Altea
A night, and stay in the old town rather than on the coast road. Two hours of walking covers it; the restaurants are why people linger.
The most attractive old town on the northern Costa Blanca — white lanes, a blue dome and the best light on this stretch of coast.
At a Glance
Altea's old town climbs a hill above the coast road in a stack of white houses and stepped streets, with the church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo on top under its blue-tiled dome. Below it the seafront has a pebble beach and a promenade of restaurants, and the town has drawn painters and northern European residents for decades. The Sierra de Bernia rises behind.
How it got here
Iberian and Roman settlements occupied this high ground for centuries, yet the present form of the town emerged under Islamic rule. The defensive walls encircled the hilltop until the town fell to the forces of James I of Aragon during the thirteenth century. Following the Christian conquest, the settlement grew under the lordship of the Admiral of Aragon, Roger de Lauria. Pirates from the Mediterranean frequently raided the coast in subsequent centuries, which dictated the stone-built construction and the narrow, defensive layout of the streets that persist in the old quarter today.
Where it sits
The town dominates a volcanic outcrop that drops toward the Mediterranean. Behind the peak, the Sierra de Bernia creates a wall of limestone that blocks the prevailing winds. The humidity of the coast softens the climate during winter months while summer temperatures remain tempered by sea breezes. Olive and almond trees fill the dry terraces surrounding the town. Roads from the inland plains funnel traffic toward the coast, turning the town into a quiet place in January and a crowded thoroughfare by August.
What to eat and drink
Rice defines the local diet, prepared as arroz a banda, where the grains absorb a rich fish stock and arrive with a side of allioli. The nearby inland mountains provide produce for guiso de trigo, a hearty stew of wheat, pork, and legumes once common among laborers. Sweet, syrupy turrón from the neighboring province of Alicante appears in local markets, often made with toasted almonds and orange blossom honey. Wines from the Marina Alta vineyards, particularly the light, dry whites made from the Moscatel grape, provide the standard pairing for these coastal plates.
Valencia: the whole region
A long, hot, flat coast with one excellent city at its centre and much emptier country behind it. Valencia itself earns three days on its own — the old town, the Central Market, the City of Arts, and the rice that was invented in the…
Minimum 3 days · better 5-6 days · deep 8-10 days
In Valencia
In Valencia
In Valencia
Logistics are verified only. We don't publish schedules we haven't confirmed.
Experiences worth booking ahead
- Excursion to Guadalest, Altea and entrance to the Fuentes del Algar4.6 (154)11 hrsFrom €47
- Guadalest and Altea Day Trip from Alicante or Benidorm4.9 (32)From €42
- Alicante : Kayaking adventure through Morro de Toix and Cueva Coloms4.7 (27)4 hrsFrom €50
- Guadalest, Altea & Algar Waterfalls Day Trip from Valencia4.5 (22)From €55
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