At first glance, La Vila Joiosa is immediately recognisable for its colourful waterfront houses. Painted in bright shades of blue, red, yellow and green, they were not originally intended to attract tourists. According to local tradition, fishermen painted each house in a different colour so they could recognise their homes from the sea while returning to port, especially in poor weather or at dawn.
Located on the Costa Blanca in the Province of Alicante, within the Valencian Community, La Vila Joiosa has more than 2,700 years of documented history. Phoenicians, Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians all settled here, taking advantage of its natural harbour and strategic position on the Mediterranean. Archaeological discoveries include Phoenician artefacts dating to around 600 Before Christ, an Iberian sanctuary and the Bou Ferrer, the largest Roman merchant ship currently under archaeological excavation in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Roman city prospered through maritime trade, but it was during the Middle Ages that La Vila Joiosa acquired the appearance that still defines it today. Following the conquest by King James the First of Aragon in the thirteenth century, the town became part of the Kingdom of Valencia and was enclosed within defensive walls. The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption was constructed not only as a place of worship but also as a defensive structure capable of protecting the population during attacks. Parts of the walls and the medieval street layout survive in the historic centre.
For centuries, the Mediterranean was both a source of wealth and a constant threat. Barbary corsairs repeatedly attacked this stretch of coastline, leading to the construction of coastal watchtowers and defensive fortifications. These events are still commemorated every summer during the internationally recognised Moors and Christians Festival, whose most famous event is El Desembarc, a dramatic pre-dawn reenactment of the historic pirate landing on the beach. The festival is considered one of the finest historical reenactments in Spain.
Another defining feature of La Vila Joiosa is chocolate. During the nineteenth century, local merchants importing cocoa from the Americas established an industry that still survives today. The municipality remains home to several historic chocolate manufacturers, including Chocolates Valor, and the Valencian Chocolate Museum preserves the history of chocolate production in the town. Even today, chocolate remains one of the municipality’s most distinctive cultural traditions.
The municipality also offers around fifteen kilometres of coastline, including long sandy beaches, small coves and cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike many modern seaside resorts, the historic fishing port remains active, and visitors can still watch the daily fish auctions that have formed part of local life for generations.
For travellers exploring eastern Spain, La Vila Joiosa combines history, archaeology, maritime heritage and gastronomy within a relatively compact historic centre. The colourful houses have become its most recognisable symbol, but the town’s real significance lies in the succession of civilisations that have shaped it over nearly three millennia. From Phoenician traders and Roman merchants to medieval defenders and modern chocolate makers, La Vila Joiosa continues to preserve one of the richest historical legacies on the Costa Blanca.