Altea Beaches: Which is the best beach in Altea, Spain?
Which are the best Altea beaches? Is it true that they are stone beaches or is there any sand beach in Altea? If you’re about to visit this beautiful location of the white coast, in this post I’m going to tell you which are the prettiest beaches and coves that you shouldn’t miss.
Come with us on this trip around the beaches from downtown to the furthest ones. Let’s start!
The 3 Beaches in Altea downtown
In downtown Altea, you’ve got three beaches to check out: Bol and Espigón Beaches, right in the busiest area, and Roda Beach down south, before hitting the port.
Since 2016, Altea has been fixing up its urban beaches, making them wider to protect against storms and giving tourists more space to chill by the sea.
👌 Would you like to stay in this area to be close to the Altea beaches and the centre? Then check out these flats, with a great location and great value for money.
1. Espigón beach
Espigón Beach or Playa de L’Espigó Beach, is in the most centric area. Up north, it’s by the Algar River mouth, and down south, it’s separated from Bol Beach by a breakwater.
It’s on the promenade, a must-visit spot in Altea.
Covered in pebbles, it’s sheltered by two breakwaters, so the water’s always calm. It’s got a blue flag and is considered one of Altea’s top beaches.
2. Bol beach
Right in the heart of Altea, Bol Beach also sits along the promenade.
Back in 2022, they had a vote to pick its name, and “El Bol” won.
When we visited, it was still being widened, so we can’t really give a review yet, but we’re sure it’ll be pretty similar to Espigón Beach.
3. La Roda beach
La Roda Beach is a wide stone beach that is a good option to visit in peak season, since it’s not sandy and it’s wide, it has a lot of room.
As for the water, when getting in the sea it gets pretty deep close to the shore, so if you’re traveling with kids you have to mind this.
The coastal walk in this area is very pretty, ample and tree-covered, with benches overlooking the sea.
📍 Near this beach there’s a recommended accommodation called Ocean Lounge, which is close to the port and has different types of rooms to choose from.
Other Altea beaches to visit
4. Cala del Soi and Fossil Beach of Cap Negret
Cap Negret is a group of volcanic rocks. Cala del Soi and Fossil beach are up north from Cap Negret.
Fossil beach is not sandy as it is, as its name suggests, made of fossilized remains.
Fossil beach of Cap Negret and the volcanic outcrop were declared a Natural Monument in 2020. According to professionals, these volcanic rocks are the neck of an old submarine volcano that erupted 200 millions of years ago.
It is, without a doubt, one of the best beaches in Altea to snorkel and enjoy the sea biodiversity.
5. Cap Negret beach
This beach is a little less than a kilometer long; it goes from the mouth of Rio Algar to Cap Negret. That is, from Cap Negret to the south.
It is a pebble beach. Since there is some building on the seafront, there’s only a couple of access to the beach.
A fun fact is that there’s a bunker dating back to the Spanish Civil War, although it is not the only one in this area. Anyways, the conservation state is pretty awful.
📍 The best place to sleep in this area is hands down Cap Negret Hotel, right by the beach and with every service, apart from being a short distance by car from downtown Altea.
6. Cap Blanc beach
Cap Blanc Beach divides into Cap Blanc North and Cap Blanc South.
To the north it’s next to the nautic club of Altea and to the south it’s next to Albir beach in Alfaz del Pi, which you don’t even tell when you go from one beach to the other if it wasn’t for the signs that say where a jurisdiction ends and where the other one starts.
The north part has bigger stones and the beach is narrower and with a great slope. When the tide goes up, there’s almost no beach left.
There’s a beach bar called Tsunami, where you can grab a bite or something to drink by the sea (if you can find a spot, because it is usually packed.)
However, the south beach is more beautiful to hang out, with a wider beach strip and a nice walk by the sea.
7. Playa de la Olla beach
This beach is in a more tranquil area than the other beaches in Altea.
It is a pebble beach and it is pretty narrow.
