Villa rentals in Dénia: where to stay and how to book a legal holiday rental

Dénia is a port town in the Marina Alta, in the north of the province of Alicante, with its castle on a hill in the middle of the town. INE counted 47,261 residents on 1 January 2025.

The town centre and the port suit people who want shops, restaurants and the ferry terminal within walking distance. Les Marines, to the north, is a long run of sandy beach backed by homes and suits families who want to walk to the sand.

Les Rotes, to the south, is a rocky stretch of coast below the Montgó massif. The council's temporary suspension of new tourist homes in the town centre did not apply to Les Marines, Les Rotes or the Montgó, which is where most villas are.

The town's tourism site monitors bathing conditions on its beaches from June to September, which is the main beach season.

Outside those months the old town, the castle and the Montgó trails are quieter. For the weather in the days before your trip, the tourism site links to the AEMET forecast for Dénia.

The castle, above the town, houses the Archaeological Museum, and the town also has an Ethnological Museum, a Museum of the Sea and a toy museum in the old station.

UNESCO named Dénia a Creative City of Gastronomy in 2015. The Montgó Natural Park, on the edge of town, has walking trails, and Les Rotes is popular for snorkelling in clear water over seagrass meadows.

Dénia is in the Valencian Community, so every tourist home must be entered in the regional Registro de Turismo. Ask for the number before you pay a deposit.

Then look it up in the Generalitat's open register of tourist homes, which lists each home's number and municipality. The full checklist is in our holiday rentals guide, and the Costa Blanca guide compares Dénia with its neighbours.