along with fish, meat and night barbecue. The duck magret is one of those that you remember forever.
Paella made in El Chamizo
CALPE
Although almost bordering on the next region, Calpe can boast of being one of the liveliest destinations with similarities to its almost neighbor Benidorm. Tall buildings, overcrowding... In addition, Ibizans will have Es Vedrá, but those of Calpe have the Peñón de Ifach, a landslide of the Oltà mountain range, linked to the land by an isthmus. On both sides of the Rock, we find the beaches of Arenal-Bol and La Fossa , the busiest in the place and delimited by a promenade where life happens and the most interesting proposals for leisure and gastronomy are found.
In the kitchen, write down a name, Rafa Soler and Audrey´s _(Juan Carlos I Avenue) _. Consecrated as one of the most promising Valencian chefs, he is in charge of this restaurant located in the hotel AR Diamond Beach . Your proposal of him? The Mediterranean pantry and traditional Valencian cuisine, but always with a lot of technique and from a cosmopolitan perspective. We like chefs who respect 'la terreta' above all. Proof of this are dishes such as the Valencian dashi bonbon, fresh tiger nut cheese and herb emulsion from the Rock and the all i pebre de quisquillas.
Madrilenians of the world, take your cars, AVEs or buses and head to the hottest area of the summer, the Marina Alta.
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Calp at your feet