Written By Mauricio Segura // Image Created By: The Golden Bay Times Graphics Dept.
There’s a stretch of Spain where the Mediterranean glows a little brighter, the buildings look like someone spilled a box of crayons on the shoreline, and the crowds somehow never quite show up. That place is Villajoyosa, a coastal town along the Costa Blanca that has quietly climbed its way to the top of Europe’s most underrated destinations, even earning recognition as the best hidden gem in Europe for 2024.
At first glance, Villajoyosa doesn’t try to impress you. It doesn’t scream for attention like Barcelona or Madrid. Instead, it pulls you in slowly. The town’s name translates to “joyful town,” and for once, that kind of branding actually delivers.
The first thing that hits you is color. Rows of seaside houses painted in bold reds, yellows, blues, and pinks line the waterfront like a living postcard. This wasn’t done for Instagram. It started as a practical move centuries ago, when fishermen painted their homes bright colors so they could spot them from the sea. Today, that same tradition gives the town its unmistakable identity, turning an ordinary coastline into something unforgettable.
Then there are the beaches. Villajoyosa isn’t working with just one good stretch of sand. It has miles of coastline and several beaches that have earned Blue Flag status, meaning they’re clean, well-maintained, and ideal for swimming. The main beach, Platja Centre, sits right by the old town, making it easy to go from a morning swim to an afternoon espresso without missing a beat. Just beyond it, quieter coves and hidden corners offer a little more solitude if that’s what you’re after.
But what really separates Villajoyosa from the typical beach town is what happens off the sand. This place has roots. It’s not a resort that popped up overnight. It’s a historic fishing town with layers that go back centuries, even to ancient settlements along the coast. Walk through the old quarter and you’ll find narrow streets, fortified walls, and the Church of the Assumption, a structure that once doubled as a fortress to defend against pirates. It’s the kind of detail that reminds you this town didn’t just survive history, it adapted to it.
And then there’s the chocolate. Not something most people associate with a beach destination, but Villajoyosa has a long-standing chocolate-making tradition that still thrives today. Local factories and museums celebrate that legacy, offering a completely different flavor of travel experience, literally and figuratively. One minute you’re staring out at the sea, the next you’re learning how cacao became part of the town’s identity.
Food here leans into its roots as well. Fresh seafood dominates menus, often served in simple, no-nonsense ways that let the ingredients do the talking. This isn’t the kind of place trying to reinvent cuisine. It respects it. Rice dishes, local fish, and traditional recipes carry the weight of generations, and you can taste that history in every bite.
Timing matters too. Visit in late July and the town transforms during the Moros y Cristianos festival, a lively, colorful celebration that reenacts historic battles and fills the streets with music, costumes, and energy. It’s chaotic in the best way, a reminder that this quiet coastal town knows how to turn up the volume when it wants to.
And yet, even with all of this, Villajoyosa still flies under the radar. It sits just a short distance from larger, busier destinations like Alicante and Benidorm, but somehow exists in its own lane. You get the beauty, the history, the beaches, and the culture without the overwhelming crowds that often come with them.
That’s the real magic here. Villajoyosa doesn’t feel like it’s performing for tourists. It feels like a place that simply exists, and you’re lucky enough to stumble into it. In a world where travel often feels overexposed and overhyped, finding a place like this almost feels like cheating the system.
If Europe still has secrets left, Villajoyosa is proof that some of them are hiding in plain sight.
