Moraira facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moraira
Top left: Moraira and Cap d'Or from Cap Blanc; Top right: Marina with Calpe Rock in the distance; Bottom: Castillo de Moraira
Moraira Location in Province of Alicante Show map of Province of Alicante Moraira Location in Valencian Community Show map of Valencian Community Moraira Location in Spain Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Valencian Community
Province	Alicante
Comarca	Marina Alta
Municipality	Teulada
Population
• Total	10,000 (approx)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)

Moraira is a beautiful small town on the coast of Spain. It's part of the Teulada municipality, which is also known as Teulada-Moraira. This town is located in the Marina Alta area, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Alicante and 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Valencia.

Moraira is right next to the village of El Portet. Together, they form a popular tourist spot on the Costa Blanca. This area has 8 kilometers (5 miles) of coastline, with mountains and vineyards in the background.

A Look at Moraira's Past

The area around Moraira has been home to people for a very long time, even before recorded history!

Early Settlers and Ancient Finds

Scientists have found old objects in a place called Cova de la Cendra, near Cap d'Or. These objects show that people lived here during the Upper Paleolithic era, which was many thousands of years ago. Pots made by the Iberians (an ancient people of Spain) have also been found. This suggests they lived in the area during the Bronze Age.

Moorish Influence and New Names

Later, after the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, the area was settled by the Moors. You can still see their influence today in the buildings and town layouts. Many local names, like Alcassar and Benimeit, come from the Moorish settlements. There's even a local story that Moraira was named after a Moorish princess called Ira, la Mora!

The Reconquista and New Cultures

During the Reconquista, Christian rulers took back Spain from the Moors. Jaime I de Aragón made this area part of the Kingdom of Aragon around 1270-1280. This event is still celebrated today with the yearly Moros y cristianos festival. After the Moors left, Christian settlers from Catalonia and Aragon moved in. They brought the Valencian language to the area. In 1386, the town of Teulada was founded about five kilometers (3 miles) from the coast. It became its own municipality.

Protecting the Coast from Pirates

In the 1500s, Barbary pirates often attacked the coast. To protect the area, King Felipe II ordered a lookout tower to be built on Cap d'Or. This was part of a plan to build a chain of forts. One of these forts was the Castillo de Moraira, finished in 1742. It's now in the center of town. The castle had four bronze cannons. It was damaged by the British fleet in 1801 during the French Revolutionary Wars, but it has been fixed up since then.

From Farming to Fishing Village

By the late 1700s, Teulada was a farming village. Farmers sent their crops by sea from natural harbors. Over time, locals also started fishing to earn money. Small buildings were built near the coast where Moraira is today. These were used to store fishing gear. Eventually, these buildings grew into homes for fishermen, and Moraira became a small fishing village.

Moraira Today: A Tourist Hotspot

Moraira's economy changed a lot in the 1970s and 1980s because of international tourism. The town grew quickly to make room for new holiday homes and things for tourists to do. Today, about 10,000 people live in Moraira all year. But in summer, this number can jump to 36,000! Many people from other countries, especially British retirees, live here permanently. Most visitors to Moraira come from Spain, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, and France.

Moraira's Natural Beauty and Weather

Moraira is known for its beautiful landscape and pleasant climate.

Geography: Mountains, Valleys, and Vineyards

The Moraira valley is where several mountain streams meet. These streams bring rich soil down to the valley floor. To the north, the Cap d'Or hillside borders the town. More than 2,000 hectares (almost 5,000 acres) in the Moraira-Teulada area are used for farming. About 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) are vineyards. You can still see how the Moors used hillside terraces for farming long ago.

Climate: Sunny Days and Mild Winters

Moraira has a very steady Mediterranean climate. It gets about 300 sunny days a year! Summers are hot, and winters are mild. The hills around the town protect it from bad weather in winter. In summer, these hills help create cool sea breezes. The sea temperature in summer can reach 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit). It hardly ever rains in July and August.

How Moraira is Governed

Moraira is part of the Teulada-Moraira municipality. This means it's governed by a local council called the Ayuntamiento, which is based in Teulada.

Local Government and Leadership

The Ayuntamiento is made up of 17 elected people called councillors. The mayor leads this group. The mayor chooses some councillors to help him with his duties on a special Governing Board. Since May 2015, the mayor has been Carlos Linares. He took over from Antoni Joan Bertomeu. The People's Party won most of the seats on the council in the 2015 election.

National and Regional Elections

At a national level, people in Moraira vote for representatives to the Congress of Deputies. This is part of the Alicante area. The People's Party usually wins here. However, in the 2019 election, the PSOE won the most seats for the first time in a long time.

Moraira also elects members to the regional parliament, called the Corts Valencianes. This is also part of Alicante Province. In the 2019 regional elections, the PSOV-PSOE won the most seats in the province. This was the first time they had done so since 1991.

Moraira's Economy and Activities

Moraira's economy has changed a lot over the years, but its fishing roots are still important.

Fishing and Farming

Moraira used to be mainly a fishing village, and you can still see that today. Its fish market is one of the most popular in the Costa Blanca area. There are five fishing boats still working in the port. The Moraira region is also famous for growing Muscatel grapes, which are used to make wine.

Tourism and Development

Today, Moraira's economy mostly relies on tourism and selling Spanish homes. This has changed the coastline a lot in the last 30 years. However, strict rules have stopped too much building and tall buildings. This makes Moraira a very desirable place to visit. Not many of the old fishing cottages are left. To protect the area's history, the Teulada council made rules to protect the many pine trees and limit how tall buildings can be.

Fun Things to Do in Moraira

Moraira has a privately owned marina (a place for boats) built in 1985. It's run by the Club Náutico Moraira. Moraira is also known for its many restaurants, making it a great place for food lovers. The town has three sandy beaches that families love. There are also many rocky coves and inlets that are perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Every Friday, there's a big market in the main car park. You can find all sorts of things there from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM.

The Yacht Club Moraira

The yacht club, called “Club Náutico,” has space for 620 boats. It also has a club for members with restaurants and shops. In the summer, they offer sailing courses and hold boat races called regattas. The championship for open sea yachts in the district happens at Easter. Another race, the “Moraira Santa Eulalia” regatta, takes place at the end of September.

See also

In Spanish: Moraira para niños