The wine is cheap.
Fact, in both stores and restaurants. We discovered the joys of the Spanish sparkling wine called cava, but there are plenty of options for all palettes. In the town of Jalón, there’s an amazing bodega where you can bring your own container and, after tasting samples, fill up from enormous wooden casks using a hose like the ones used to pump gas. 

The hiking is excellent.
Fact. Costa Blanca is popular among walkers, as the Brits call hikers, and the local trails make great bad-weather alternatives or rest-day outings. A superb evening hike is the trail up the backside of the Peñon d’Ifach in Calpe (same as the descent route from the climbs). Tunnels and steep limestone shelves lead to an amazing sunset view over the coastline and fishing boats returning to the port. 

We also did a fantastic half-day hike starting in Castell de Castells and climbing through olive groves to a Moorish fortification called Serella on the summit of a limestone pinnacle 3,400 feet above the sea. Several guidebooks to Costa Blanca walks (available from Amazon.com) will lead you to this and similar hikes.