A Quick Guide on What to Do in Altea, Spain

The more I see of Spain, the more I want to come back and explore even more. After visiting the coastal areas of Andalusia and the Galician city of Vigo, the area that next rose to the top of my list was the ever-popular Costa Blanca. That is how the adorable hilltop city of Altea in Spain became one of my new favourite small European destinations.

Despite it being late autumn, I decided to make my way to this famous seaside region during my last trip to Spain. Rather than begin with the infamous resort destination of Benidorm, I opted to visit Altea nearby, hoping for a quiet retreat. While places like Altea on the Costa Blanca may be well known to Brits, it wasn’t somewhere I’d heard of before. That meant that the vintage charm and bountiful views of Altea were a wonderful surprise. Definitely one I think more people should have the joy of experiencing.

Let me just say that there are beaches in and near Altea, but I’m not going to focus on them for several reasons. So, if you want to read about the Altea Playa, it’s best you look elsewhere.

How to visit Altea

One of the nice things about Altea is that you have various options about how you choose to visit.

You can make a day trip from Benidorm or Calp, or stay in Altea itself. Either way, it’s relatively easy to do and won’t take much time.

The easiest way to reach Altea is to take the coastal light rail between Alicante, Benidorm, and Dénia. It’s cheap, comfortable, and easy. You have three stops for Altea, with the Garganes stop the most convenient for sightseeing, while the Altea stop is for the beaches.

If you’re coming from further away than that, first make your way to Alicante or Benidorm. Both have reasonably major bus stations with regional connections, while you can reach the Alicante train station from all over Spain.

Otherwise, rent a car and drive there. This will make it easier to explore the hinterland and drive up the coast to places like Calp and Denia.

Where to stay in Altea

For my short holiday in Altea, I actually stayed a little outside the city in an Airbnb with views of the Altea Hills. While closer to Cap Negret than the Old Town, it was a manageable walk into Altea and offered peaceful views of orange orchards. If you’re seeking peace and quiet and don’t need immediate beach access, it’s a lovely area to consider.

Most visitors, though, want to stay either around the old town or near the beach. Both make sense for sightseeing and convenience, and offer plenty of well-rated options:

• Maison Salva
• La Serena Boutique Hotel & Wellness
• Hotel Altea Paradise 1917
• Blue Sardine Hostal Boutique Altea

Things to do in Altea

With a better idea now of how to plan your Altea visit, let’s look at what it’s like sightseeing as a tourist.

Altea Old Town is where you want to start your sightseeing, but you can also fill your time with nearby attractions. For more specifics on what to do in Altea, whether you’re on a day trip from Benidorm or staying nearby to embrace its quieter nature, here’s where you should start.

Altea Old Town

While the modern city of Altea is fine, it pales in comparison to the city’s far more interesting Old Town.

Walk up the steep streets and stairways leading into the Altea Old Town, and you’ll immediately see why it’s so special. Narrow stone streets pass between bright whitewashed homes in the most pleasingly picturesque way. Tourists hoping to see the charming traditional side of Spain will not be disappointed, but may get a little turned around in its quaint maze.

Now, it’s important to emphasise that Altea, and especially the Old Town area, is not massive. You can comfortably wander all through it on foot if, like me, you can’t resist a good wander.

For a larger destination on the Costa Blanca, you’ll want to consider Alicante instead. But while small, Altea is undeniably scenic and sure to put a smile on your face as you soak up its fun and familial atmosphere.

Plaza de la Iglesia

The beating heart of Altea is the Old Town’s main square outside the city’s signature church, the Parroquia Nuestra Senora del Consuelo. Topped with a distinctive blue dome, the church is the most obvious point of reference for getting about town. But it was the square outside the church that really left an impression on me, as it was by far the liveliest place I saw in Altea.

Walking into the square on a weekend, it was really nice to see the square full of locals and families socializing. There were a few fellow tourists in the area, but the majority of the people there were local, giving it a vastly different feel than somewhere like Benidorm. Perhaps that was because I was there during the shoulder season, when Altea wasn’t completely overrun with crowds of holidaymakers.

Old Town viewpoints

Besides enjoying the town atmosphere, the other major reason to come to Plaza de la Iglesia is its prime vantage point in town.

Some of Altea’s best views are found on small terraces just off this square, making it a must-visit. Just as the church’s dome here can be spotted all along the coast, so too does this square enjoy views in both directions of the Costa Blanca.

From both Mirador de la Plaza de la Iglesia and El Mirador Blanco, you have the coastal scenery looking towards Serra Gelada Natural Park, a great place for nature walks. Another viewpoint that I managed to come across nearby offered a glimpse of the massive Peñón de Ifach limestone rock to the north.

These views alone make the effort of walking up the hill to the Old Town worth it.

Backstreets of the Old Town

Like in so many places, my favourite part of visiting Altea, though, was wandering about away from the main areas.

Sure, the church square and Carrer Sant Miguel – the main street in the Old Town – are pretty spots. But I just can’t resist getting lost among an organic mess of streets and stairways.

What’s nice is that even in a small town like Altea, it gets super quiet when you deviate from the town centre. Even just a block from the church, I found spots devoid of people and surprisingly quiet.

Away from distractions, it was easy to imagine Altea from a few centuries back, especially since it seems like not too much has changed in these parts.

I wasn’t able to find too much of note regarding Altea’s history. However, it did feel like a genuinely historic place rather than a cynical tourist trap. As such, there’s no reason to believe these homes haven’t been here for centuries, particularly since there’s so little modern development on the hill. Just another reason why I think a day trip to Altea from Benidorm is such a good idea.

Serra Gelada Natural Park

Altea Old Town isn’t the only place that makes Altea worth visiting. Yes, there are the many beaches nearby, but instead I’d like to focus on Serra Gelada Natural Park.

This nature park covers a towering, hilly peninsula just south of town. It starts as light woods down near L’Albir and opens up the higher you go, until reaching barren clifftops and the Far de l’Albir lighthouse. Besides the lighthouse, the park has ruins, a large cave, and plenty of exceptional views back to Altea.

Visitors hike to reach the highest point of the natural park, but it’s actually quite a gentle, pleasant trip. It takes 1.5-2 hours to complete this 5km return hike, although it runs longer the more you stop to enjoy the views.

To reach the trailhead, use the light rail to reach the El Albir station and walk through this small seaside resort. There’s also the #10 bus between L’Albir and Altea.

Unlike me, have you heard of the town of Altea in Spain before? Where else along the Costa Blanca would you recommend people visit and why? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.