PEÑÓN DE IFACH

When you think of Calpe, you think of Peñon de Ifach! This 300 meter high limestone rock rises above the Mediterranean Sea and can be seen from miles around. The rock is not only impressive to see, but also has very special flora and fauna. This is unique for the Costa Blanca. From the harbor you can start a hike up. Once you are on top of the rock, you have a great view, on clear days you can see Ibiza! Put on good shoes for the climb and bring enough water and sunscreen.

The old city

The old part of the city is located on a hill. Follow the main shopping street and then turn left at Plaza de la Constitución to reach the old town.

Calpe used to be a fishing village with a city wall to protect the inhabitants against pirates from North Africa. Today you can explore the historic center with its picturesque cobblestone streets and decorated staircases. You can taste local specialties in restaurants such as Casa Mola and Los Dos Cañones.

TORREÓ DE LA PEÇA

If you stay in Calpe you must have visited the Torreó de la Peça. This medieval tower is located in the center of the town and was of crucial importance for the protection of Calpe around the 15th century. This tower and the surrounding walls are in good condition and were completely restored in 1981. If you want to know more there is a museum within the walls.

Also visit the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves Church, the History and Archeology Museum and several murals and mosaics by Gastón Castelló, an artist from Alicante. Especially the mural on the tourist office, a reflection of how Castelló sees Calpe, looks spectacular.

AN AUTHENTIC FISHING VILLAGE

The port of Calpe is located under the large rock Peñón de Ifach. Calpe was originally a fishing village and today the fishing port is still very active. At the end of the afternoon, the many fishing boats return to the harbor to immediately sell their catch at the auction. Individuals can also participate in this auction. Very nice to experience! In addition to fishing boats, there are also many catamarans and other boats in the harbor, with which you can make a trip across the sea. There are many luxury yachts in the adjacent marina Real Club Nautico Calpe. There is also the old fishing port of Puerto Blanco. Nowadays there are also yachts here and you can enjoy a drink.

Attend a fish auction

Calpe's fish auction is a must see. It is a symbolic event that gives you the chance to take a look at Calpe's historic local fishery. You can attend the fish auction every Monday and Friday at 5 p.m. Place of appointment is the fish market in the harbor.

The fish auction always follows a fixed pattern. Local fishing boats come ashore in a certain order established by the fishing society. The fish is placed in boxes and placed on conveyor belts so that the merchandise appears before the eyes of potential buyers. In the meantime, the public receives information about the products on various screens. Even the name of the boat that caught the fish appears on these screens. If a buyer wants to make an offer, they can express their interest by pressing a red button on a remote control. After a purchase, the fish is placed in ice and transported to the buyer. No fish is lost, as the remaining fish is bought by the fishing society at a discounted rate.

 

LAS SALINAS

Between the buildings of Calpe lies the saltwater lake Las Salinas, which was created by the old salt mines of Calpe. These salt mines were the economic center of Calpe until 1970. The salt was used to preserve the many fish caught in Calpe and was also exported to other parts of Europe. The saltwater lake is now a protected natural area. There are many special species of animals, including flamingos.

Beaches

There are a lot of beautiful beaches around Calpe. The most famous are the sandy beaches Playa Arenal and Playa Levante. Playa Arenal is the largest and there is the most to experience. You can rent parasols and sunbeds, but also practice many different water sports. In addition, there is a pleasant boulevard. The small pebble beach Les Bassetes and the pebble beach Raconada del Port are especially popular with divers and snorkelers

Arena Bol

The most popular beach in Calpe is Arena Bol. This beach is a real city beach and is equipped with all amenities. There are sun beds and umbrellas for rent, there are showers and toilets, there is a lifeguard with first aid and you can recover from swimming in one of the many bars and restaurants that run along the beach. The beach consists of fine sand and has a view of Peñón de Ifach. In addition, Arena Bol has been awarded a blue flag, the symbol of a clean and safe beach.

Playa de la Fossa (Playa Levante)

On the other side of the Peñón de Ifach is the beautiful Playa de la Fossa. This beach is known as the most child-friendly beach in Calpe. You will find several playgrounds at Playa de la Fossa and you can play football and volleyball there. In addition, the sand here is fine, there are several lifeguards and the beach is a bit further from the center. As a result, you will encounter fewer young people here, which ensures a quieter beach visit.

