Costa Blanca live webcams

The coast of Alicante, from north to south

The Costa Blanca is the coastline of the province of Alicante, and for many British holidaymakers it is simply "Spain". In the north, around Dénia and Jávea, the Montgó mountain and its capes break the shore into coves and cliffs. Further south, Calpe sits beside the Penyal d'Ifac, Altea climbs its hill of white houses and Albir sheltered under the Serra Gelada, before the towers of Benidorm rise around their two great beaches. Then comes Alicante itself, the provincial capital, with its harbour below the castle rock, and just beyond the airport Santa Pola looks out over its bay to the island of Tabarca. From there the land flattens out into long sandy beaches and salt lagoons: Guardamar del Segura, at the mouth of the River Segura, hides its beaches behind a pine forest planted on the dunes, and Torrevieja lies at the southern end.

Who runs these cameras

The live views come from local businesses, enthusiasts and a town council: a hotel on Calpe's Arenal-Bol beach, a campsite between Altea and Albir, a Torrevieja weather project that streams several views of its town, and the town council of Guardamar, which films the coast from its castle. Others reach this site through Windy, which shows their latest images and a 24-hour time-lapse: the Valencian regional tourist board's seafront cameras in Altea, Jávea, Dénia and El Campello, a private enthusiast's views over Alicante's old town and castle, and a camera in a boatyard in Santa Pola harbour.

When to watch the Costa Blanca webcams

The whole coast runs on Spanish time, one hour ahead of the UK all year. Most beaches face east or south, so the sun comes up out of the sea and early images are often backlit; by mid-morning the views are at their clearest. Winters are mild and sunny, the sea warms to around 26 °C in August, and the cameras are as useful for planning a winter stay as for checking the beach before a summer holiday.