Villajoyosa

This article is about the town in Alicante. For the municipality in Zaragoza, see La Joyosa.

Not to be confused with Gioiosa.

Villajoyosa (Spanish: [biʎaxoˈʝosa]), in Valencian: La Vila Joiosa ([la ˈvila dʒoˈjoza]), meaning "The Joyful Town", and officially Villajoyosa / La Vila Joiosa,^[3] is a coastal town and municipality in the south of the Valencian Community, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. It is the historic and administrative capital of Marina Baixa county, and is located in the province of Alicante. The town is known locally simply as La Vila.^[4]

Villajoyosa La Vila Joiosa (Valencian) Villajoyosa (Spanish)
Municipality
Villajoyosa / La Vila Joiosa (official)
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname:  La Vila
Location of La Vila Joiosa
Villajoyosa Show map of Valencian Community Villajoyosa Show map of Spain Villajoyosa Show map of Europe
Coordinates: 38°30′19″N 0°13′58″W
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Valencian Community
Province	Alicante / Alacant
Comarca	Marina Baixa
Judicial district	Villajoyosa / La Vila Joiosa
Government
• Mayor	Marcos Enrique Zaragoza Mayor[1] (PPCV)
Area
• Total	20.45 km2 (7.90 sq mi)
Elevation	27 m (89 ft)
Population  (2018)[2]
• Total	33,969
• Density	1,700/km2 (4,300/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	viler, -a (Val.) vilero, -a (Sp.) jonense (locally, in disuse)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	03570
Official language(s)	Valencian Spanish
Website	www.villajoyosa.com

It is the historic and administrative capital of the comarca of Marina Baixa and is located 32 km from the city of Alicante, in the coastal area known as Costa Blanca (White Coast). It has over three kilometers of beaches, including the Platja Centre (Central Beach), close to the town centre. The river of La Vila (incorrectly also known as Amadòrio) runs through the town.

The area is famous for its chocolate industry and tourism. One of the most popular tourist attractions is its Gothic Catholic church of the Assumption, with a Baroque altar piece. Another popular destination, the Royal Palm Casino (formerly Casino Costa Blanca), is now closed. The town's festival of Moros i Cristians,^[5] celebrated at the end of July, was declared an International Tourist Interest Festival. Currently, this festivity commemorates a boat landing from the Berber pirates that was repelled by the population of the town.^[6]

Platja del Paradís in La Vila Joiosa, by the Mediterranean Sea.

Notable people

• Marta Baldó, rhythmic gymnast and Olympic Champion (1996, Atlanta)
• José Catalá, footballer
• Lucía Cortez Llorca, tennis player
• Maisa Lloret, rhythmic gymnast
• Felipe Orts, road and cyclo-cross cyclist
• Maxim Kuzminov, Russian defector and helicopter pilot found dead in Villajoyosa
• Anthony Jung, footballer who was born in Villajoyosa, Spain, to a German mother and Spanish father. He emigrated at the age of three with his divorced mother to Germany.

Twin towns

• Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine, France, since 1989
• Quesada, Spain, since 2006
• Bullas, Spain, since 2006