MORAIRA/TEULADA Costa Blanca

The story of Moraira, which is part of Teulada is the story of the tail wagging the dog. In the not too distant past, say forty years ago, Moraira was a cluster of old houses with a little church sitting next to the sea, a small fishing community under the jurisdiction of Teulada, situated seventy-five kilometres north of Alicante, and one hundred and ten kilometres south of Valencia. Teulada is still the main town, and the seat of the local council. It is the administrative hub of the community, and is essentially Spanish in its appearance and way of life. However, but the majority of the population of 8,500 people now live in that part of the area known as Moraira.

Moraira has a new role in life. Over recent decades it has slowly changed to become an attractive holiday resort, simple in outlook and appearance, a haven of peace, and as such a highly desirable place to live. The area accommodates a large number of attractive villas, and comparatively few apartment blocks of only a few stories in the centre of town, which is beautifully laid out. The small urban centre is a mixture of narrow streets in the old part, whilst those in the new are wider and furnished with attractive gardens and fountains. Good reasonably priced bars and restaurants are the ‘norm’, whilst the beautiful beach and promenade are amongst the prettiest to be found along the coast. At the last count, there were also three small, but very comfortable hotels in the locality, and facilities devoted to golf, sailing, sub aqua, karting and horse-riding.

The name Moraira is derived from the Arabic for Moorish princess, and is the venue in June each year for the local Moors and Christians Fiesta, which involves the storming and capture of the castle on the beach by the Moors on the first day, and the subsequent re-taking by the Christians the following day. The fiesta includes a magnificent parade in which Christian and Moorish groups walk, dance and ride in wonderfully colourful costumes, accompanied by rousing and exotic music through the streets of Moraira.

Teulada has outdoor films in the town square in the summer, and a cultural centre, which is part of the town hall, providing facilities for concerts, art exhibitions and poetry readings.