Discover countryside hotels and rural retreats in Alicante, Spain

The coastal province of Alicante might have been left to laze under the Mediterranean sun if it weren’t for a 1957 campaign by a now-defunct airline, which coined the name ‘Costa Blanca’ and kickstarted one of the most dramatic tourism booms in European history. But wait – there’s more to this sun-soaked region than high-rise hotels and lurid cocktails. Look beyond the tourist hubs and you’ll find tree-swathed hills, secluded golden beaches (try the the rocky coves, blissful bays and turquoise waters near Dénia) and pretty little towns that bask in the near-constant sunshine.