What's the Costa Blanca like in July/ August? And Javea (Xabia) especially?

[legacy]

We've been on holiday to self-catering villas in the South of France (Cote d'Azur) for the last 5 years or so, and out of school holidays. This year we've decided we probably can't afford o spend quite as much, and it IS school hoiday prices, and we still haven't booked anything.

We were wondering about a villa in Spain - and I;ve found a few references to Javea in the Costa Blanca.

Anyone been there/ own a property there? What's it like?
For some reason I have this fear that anything with 'Costa' attached to it will be teaming with lobster-coloured overweight 'Brits Abroad' in union jack shorts in July/August.

Am I right?

What the the 'upmarket' parts of the spanish coast, IYSWIM.... (Sorry in advance for being such a snob...)

I have been to Javea in July. It was hot, but not bakingly hot like Costa del Sol.
It is very nice place - no high rise hotels at all. There is the old town - great market and shops, beach area (Arenal - lovely child friendly horseshoe shaped bay and nice paseo/walkway) and harbour area.
Villas were expensive in July/Aug, we found a three bed apartment from Holiday-rentals.com. Booked cheap flights to Alicante and hired car - it is a 1 hour drivr from the Airport.
Denia, Calpe and Oliva are also nice places.

Further north, Sitges, just South of Barcelona is very nice place too.

We are going to Bennicassim north of Valencia this year.

oh GingerBear - that DOES sound nice! Especially like the sound of the horseshoe bay -we had a favourite beach like that in France at La Napoule.

How hot was it in July? 30s?
Our 2 kids are now 3 & 5 so should be able to handle it better (i.e. not babies)

Oh, forgot, there are lots of ex-pats in Javea, but it still feels very 'Spanish' especially the old town. None of the big holiday companies do Javea, so there are not many lobster union jack short-wearers. (just tanned leathery retirees!!)

Think it was in the 30s temp wise. DD was 13 months old and I remember it being very warm in the apartment in the evenings (fans - no aircon). She slept in a nappy and no covers and was fine.
The main beach got very crowded with Spanish families at the weekend, but it was a lovely atmosphere. Good places to eat (some touristy, but some good places too) There was a night market on the paseo too - arts and crafts etc.
If you hire a car there are lots of fab quiet beaches along the coast on the way to Cabo de La Nao, esp La Granadella beach.
Here is the Costa Blanca Tourism website:
there are better websites than this I will have a look.

Anyone else ??

DH used to live near Javea for a bit, his parents have emigrated - they are the leathery retirees that Gingerbear saw strolling on the Arenal (my way of getting suncream on DD when she objects is to point out she doesn't want to end up looking like my MIL !) DH reckons it's in the mid 30s July/August and that Javea isn't too bad in the 'Brits Abroad' stakes. Was chatting to someone who has just got back from a villa in Denia, which they really enjoyed. PILs used to live in a lovely villa in the mountains outside Moriara with a fantastic view over the coast. They took us to lots of tucked away places off the beaten track which were lovely and I came home feeling I'd got more of a taste of Spain than when I went on some horrible package holiday years ago.

Hi Kittypickle, not seen you on here for ages
useful list of hotels & villa websites in Javea for legacy

I have been to Morioira (sp?) and it is lovely. We stayed in a villa in the mountains. there are some lovely "off the beaten track" type places, little restraunts in the middle of nowhere that serve oodles of food. Moriora has night time markets and Javea does. its a beautiful part of the world. Didnt realise it was posh as we actually got the holiday quite cheap friend of a friend