| An attractive Costa Blanca town to the north of | | | | appearing later on the menus of the town's |
| Alicante, Villajoyosa has a name which means | | | | seafood restaurants. |
| literally "Jewelled Town". One of the Costa Blanca's | | | | Among Villajoyosa's most outstanding features |
| most delightful places to visit, Villajoyosa is | | | | are its brightly coloured fishermen's houses, |
| famous throughout Spain for the manufacture of | | | | painted in blues, yellows and reds, so that the |
| chocolate and turron. | | | | fishermen could spot their homes from far out at |
| Beginning during the 19th century, the chocolate | | | | sea, and return safely to their families. |
| making industry coincided with the import of | | | | These days Villajoyosa is a significant tourist |
| cocoa beans from Ecuador in South America, and | | | | destination, and has for many years been one of |
| was started by a local man named Don Valeriano | | | | the stop off points for the so called "blanket trips" |
| Lopez Lloret. Today you can learn about the | | | | which operate along the coast. These coach loads |
| growth and development of the chocolate | | | | of visitors generally head for the chocolate |
| business in a fine museum in the town, definitely | | | | factory, where tasting sessions are very popular! |
| one of the "must visit" places in Villajoyosa. | | | | Full of tasty chocolate, they then head for the |
| Long before the development of the chocolate | | | | harbour for a coffee in one of the seafront |
| industry, Villajoyosa had been a fishing town, with | | | | cafés. |
| both shallow and deep-water fishing being | | | | Easily reached from Benidorm, El Campello or |
| practised by its fishermen. Fishing is of course still | | | | Alicante, Villajoyosa is less than a half hours drive |
| important today and the fish are auctioned off | | | | from Alicante airport. |
| each day in the charming little fishing harbour, | | | | |