El Racó

This small bay is located directly at the foot of the Peñón de Ifach, which provides a beautiful view under water. The underwater part of the rock attracts many species of aquatic plants and fish, turning the bay into a paradise for divers.

 

SPORTS

Biking

Calpe is an excellent cycling destination for several reasons: an average annual temperature of 19°C, a fantastic, rolling landscape and a beautiful view of the sea. The roads around Calpe therefore attract many enthusiasts and amateurs, but also professional cycling teams who choose the city as a base for a training camp. Calpe and the surrounding area are also often visited in the Vuelta de España, the largest multi-day cycling race in Spain.

You can rent a bike from Vuelta Turistica, next to the Diamante Beach hotel. They have a wide range of racing bikes, but you can also go for an electric bike. Vuelta Turistica also provides guided cycling tours, making your trip to Calpe an unforgettable cycling adventure.

Vuelta Turistica

Av. Rosa de los Vientos 7,

03710 Calp,

Alicante, Spanje

https://www.vuelta-turistica.com

info@vueltaturistica.com

Tel.: +34 654 173 023 (Jurgen Van Goolen)

 

Baguet Cycling Center

Av de los Ejércitos Españoles 43

03710 Calpe

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=serge+baguet+calpe&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Tel.: +34 622 68 92 21

 

Caffee Cadanz – Cycling Stories (They deliver the bikes at your home!)

Ctra. Moraira a Calpe 121

03724 Moraira

Alicante, Spanje

https://www.caffeecadanz.com

hello@caffeecadanz.com

Tel.: +34 695 36 58 61 (Inge Van den Broeck)

 

 

WATERSPORTS

Water sports enthusiasts will be in seventh heaven in Calpe! You will find a very extensive range, so you will probably spend a large part of your holiday on or in the water. Cala Les Bassetes is perhaps the place par excellence for water sports. There is a small harbor and two water sports centers: Diving Center Les Bassetes and Water Sports Center Las Antipodas. In Cala Les Bassetes you can practice kayaking, sailing, diving, windsurfing and paddle boarding. In addition, diving courses are offered and catamaran and other boat trips are organized. If you prefer to be in the water than on the water, a snorkeling session might be something for you. El Racó is also an excellent place for snorkelling. This bay close to the Peñón de Ifach is a hotspot to discover different species of fish. If you want to go a little faster, you can go to Playa de la Fossa and take a seat on a jet ski.

 

Fun on the water

Do you enjoy experiencing a day on the water? Then this boat is the ideal way to relax and enjoy the beautiful bays and views the area has to offer. A sub is also available for those who feel inclined. The boat is always rented with captain!

On board, you can also enjoy drinks and music.

Pick-up location: Marina Greenwich Mascarat (other pick-up locations can be discussed)

More information on https://www.my-boatrent.be. You may always mention that you are guests of Casita Mimos.

 

 

PADEL

Padel is now immensely popular throughout Europe, but the land of padel is… Spain! Both in Calpe and in La Nucia you will find padel clubs where you can take lessons if desired, but also play matches with the local athletes.

https://www.clubpadelpoint.es

Partida Muixara sn 03530,

03530 La Nucia,

Alicante, Spanje

 

https://www.clubdeteniscalpe.net/home

Partida Gargasindi, 1- j,

03710 Calp,

Alicante, Spanje

 

 

NEARBY

Altea

In the middle of the Costa Blanca, just a few minutes drive from Calpe, lies the quiet but cozy Altea. The city distinguishes itself from the others with its beautiful white houses that can be found everywhere and provide beautiful neighborhoods. In addition, you will find a beautiful basilica with a special blue dome in the center of the city.

 

Benidorm

Some people love it, and some hate it. I am of course talking about the large skyline that runs along the boulevard of Benidorm. Those high-rise buildings are also necessary, of course, since Benidorm attracts up to 400,000 tourists every year! And although a large number of tourists can be annoying, it does provide a pleasant boulevard and a large shopping center.

