Villajoyosa is a town of brightly painted houses with its name meaning 'the joyful town' and comes from the Catalan name La Villa Joiosa. Therefore,
the village is known as La Villa by locals. The gaudy painted houses along the
seafront were traditionally meant as a guide home for the returning fisherman.
The village is steeped in tradition and has a number of buildings remaining from its historic past. The gothic church provides the entrance to the old walled town centre and 16th century watchtower, which in days gone by sounded the warnings of raids by Berber Pirates. Once in the old quarter the bustling market is not to be missed, with its eclectic mix of crafts and locally made goods.
Villajoyosa is also known as the Chocolate City and is home to the famous brand Valor, which is sold all over Spain and Europe. The smell of this tempting treat wafts all over the city and visitors can try all varieties in the Valor shop and the Museum of Chocolate.
Once you have explored Villajoyosa and filled up on chocolate it’s off to the white sandy beach at the mouth of the river to relax before trying one of the many superb local restaurants.
