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23 Things to do in Altea, Spain: must do + original spots
Escrito porBeaActualizado:
The things to do in Altea (Spain) go beyond what you can expect at first sight. That is because this charming town in Alicante has a lot to offer to travelers.
This destination located next to the Mediterranean, with white houses on top of the hill and a church with blue domes towering over everything, is one of the most stunning places we have been to lately.
Even though Altea is a small town with a population of less than 25 thousand, it is extremely touristy. Still, you can enjoy a dosage of tranquility in many of its picturesque streets (if you avoid peak season).
I’m going to tell you which are the must-see places in Altea and its surroundings and other not-so-typical things to do.
3 quick tips for visiting Altea 🛌🏾 We recommend this hotel just a few metres from the beach and in the centre of Altea. 🚶🏾♂️ Whether you visit Altea in one day or stay there, book this free tour in advance. You will tour the centre and get to know a lot of interesting facts about Altea. ⭐ Book your transfer to Altea in advance here.
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Things to do in Altea & Places to visit
1. Nuestra Señora del Consuelo church
We are, without a doubt, before the symbol of Altea. The Nuestra Señora del Consuelo Church has blue domes with white details that can be seen miles away thanks to being at the highest point of the town.
The current church was built at the end of the 19th century on the traces of the original church that dates from the 17th century, and it is undoubtedly one of the must-see places in Altea.
The square where the church is has many restaurants where you can have something to eat with spectacular views of the surroundings.
The domes of the Church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo
2. Portal Vell and Portal Nou
Today, there are two access doors to what was the fortified enclosure: Portal Vell (or Puerta Vieja, that is, Old Gate) and Portal Nou (or Puerta Nueva, that is, New Gate).
The prettiest of the two is Puerta Vieja. At the entrance you can see mosaics written on them by Altean poet Martinez Orozco, who lived many years in Buenos Aires, and that I’ll transcribe (and translate) below because we thought it was lovely:
Tourist, you who curiously roam our planet, stop and climb up to this square that is the crown jewel of Altea. And from the balcony at the edge of its plateau, you will see a piece of Eden enclosed by the graceful Bernia. And you will believe to see a fragment of heaven, here on earth. Perhaps the climb tires you, but it’s truly worth it!
3. San Miguel Street, the most photogenic of Altea
Altea has many pretty streets, but specifically San Miguel Street, only 250 meters long, is where you can get the typical picture of Altea, with the street lined with white houses and, in the background, the church of Consuelo with its blue tiles.
Beyond the well-known postcard, the street itself is very photogenic along its entire length.
San Miguel street
4. Cronistas de España, a must-visit spot in Altea
On one of the corners of the Church Square, we find this viewpoint with spectacular views of Altea, the sea, the hills of the Serra Gelada Natural Park, and the Albir beach in the background.
Also, being in the liveliest area of Altea, there’s usually a musician playing instruments or street artists around.
5. Discovering the best views of Altea from its viewpoints
If there’s something special about Altea, it’s that it has several places from which to enjoy beautiful views, both of the Mediterranean Sea and the Sierra de Bernia.
In addition to Cronistas de España mentioned before, other viewpoints in Altea that are definitely worth it are:
Old Gate Viewpoint: Right in front of the Old Gate, you’ll find this viewpoint from where you can see the entire Sierra de Bernia. It offers a wide and different view compared to most other viewpoints in Altea (as the rest usually overlook the Mediterranean), but there’s a small detail: many cables pass nearby, which slightly detract from the panoramic view.
Glorieta del Maño: Where the House of the Lordship used to be, protecting the nearby mouth of the Algar River, today we have the Glorieta del Maño. This is one of the viewpoints in Altea with the most beautiful views, as you can see the new city and in the background, the mountain range. You can even see the Peñón de Ifach, an iconic spot to visit in Calpe, just a few kilometers from Altea.
Buenavista Street: With that name, we can already imagine a bit about what this street is like, right? It’s less than 200 meters long, but it offers spectacular views almost along its entire route since the houses are only on one side, and on the other side, the views. It’s like a narrow and extensive viewpoint towards the sea.
Francisco Martínez y Martínez Square: Located at the bottom of the Santa Bárbara staircase, you’ll find the renowned “white viewpoint,” our favorite viewpoint in Altea. Why is that? Because it’s shaded by trees (which is greatly appreciated, especially in summer, even if it’s just a couple of trees!) and it offers one of the most extensive views of Altea. From here, you can see the entire bay of the Mediterranean Sea, from Benidorm in the distance to Peñon Ifach de Calpe in the opposite direction.
