Oliva, Valencia, Spain

Oliva is a town in the Safor area in the Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. To its east lies 10 km of coastline and beaches fronting the Mediterranean Sea.

Boasting over 300 days of sunshine each year the mild winters, and pleasant summers, more bearable than further south, mean the 10 km of golden clean beaches can be enjoyed for most of the year. The beaches are easily accessible by a 20 minute walk through the vast orange groves, a 5 minute drive, or a bus from the town centre.

Oliva can easily be accessed via the N332 coastal road and also from the A-7 motorway.
By road: The connections by road is the Mediterranean motorway A-7, exit (salida) 61. The main road N-332 connects Oliva with Alicante and Valencia.

By rail: The train only gets to Gandia, from here there are regular bus lines to Oliva during the whole day.

By air: The nearest airport is located in Manises (Valencia), approximately 80 km. from Oliva. Another alternative is the El Altet airport in Alicante, 120 km. away.

Oliva is steeped in history with its Moorish castle remains, a maze of narrow cobbled streets, one street built into the hillside dates back to the 16th century, as well as the two beautiful blue domed churches. The churches and castle are illuminated at night, making the skyline a sight not to be missed. You may also be lucky enough to catch one of the many traditional fiestas as they pass through the streets. For example in July there is the Moors and Christians Festival, depicting the historic past of the area, with fantastic costumes and firework finale.

Oliva Market

There is a weekly market which runs the length of the Paseo in Oliva. The stall-holders travel around the region and offer everything from lace and footwear, to dried fruit and fish. It is a splendid sight and is held every Friday morning – but sometimes on Thursdays if the Friday clashes with a Fiesta!

The price of food is often very reasonable. There are specialist stalls that sell all kinds of things like herbs, garlic, eggs, mushrooms and olives (do try the olives).

You can also by shoes, leather goods, clothing and various trinkets. Away from the food stalls never accept the first price you are quoted …haggle!

In the newer part of the town you will find a covered market, selling fresh meat, fruit and vegetables as well as super-markets, bakers and plenty of shops to meet all your needs.

Fiestas in Oliva

Oliva has one of the provinces biggest and most colourful Moor and Christian Festivals in the province. Oliva celebrates its festival of Moors and Christians from around mid July.

One of the most distinguished acts of the festive week is the ‘Day of the Entry’ which is celebrated on the Friday. The captains, ambassadors and standard-bearers, along with other festive protagonists, parade in sensational costumes, and provide an exceptional spectacle of colour and music. Later the disembarkation is represented with the landing of the Moorish Emissary whilst the Christians wait on the coast where the battle is interpreted with fireworks. On Saturday evening a curious spectacle takes place, a living chess game is disputed between the two armies. The last of the representations is the “Reconquest of the Castle” on behalf of the Christians who fight to re-conquer the castle. The struggles finish on Sunday with the ‘Day of the Brotherhood’ and a great parade.

Fiestas of the Cristo de San Roque The fiestas of the Cristo de San Roque have been celebrated in Oliva since the 17th century. In these fiestas, celebrated on May 3, we can enjoy a great number of acts representative of our most ancient traditions. At the “pregón”, with all the revellers dressed in traditional style, the start of the fiesta is announced to the whole town. A Novena is celebrated in the chapel of the Cristo, considered a jewel of the baroque because of the symbolism and beauty of the paintings covering its central vault. In the streets there are fiestas for everyone: theatre and children’s events, thrilling games of the Valencian ballgame “pelota”, colourful fancy-dress parades and, of course, the lively parties that fill our streets with revelry and fun. The fiesta ends with a solemn procession in honour of the Santísimo Cristo.

Places to see in Oliva

In the old town there are two churches, Sant Roc and Santa Maria la Mayor. Sant Roc dates from to the 18th-19th centuries and Santa Maria to the 17th-18th centuries. At the top of the hill in the old town is Santa Ana Castle, built in the 16th century.

Oliva and its surroundings offer a huge variety of things to do and places to visit. The main magnets for foreign visitors are sun and golf but there’s much more to this area which is rich in history and culture as well as being right on the doorstep of some of Spain’s biggest tourist attractions.

Explore the town’s back streets and learn about its rich Roman and Moorish past through the museums, churches and monuments which proliferate in the old Christian and Arab quarters. In Calle Santisimo in the town centre you can see the remains of a Roman kiln from the first century AD. It was once part of a pottery which produced ceramics and building material.

The archaeological museum, a 16th century former manorial home of historic and architectural interest in itself, houses exhibits from prehistory to the 16th century charting the region’s domination by the Iberians, Romans and Moors.

At the junction of Calle La Abadia and Calle Las Torres you’ll find the 16th century tower which formed part of the old defence wall which once surrounded the town. And dominating the town from the summit of the Santa Ana mountain is the old castle (an impressive sight when lit up at night).

Oliva has a number or residential urbanisations: Tossal Gros, Panarama I, Panorama II, Oliva Nova and Buena Vista.

Please click here for more tourist information, weather forecasts and maps for Oliva, Valencia.

Oliva Nova Golf Course and Resort

The focal point of international tourism here is the Oliva Nova Golf and Country Club (easily spotted from the A7 motorway and national coastal road due to its giant golf ball which dominates the skyline!) The four star Oliva Nova hotel is flanked by the beach on one side and the 18-hole Seve Ballesteros designed golf course on the other. The club has an American-style 73 par course and its fairways are lined with holiday villas. There are full practice facilities and a pitch and putt training area. Other facilities include a golf school, tennis courts and a football pitch.

More information on the Oliva Nova Golf Resort and Urbanisation here

UK TV in Oliva – how to receive UK TV in Oliva

The Sat and PC Guy installs and maintains Digital Satellite Television Systems, for reception of UK TV in Oliva.

Reception of satellite TV channels from the BBC an ITV can be achieved using a minimum of a 110x120cm satellite dish or the recommended 125x135cm satellite dish.

We install Digital Terrestrial Television, TDT, Spain Freeview for Spanish TV reception in Oliva. Depending on your location to the TDT transmitters, you can receive around 30 digital television channels, with the option change the language on many programmes into English.