Since we went there out of season, there were many accumulated remains of oceanic seagrass, which we know is not dirt and it is actually life, it still didn’t look that nice.
What we liked about Playa la Olla beach the most is the walk by the sea. It is rustic and calm, from where you can see some fishing boats and even a bunker from the Spanish Civil War times.
📍 In this area there’s one of the best hotels in Altea, so, if you’re looking for tranquility, comfort and amazing pools, maybe SH Villa Gadea could be the perfect fit.
8. Playa del Mascarat
It is the northest beach in Altea.
This area has a lot of buildings which, to us, ruins the landscape. Years ago it should’ve had a jaw-dropping natural environment, but today there’re buildings that almost touch the sea.
Mascarat Beach is not one of our favorites in Altea, but we do acknowledge that it is a good choice for snorkeling.
If you enjoy walking, there are a couple of places near this beach. You could follow the trail that goes to Barranco or Cañon del Mascarat. At the beginning you can go between lines of pine trees or you could follow the asphalted road to the bridge, where you have to go down to see the canyon.
The trail is short but mind that it is stoney and there could be rockfalls. You could also visit the ruins of the Castle of Mascarat. To get there, there are ropes that will help you go up.
In this area, instead of hotels, it is more common to rent apartments that overlook the sea (check out this flat), but bear in mind that you need a car.
9. Cala del Racó del Corb
Located in the Mascarat area, the access to this cove is a little bit more complicated, since you can only get on foot going down a stony trail.
It is considered one of the prettiest coves in Altea, since on the far north there’s the Morro de Toix cliff from where you can get an amazing landscape.
10. Beach for dogs
When walking along the beaches in Altea, you can see signs indicating it is prohibited to access the beaches with pets.
So, we asked ourselves: Isn’t there a beach where you can go with your pets?
And the answer is yes: the beach for dogs in Altea. So, we went there to see it.
Honestly, it is pretty far from the city. It is north of the la Olla beach that I’ve already mentioned.
Even though the beach is not particularly pretty, it has its pros. For example, the environment and the pet-friendly beach bar with cool views, great food and even a menu for dogs.
As for the environment, there’s a building nearby that, even though from afar looks like a church, is Villa Gadea, a beach house from the XIX century. The prettiest things are the parks around it, where there are benches under the shade of the trees and with views to the sea.
Beaches near Altea
Near Altea you can find other beaches that are just as worthy, such as Albir beach or some of the several beaches of Calpe with fine sand.
If you’re looking for more of a “big city” vibe, you could go to the beaches in Benidorm, which is 15 minutes by car from Altea and it offers fun activities and bars that open all year round.
Excursions
Most excursions are related to water activities, so they are not available all year round, only during the summer and some even from March to November.
You can go on a catamaran trip with barbecues or at sunset, and also on kayak for the more adventurous. We suggest you check the links to see if they will be available when you go to visit the beaches in Altea:
- Catamaran trip with barbecue on board.
- Sunset cruise (includes a glass of wine).
- Kayak trip in the sierra de toix area.
- Cruise along the bay of Altea to the Serra Gelada Park.
Map of the Best Altea Beaches
FAQs about the beaches and coves in Altea
What are the beaches in Altea like?
The coves and beaches are pebble, with clear waters and, in general, with few waves.
Are there sandy beaches?
No, the beaches in Altea are stony. So, if you’re looking for sandy beaches we recommend the beaches in Benidorm or Calpe beaches, both pretty near Altea.
What should I bring?
Given that they are stony beaches, you should bring water shoes so it’s more comfortable to walk on the beach and avoid hurting your feet.
Which is the prettiest beach in Altea?
This is very personal, but to us the prettiest beach in Altea is la Roda because it is wide and so close to downtown. We also liked Cap Negret beach and Cap Blanc beach, although they are a bit further away.
I hope this guide to Altea beaches was useful to plan your trip. Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments! (continue reading about all the things to do in Altea, Spain),