Views of Altea
6. Exploring the historic center of Altea
There are many small streets worth wandering, picturesque and some with beautiful views of the hills and the sea. Some of these streets include Calle Mayor, Calle Concepción, Calle Jesús, Calle Santa Barbara, or Calle Fornet.
To get to know this area better, we recommend that you read the article we wrote about the walking tour through the Altea Old Town.
Views of the old town of Altea
7. Altea’s most charming squares
Throughout Altea, there are small squares, many of which are worth stopping to admire the buildings around them.
For example, some of the squares we consider essential to see in Altea are:
Church Square: Next to Altea’s symbol, it’s the liveliest square.
Tónico Ferrer Square: It’s the first square you’ll come across when passing through the Old Gate. It’s small but very pretty with its citrus trees and bars.
Town Hall Square: Truth be told, the square isn’t particularly special, but here you’ll be in the heart of modern Altea. In addition to the Town Hall, the square is surrounded by bars, shops, and banks. And if you visit the city in December, this is where you’ll see Altea’s Christmas tree.
8. Seaside Promenade
Altea’s seaside promenade, or the Mediterranean Promenade, runs along the city’s coastline, passing by Espigón Beach and Bol Beach.
There are plenty of restaurants and bars with sunny terraces where you can sit and enjoy a drink or a meal with sea views.
Seafront promenade in Altea
9. Altea’s Markets
If you enjoy visiting markets, in Altea you can go to the Fruit and Vegetable Market held on Tuesday mornings.
If you visit Altea on another day of the week, the Municipal Market located in the center is small, but it has some butcher shops and greengrocers. It opens from Monday to Saturday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm.
10. Bellaguarda Neighborhood
Located to the north of the old town of Altea, it’s a neighborhood of low houses where we can find Canterería Square and Bellaguarda Tower, from where you can get beautiful views of the historic center.
11. Altea harbour & marina
The marina is one of the must-see places in Altea, as it offers good views of the boats and the backdrop of the mountains.
National and international sailing championships are often held here.
Also, if we enter through the breakwater, halfway we will have views of the hill with the old town of Altea and the church on top.
But the best part of the marina is to hire a boat trip to see Altea from the sea – a must-do!
Right in the center, you’ll find two very beautiful beaches, Bol Beach and Espigón Beach.
Keep in mind that the beaches are not sandy, like the beaches in Benidorm or Calpe beaches, for example. Altea’s beaches are pebbly and are more uncomfortable to walk on. In Olla Beach, a bit more distant, the Castell de l’Olla is celebrated in August with fireworks.
We have an article about the best beaches in Altea where you can read more about them.
13. Boat trip to see Altea from the Sea
Boat trips are not available all year round, but if you visit the city between March and October, it’s a must-do in Altea, as you can enjoy a unique panoramic view from the sea, with the white houses of the village on the hill, its church, and the mountains in the background.
There are several options for boat trips, from simple alternatives that just take you for a ride to others that include lunch:
If you’re tired of walking amidst so much concrete and are looking for a more natural environment, the trails along the Algar River can be a good option.
It’s a protected area and an ideal spot for birdwatching. The paths are well kept, with informative panels about the species inhabiting the river estuary, and there are even sections that are part of the Altea trails: Camins de Altea (you can download the brochure with the routes from the town’s tourism website).
15. Explore Some Palatial Villas
In the late 19th century, the upper bourgeoisie built some holiday villas in the L’Olla area, by the sea, such as:
Villa Gadea: During the Spanish Civil War, it was used as a residence for refugee children from Madrid, and in the 1960s, the Spain Festivals were held in its gardens. Some rooms can be accessed as there is now a free museum, but we didn’t understand much as everything was in Valencian.
Villa García: Next to the sea, this villa was the summer residence of the tenor Sagi Barba and his wife Luisa Vela.
Villa Garcia in Altea
16. Discover bunkers, an original activity in Altea
In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, 8 bunkers were built along the coast of Altea as coastal defenses, although they were never put into service, since their purpose was to deter.
Today, 3 remain: two can be seen in L’Olla and Cap Negret, and another is submerged in Cap Blanc.
17. Enjoy a Music Festival
If you like blues and visit Altea in June, then you’re in luck! Every year in that month, the Altea Blues Festival is held in Plaza del Agua.
Otherwise, in the Eucalyptus Park at El Albir beach (5 km south of Altea), L’Alfàs en Jazz takes place every year in September.
18. Discover a volcanic landscape
Did you know that in Altea there’s a volcanic landscape of great geological value? Because we didn’t, and we were extremely surprised to discover it during one of our walks along the coast.
Cap Negret is a site of volcanic rocks that correspond to the neck of an ancient submarine volcano that erupted 220 million years ago when the world was a single supercontinent called Pangea that began to split, and this volcanic outcrop is evidence of that time. Amazing, right?
