What to see in Xàbia
Xàbia (Jávea in Spanish) is one of those Costa Blanca towns that catches you off guard: a golden-stone old town set inland, a working fishing port and turquoise coves tucked between cliffs. It sits about 100 km south of València, already in the province of Alicante, and pairs Mediterranean atmosphere with heritage most beach towns don't have.
The main monument is the fortress-church of San Bartolomé, a 16th-century Gothic mass with battlements, arrow slits and a watchtower that served as a refuge against raids by Barbary pirates. It is built entirely from local tosca stone, the same stone that colours the whole old town, a maze of lanes like Carrer Estret where it's easy to lose your bearings. For nature, Cala de la Granadella is considered one of the best beaches in Spain, and the drop from the Cap de Sant Antoni viewpoint down to the sea is dizzying.
From València it's a little under ninety minutes by car along the AP-7, or there's a direct bus (companies such as ALSA run the route). There's no train to Xàbia, so a car is the most convenient way to move between the town, the port and the Arenal.
Local tip: head to the Granadella early in summer, as parking fills up fast and access is regulated. If you liked this kind of town, carry on to Guadalest or return along the coast; find more ideas in our guide to day trips from València and to pretty towns.
🚆 How to get there from València
-
Monument · FREEIglesia-Fortaleza de San BartoloméXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaA 15th-century Gothic church that looks like a fortress, built in local tosca stone with battlements, machicolations and arrow slits to…
-
Viewpoint · FREEMirador del Cap de Sant AntoniXàbia — Cap de Sant Antoni, Marina AltaSheer 160-metre cliffs crowned by an 1855 lighthouse and several viewpoints leaning out over the Mediterranean, with the Montgó behind and…
-
Beach & nature · FREECala de la GranadellaXàbia — extremo sur, Marina Alta · 💶 Free access · parking €9/day (15 Jun–15 Sep, 9:00–19:00)A cove of white pebbles and turquoise water between cliffs and pine woods, voted best beach in the Comunitat Valenciana by National…
-
Town · FREECasco Antiguo de XàbiaXàbia — centro histórico, Marina AltaA maze of narrow streets and stately houses built from golden tosca stone that keeps the medieval feel of the old walled town.
-
Church · FREEIglesia de Nuestra Señora de LoretoBarrio marinero de Duanes de la Mar (puerto), XàbiaThe 'parish of the sea', in the harbour's fishing quarter, is one of Spain's most striking modern churches.
-
Church · FREEErmita de Santa Llúcia i Santa BàrbaraAlto de Santa Llúcia, colina al noroeste del casco urbano, XàbiaCrowning the highest hill beside the town, this simple 15th-16th-century hermitage is the only one of Xàbia's ancient chapels still in…
-
Church · FREEErmita del Calvario (de Jesús Nazareno)Calle Finisterre, sobre una loma a la entrada del pueblo (carretera CV-736 desde Dénia), XàbiaOn a small wooded rise at the entrance to the town stands this elegant neoclassical hermitage, first built in 1770 and rebuilt in 1856.
-
Church · FREEErmita del PópulCamino de la Ermita del Pópul, en el campo a las afueras del casco urbano, XàbiaOne of the oldest buildings in Xàbia, this little hermitage belongs to the so-called 'Reconquest hermitages' (15th-16th centuries), raised…
-
Museum · FREEMuseu Arqueològic i Etnogràfic Soler BlascoXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina Alta · 💶 Free admissionXàbia's municipal archaeology and ethnography museum, housed in the 17th-century Renaissance palace of Antoni Banyuls in the old town.
-
Viewpoint · FREEMirador del Cap de la NauXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaCap de la Nau is the easternmost point of the Valencian Community and the closest to Ibiza, crowned by an octagonal lighthouse that entered…
-
Monument · FREEEls Molins de la PlanaXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaA row of eleven cylindrical stone windmills raised on the Plana del Montgó and built between the 14th and 18th centuries; the oldest,…
- 🗿Monument · FREEBanys de la ReinaXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina Alta
A Roman seaside site on the Punta de la Fontana whose highlight is a large fish pond carved into the rock, with basins and channels that…
-
Castle · FREECastell de la GranadellaXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaA horseshoe-shaped 1739 coastal fort watching over the Granadella cove from above, declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1996.
-
Beach & nature · FREECala del Portitxol (Cala de la Barraca)Xàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaA pebble cove with see-through water that looks like a Greek island, presided over by old white-fronted fishermen's houses and the famous…
-
Monument · FREEMercat Municipal d'AbastosXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaA municipal market built in 1946 in the heart of the old town on the grounds of the former Discalced Augustinian convent, with a striking…
-
Beach & nature · FREECala BlancaXàbia — casco antiguo, Marina AltaA small horseshoe-shaped cove, almost a natural pool, named for the whitish colour of its cliff rocks.
-
Beach & nature · FREECala SardineraXàbia — bajo el Cap Prim, entre Cala Blanca y la BarracaA virgin cove of pebbles and rock tucked on the north face of Cap Prim, reachable only on foot — which is why it's almost always yours even…
🏖️ Beaches
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Xàbia from València?
By direct ALSA bus (several departures a day), or by car on the AP-7 toward Alicante, which has no tolls. Xàbia doesn't have a train station of its own.
How long does it take from València to Xàbia?
By car it's about 115 km, roughly 1 h 20 to 1 h 30 if traffic is light. The ALSA bus takes around 2 hours depending on the service.
What is there to see in Xàbia?
The old town with the fortress-church of Sant Bartomeu, the Cap de Sant Antoni and Cap de la Nau viewpoints, and Granadella cove, one of the finest on this coast. If it's raining, the Soler Blasco museum is worth a stop.
Is Xàbia worth a day trip with kids?
Yes. It has beaches and quiet coves alongside a small, walkable old town, and the viewpoints make short, easy stops with kids. As a day trip by car from València, it works well.