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Berber pirates attacked the shores of the Mediterranean, setting fire to houses and taking their inhabitants as slaves. This is the origin of the watchtowers that run along the Alicante coast and the reason why Finestrat has a segment of coastline, known as La Cala, since it was given these lands to contribute to the defense of the coastline.



This historical fact, together with its proximity to the impressive massive mass of Pico Campana, endows the quiet town of Finestrat with uniqueness. Hence, it defines itself as ´´Sea and mountains´´. Today it is a city that combines agriculture with services and tourism.



Finestrat is a municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. Located in the province of Alicante, in the Marina Baja region. It has 5,844 inhabitants (INE 2008) according to the 2007 registry

Geography [edit]



Finestrat is located just 8 minutes from Benidorm and 50 kilometers from Alicante International Airport. It is accessed by road through the AP-7 motorway, through exits 65-A. From there, a local road in good condition connects with the town in a few minutes. It can also be accessed directly from the national N-332.



Although the historic center is in the interior, the municipal term has about 267 meters of coastline, from Punta del Tossal to the mouth of the Barranco de la Cachola, in which is the so-called Cala de Finestrat; It is one of the municipalities in Spain with the smallest outlet to the sea. This beach in Cala de Finestrat borders the municipalities of Villajoyosa, to the southwest, and Benidorm, to the northeast.



In its municipal term is the mythical mountain of ´´Puig Campana´´, whose top reaches 1,410 meters above sea level. The Terra Mítica theme park also occupies part of the 42.25 km² of the municipality.





Bordering towns [edit]



It borders the municipal terms of Benidorm, Benimantell, Orcheta, Polop, Sella and Villajoyosa.



FINESTRAT TOURISM



Cala de Finestrat



Puig Campana





Patron Saint Festivities: These festivals have been celebrated for over a hundred years around August 24, the day on which Saint Bertolomé, the patron saint of Finestrat, is commemorated. They are also dedicated to the Santísimo Cristo del Remedio, which is venerated in its hermitage located in the ´´Castillo´´. The main events include the retreat to barracas (´´replegà de barraques´´), the ´´despertàs´´, ´´la poalà´´ the parade of humor with costumes, the pyrotechnic acts (´´mascletàs´´, ´ ´cordàs´´, ´´correfocs´´) and religious acts (offering of flowers and descent of Christ from the Hermitage to the Church



2009 PATRONAL HOLIDAYS PROGRAM



Festivities of the Cove in Honor of the Tourist: La Cala de Finestrat celebrates in the second week of September the festivities in honor of the tourist. At the end of the summer season, visitors and residents gather to enjoy the fireworks castles, children's and sports activities, festivals, parades and costume balls that fill the streets of our beautiful coastal area. The unique setting of La Cala serves as an ideal setting for the enjoyment and coexistence of all those who want to participate in these festive days by the sea and with a privileged climate.



San Antonio Abad (mid-January): One of the oldest traditions of Finestrat (the raising of pigs for the festival) is preserved thanks to the celebration of “Sant Antoni del Porquet”. In the old days, the young people of the town walked the streets of the municipality house by house, a week before January 17, collecting food for the party, so each family had to donate some delicious delicacy. The festival of San Antonio maintains the tradition as young people tour the town walking the pig and collecting donations from neighbors, house by house. As a final point, an auction of the collected material is held and the pig is raffled among all attendees.



San Blas (mid-February): This festival occupies a place as relevant as the celebration that precedes it, Sant Antoni, but with certain peculiarities. Some demonstrations that took place in the past at this festival were as original as the draw for "l´arra", a cake made of sponge cake that some children carry throughout the "round", while the mayorales sell numbers for the draw. At present, the residents of Finestrat and visitors go to the Fuente ´´del Molí´´ (of the mill), a privileged natural environment, to enjoy together and eat traditional delicacies.



The day of the Ereta (Holy Week): Tradition indicates that every Easter Monday, in the place where the mayor decided, the nougat stalls were placed and the couple used to have a snack together. The bride wore the "monkey" and the groom did the "heavy", which consisted of buying nougat, dragees or other sweets, according to the possibilities of each. The fact of going up to the “Fuente del Molino” to eat the Easter “monkey” has become a fixed and unavoidable date for our citizens of Finestrat, a day of joy and conviviality in a privileged place to enjoy the best products of the area.



Night of San Juan (June 23-24): The summer solstice arrives in the Mediterranean full of symbols, magic, parties, music, dance and fire, especially fire. In Finestrat, it is the beach of La Cala that hosts popular acts, centered on the ancient rite of purification, whose essential elements are fire and water. Young people light bonfires on the sand, by the sea, and later jump on them. The party is combined with group dances, gastronomic tasting and, as tradition indicates, with a bath in the waters that on the early morning of June 24 have special qualities. Music and fireworks enliven the evening.



Gastronomy



Some of its best known dishes are: Rice with beans and chard, known as Arròs amb fresols i naps, Coca turned (a kind of poached wheat flour pasta pie, which contains vegetables, sausage, fish and salted meat), Coca boba, Tarongetes (kind of meat balls with corn flour that are cooked once seasoned and tied with egg with stew broth).

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