Beautiful Altea
Altea is located on the Costa Blanca, slightly north of Benidorm. The beautiful artists’ and fishing village lies on the Mediterranean Sea, about 50 kilometers north of the city of Alicante and 130 kilometers south of Valencia. The Altea skyline is characterized by the old church on the central square. The church dates from the time of the Moors. The dome, executed in Byzantine style, has blue and white tile motifs. It is one of the symbols of the Costa Blanc Holidaymakers will find in Altea sun, sea, beach, a long seaside promenade and many restaurants and bars. Altea has beautiful white houses and a characteristic old center.
Old Altea
The history of Altea goes back centuries. The Iberians, Phoenicians, Muslims, Greeks and Romans have ruled and left their mark here. Altea has remained a charming town and still celebrates its old traditions and festivals. Important festivities are the Epiphany festival (January), the festival of the Moros y Christianos in February and September. In June Santa Trinidad is celebrated on the beach and in July Virgin del Carmen, patron saint of the great church, is honored. You can’t miss the big fireworks in August.
Around Altea
The Spanish Costa Blanca has everything for a great holiday. Culture, nature and beach. From your holiday home you can go in all directions. Make trips to Benidorm, Alicante, Moraira, Albir or Calpe, A little further away are the beautiful Javea and Denia. Inland you will find the mountains, beautiful nature and quiet villages. Also visit Guadelest.
Calpe
Calpe is approximately 10 kilometers above Altea, it is a nice place with a long boulevard and nice beaches. Characteristic of Calpe is the Peñon de Ifach, the large impressive rock off the coast of Calpe, from far away. The center of Calpe is beautiful: small streets and alleys, shops, cafes and restaurants. On the markets there is everything to see and buy, it is cozy. You can eat well in the various restaurants, if you like to go out you can go to one of the many bars or discos.
Parque Natural Peñon de Ifach
The Peñon de Ifach, the famous rock, is a natural park with beautiful flora and fauna. The 322 meter high rock can also be climbed. When you reach the top via the footpath, the reward is a beautiful view of the beach and port of Calpe!
Las Salinas van Calpe
Do visit Las Salinas, the saltwater lake in Calpe. This is the protected nature reserve in Calpe with many special birds, like flamingos.
Benidorm
In Benidorm you will find everything including 2 beautiful beaches, Poniente and Levante. Both beaches have a beautiful boulevard with many terraces and restaurants. Next to the “balcony” of Benidorm is another small beach: Mal Pas. From the “balcony” of Benidorm there is a beautiful view of the beaches and the sloping rock off the coast of the city. In the streets behind the boulevard are many nice shops where you can go shopping.
Going out in Benidorm
In Benidorm there are plenty of opportunities to go out and enjoy the nightlife. There are large and smaller discos, pubs with live music, brown bars, Irish bars, English pubs etc. etc.
Alicante
Alicante is the capital of the province of the same name Alicante (Alacant). The city is very old, evidence has been found that the city dates back to the 3rd century BC. existed. A striking feature of lively Alicante is the beautiful Santa Barbara castle on Mount Benacantil. This is one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. The complex is not only built on top of the mountain, but also covers a large part of the slopes.
The Explanada de Espana
The Explanada de España, the boulevard of Alicante, is one of the sights of Alicante. A visit to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is also a must. The baroque city hall of Alicante is located on this important square of Alicante. Furthermore, the Basilica de Santa Maria, and the museum of modern art, the Museo de Arte Siglo XX are certainly worth seeing. The city also offers everything that makes life pleasant: many nice shops, markets, a beautiful boulevard, marina, restaurants and terraces. Alicante is also the cultural center of the area with many events and “fiestas”. In the summer there are art markets and open air theater shows. The International Doll Festival in December attracts visitors from all over the world every year.
Guadelest
In the mountains, in the hinterland of Altea is the old village of Guadalest. The great thing about Guadalest is that it is integrated into the rocks. The unique village can only be reached through an entrance through the rocks. The Castell de Guadalest was therefore easy to defend. There are museums and historic buildings, ruins, souvenir shops and restaurants in or near Guadelest. Most sights are located within the old core.
Reservoir
Also the reservoir, Presa de Guadalest, makes the trip to the village very worthwhile. The reservoir (1963) has a dam of 77 meters height. The reservoir provides water for a large part of the province of Alicante. Cruises on the lake are possible. Guadelest is a 30-45 minute drive from Altea.
Activities
The possibilities to go out, to be active and to see beautiful things are unlimited.
Markets and shopping
In many places there is a weekly market or flea market, for example in Polop or Xalo. In Altea there is a large market on Tuesdays. Altea and its surroundings offer a lot for shopping, there are countless shops and covered shopping centers where you can buy everything.
Golf – Don Cayo Altea
Theme parks
Are you with children? Then go to the large water amusement park Aqualandia, to Mundomar, the animal park with beautiful shows of dolphins or to Terramitica, the large amusement park in Benidorm. There are knight parties, there is a Dinopark, there is a lot of choice.
Waterfalls and more …
In the special hinterland of Altea, for example, you can take a jeep safari. Discover the waterfalls of Algar, go to the Botanical garden in Elche, rent a jet ski in Altea, go diving or snorkeling.
More info:
Look for more info: they are happy to help you in the tourist office on the boulevard in Altea.