Beautiful beaches, world-class amenities, and fabulous weather

IF YOU´RE THINKING ABOUT visiting Spain this year, you will no doubt have questions about the area. After all, the global pandemic has affected almost every country around the world and the Costa Blanca is no exception.

But with consistently low incidences of COVID-19 over the last couple of months, and diligent nationwide efforts to combat the spread of the disease now paying dividends, life in Spain seems somewhat back to normal.

And of course, the middle of July brings with it almost guaranteed sunshine and temperatures that comfortably exceed 30°c every day - an essential ingredient for any Mediterranean holiday.

So for those travellers thinking about visiting Spain this summer season, here´s a few popular questions answered and the most up-to-date local travel information for you.

Travelling to Spain, is Alicante airport open now?

Alicante-Elche International airport handled more than 15 million passengers last year, and whilst this season´s passenger numbers are expected to be significantly lower than last summers, the airport is expecting a significant number of visitors over the forthcoming months.

The airport will welcome 56 flights from all corners of the European Union today, including aircraft from Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and the Czech Republic.

The Costa Blanca is a popular choice of holiday destination for visitors from Germany, and Alicante airport expects scheduled services from Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne and Berlin later today.

The United Kingdom´s regional airports will be sending passengers from a wide variety of locations, including East Midlands, Birmingham, Bristol, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Manchester today.

London´s Gatwick and Stansted airports also operate daily scheduled return services to Alicante airport, with low-cost carriers Ryanair and easyJet.

Are the beaches on the Orihuela Costa and Costa Blanca open?

The Orihuela Costa boasts 11 idyllic Blue Flag accredited sandy beaches and coves that cover 16 km´s of Spain´s eastern Mediterranean coastline.

All Orihuela Costa beaches are open to members of the public with rigorous social distancing guidelines in place to maintain public health and safety. A lifeguard service operates daily during the summer months and you don´t need to wear a face mask when you´re on the beach.

Each beach has an allocated occupation limit dependent on the size of the beach to enable sunseekers to comply with social distancing requirements. To the north, Benidorm´s popular beaches have a combined capacity for 33,476 people, and to date, that figure has not been met.

Complete details of all public safety measures are posted at entry and exit points on each beach in the region, including the beaches in La Zenia, Cabo Roig, Punta Prima and Playa Flamenca.

Are the bars and restaurants in La Zenia open?

Bars and restaurants on the Orihuela Costa are currently open, with every venue implementing strict sanitary controls to maintain public health standards both in the kitchens, and public dining areas.

Popular hotspots in La Zenia such as Paddy´s Point Irish Bar, Brown´s Cocktail and Gastro Bar, Makai Café (toward Cala Bosque beach), and the Sunrise Restaurant in neighbouring Playa Flamenca, are all serving eager diners today.

Patrons do not need to wear masks while at their tables in bars or restaurants, and the application of hand sanitiser upon entry has become a common requirement in most bars and restaurants.

Local shops and Zenia Boulevard shopping centre are open for business. Visitors should note that the wearing of a face mask is mandatory in shops, public indoor spaces, and shopping centres.