Snorkeling in this area is one of the best things to do in Altea.
Trails and activities to do in Altea
If you enjoy walking, you’re in our club! I’ll share with you some activities to do in Altea and the surrounding areas because we found it difficult to find information about the available alternatives and the condition of the trails.
Just so you know, these are easy trails to do with the whole family. If you’re looking for more challenging paths, an option could be the Peñón de Ifach in Calpe, a few kilometers from Altea.
19. Walk to l’Olla
This route is entirely urban. For the most part, there’s a coastal walkway, where you can even see bunkers used during the Spanish Civil War.
The worst part is from the bridge over the Algar River to the Cap Negret hotel, as there’s no path along the coast, and you have to walk next to the road, which has heavy traffic. You could also walk along the beach if it’s low tide, but since it’s rocky, it’s a bit uncomfortable.
Walk to L’Olla
20. Mascarat Canyon
To do this route, you’ll have to go to the Mascarat area, north of Altea.
The trail is very short, and although it starts on the beach, it can also be started from a descent next to the bridge. Keep in mind that it’s rocky, with large stones, and it’s advisable to wear sturdy shoes.
The landscape is spectacular, and you can see the Mascarat bridges high above.
21. Walk to El Albir
A few kilometers from Altea is Albir Beach. It’s one of the most beautiful in the area, and the atmosphere is very relaxed, although not very local, as most are expatriates who decided to move to this area of the Costa Blanca.
While you can get there by car or tram, a good plan is to walk along the sea.
The coastal walk extends from the center of Altea, passing through the port to Albir. You could even do it by bike, as there is a bike path.
Once in Albir, the sunset hike to the lighthouse is a good plan to do near Altea and is suitable for the whole family.
What to see near Altea
In addition to this list of things to do in Altea, there are other activities and places to visit in the surrounding areas.
22. Russian Orthodox Church
The Church of St. Michael the Archangel is about 5 kilometers from the center of Altea.
But keep in mind that you will need a vehicle to visit it, as it is not pedestrian-friendly and is in a remote area. In fact, we couldn’t go for this reason, but we saw it from the tram!
23. Visit Altea la Vella
At 5 km, Altea la Vella or Old Altea has a smaller historic center than Altea’s, but it’s also very picturesque.
Route 2 of the Altea Trails is circular and connects Altea with Altea la Vella on an 8 km route.
Excursions from Altea
If you have several days in Altea, there are plenty of towns and villages to visit near Altea, either on your own or with a guided tour. Some good options are:
Even if you enjoy visiting bigger cities, you could take a day trip to Alicante on the tram or book a tour to go to Valencia.
And finally, we leave you with a video of Altea from above, which when we saw it inspired us to get to know this unique place on the Costa Blanca.
Tips for visiting Altea
Is it worth visiting Altea?
Absolutely! Altea on the Costa Blanca is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Spain and offers a stark contrast to nearby cities with large buildings, such as Benidorm or Calpe.
When is the best time to visit Altea?
Any time is good to visit Altea town, but, if possible, we recommend avoiding the summer months, as being one of the most beautiful towns in Alicante, it gets a lot of tourism during the high season. It’s also ideal to go on weekdays instead of weekends for the same reason.
We visited out of season and were able to enjoy Altea peacefully, as people only stayed in the area around the Church or Calle San Miguel, leaving many other streets empty for us.
However, if your plan is to make the most of the beaches in Altea, you’ll need to go between May and October.
How many days would I need to visit Altea?
Altea town is very small, so half a day would be enough to explore it. In the article about the Altea old town we explain a walking tour to optimise your time.
But the reality is that the town is so picturesque and charming that we assure you, if you spend more days, you won’t regret it.
You could base yourself in Altea, which has many charming accommodations, or if you’re looking for more activity, an alternative would be to stay in Benidorm and visit Altea for the day.
Views of Altea, Spain
Map of what to do in altea
I hope this Altea travel guide was useful to plan your trip. Do you have other suggestions for cool things to do in Altea, Spain, that I missed? Let me know in the comments!
Bea
¡Hola! Soy Bea, creadora de Viajar Viviendo. Llevo 17 años viajando de forma independiente, diseñando mis propios itinerarios de viaje al detalle por más de 40 países y contándolo en este blog para ayudarte a organizar los tuyos.
Viajera a tiempo parcial, nómada digital, viajera a tiempo completo, expatriada. Muchas vidas distintas, todas con algo en común: el amor por los viajes. Mientras trabajo de mi profesión, disfruto de caminar, la naturaleza, la fotografía, el verde de los arrozales y la comida italiana en todas sus variantes.
