Teulada (; ) is a small coastal town on

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Costa Blanca The Costa Blanca (, ; , literally meaning "White Coast") is over of Mediterranean coastline in the Alicante province of the Valencian Community, on the southeastern coast of Spain. It extends from the town of Dénia in the north, beyond which ...

, located 3 km north from Junction 63 of the A7 E-15 toll motorway on the N-332 coast road. Setting it apart from its coastal neighbours of

Calp Calpe (; ) is a coastal municipality located in the ''comarca'' of Marina Alta, in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. It has an area of and a population density of . The city lies at the foot of the ...

and further south,

Benidorm Benidorm ( , , ) is a municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Known as the “New York City, New York of the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean”, Benidorm has been a tourist destinatio ...

, the town council passed laws limiting the height of buildings and protecting the natural pines that cover the sides of the valley leading to the coastal part of the municipality, Moraira.

History

The earliest signs of a settlement date back to the

Upper Paleolithic The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Very broadly, it dates to between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago (the beginning of the Holocene), according to some theories ...

Period (15–20,000 BC) with remains discovered in a cave on the headland (Cap d’Or). Teulada was founded in 1386 and during the 16th century was fortified due to the constant attacks by

Barbary pirates The Barbary corsairs, Barbary pirates, Ottoman corsairs, or naval mujahideen (in Muslim sources) were mainly Muslim corsairs and privateers who operated from the largely independent Barbary states. This area was known in Europe as the Barba ...

. The lookout tower on the peninsular headland still remains and has been partially restored. The economy was dominated by agriculture influenced by the period of occupation by the Moors. The walled terraces on the hillsides of the area are still present and allowed for orchards of almonds, vines and citrus fruits to be grown.

Economy

The economy of Teulada is dominated by the

tourism industry Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

and fuelled by the construction industry which is forever expanding the community size. The influence of the European

expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and ...

community of predominantly English, German and Dutch residents has grown to the extent that in 1999 a political party of predominantly non-Spanish residents, The Moraira Party, won control of the town hall in local elections. Since this time there has been a progressive investment policy in local facilities especially in the coastal area of Moraira. Teulada still manages to retain its Spanish heritage and traditions. The street market held on Wednesday mornings, and the numerous fiestas that occur throughout the year provide the best example of Spanish customs, and some of the best firework displays, to be found on the coast.

Main sights

*Parish church of St. Catherine (early 16th century) *''Sala de Jurats i Justícia de Teulada'' (17th century) *Castle of Moraira *''Cap d'Or'' Tower (1563) *Hermitages of St. Vincent Ferrer, ''Divina Pastora'' and ''Fonta Santa''

Culture

Local ''fiesta''s include: *San Vincente Ferrer – Held every Monday after Easter to celebrate the Patron Saint. *Moros y Critianos (Moors and Christians) – Held during the second week in June. *Festa del Moscatell – Held the first Saturday in September. *Santa Catalina – Held on 25 November.

References

{{authority control Municipalities in the Province of Alicante