 

Benissa

Benissa is a municipality in the northwest of the Costa Blanca, located in the province of Alicante in Spain, and has about 10,000 inhabitants and a coastline of 4 kilometers with rocky shores, small cliffs and sandy beaches.

In addition to this interesting coastline, the municipality offers many hills and mountains, such as the Sierra de Oltá, la Mala Verda and the most famous, the Sierra de Bernia with an altitude of almost 1200 meters.

Les Basetes, the local marina borders the town of Calpe and offers a restaurant, a sailing school and a diving centre, as the waters here are excellent for diving.

The municipality itself is well connected to the surrounding infrastructure, with a direct entry and exit from the AP-7 toll road and the N-332 main road that runs through the centre. Work is underway on a new road around the city to benefit both traffic and residents of the city.

Many national and international buses also visit Benissa as a destination. One of these companies is ALSA, the intercity bus service.

History

The discovery of a few petroglyphs has convinced experts that there has been activity around Benissa since prehistoric times. Moreover, the name Benissa has an Arabic origin, it means "children of Isa". This confirms the prevailing theory that there was an important Arab settlement when Jaime I of Aragon reached the Benissa area. Like many other towns on the Costa Blanca such as Altea, Calpe and Teulada, it underwent numerous pirate attacks in the XV and XVI centuries. This eventually led to the expulsion of the Moors, who still lived in the countryside, and their places were taken by people from the Pyrenees, Catalonia and Aragon. Today, about 44% of Benissa's population is of European descent, with most of them coming from England and Germany.

Many structures from the past are still well preserved and can be seen and visited. Such as the city's church “la iglesia de la purisima concepcion”, and la Lonja, the oldest monument in the city dating back to the 16th century and now hosting exhibitions.

 

 

GUADELEST

In the interior of the Costa Blanca, the old village of Guadalest is well hidden in the mountains. The unique thing about Guadalest is that the village is beautifully integrated into the rocks.

Guadalest is about a 45-minute drive from Calpe. The almost thousand-year-old village is situated entirely around the castle. The castle, simply called El Castell de Guadalest, has been an important point of defense for the Moors against the Spaniards for many years. Because Guadalest could only be reached through a rock-cut entrance and the castle had towers that rose above the rocks like a crow's nest, it was easy to defend. From the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Spaniards held sway in Guadalest. Over the centuries, the village has expanded beyond the natural boundary defined by the rocks. However, most of the sights are still within the old core of Guadalest. In addition to the castle, the attractive market square, the town hall and the baroque church are worth mentioning. Museum lovers can visit two museums. Those who visit Guadalest also get a beautiful view of the reservoir built in the last century, which has been supplying drinking water to a large part of the province of Alicante for many years. Those who want to visit Guadalest will have to take into account that there are quite a few height differences to overcome. A visit to Guadalest is not recommended for people with walking difficulties.

 

 

VILLAJOYOSA

Villajoyosa is a hidden gem located on the Spanish Costa Blanca between Benidorm and San Juan.

Villajoyosa is known locally as La Vila Joiosa. Known for the whitest sandy beaches of the Costa Blanca, Villajoyosa is architecturally so colorful that it is reminiscent of the Brazilian city of Salvador de Bahia. The long stretch of white sand is framed by a promenade with mainly Spanish bars and restaurants and many palm trees providing shade.

There are four main beaches in Villajoyosa: La Platja Center (Central Beach) close to the center of town, El Paradis beach, Xarco beach with a watchtower and Torres beach with a Roman tower. There is a small cove used for diving and naturism, the Racó del Conill. The Bon Nou and La Caleta beaches with their sparkling, clear waters are also worth a look.

Villajoyosa has some great coastal walks. They are known in Spanish as Caminos de la Costa. The Xarco runs south after crossing the river Amadorio. Highlights include the sanctuary of the Virgin de la Salud, the Paradis and Bol Nou beaches and the Xarco watchtower. You can also try walking the Cala, to the north. This route is more rocky with cliffs. Highlights are the Arrabal houses, the bay of Vila Joiosa, the fishing port and the Estudiants, Torres and Raco del Conill beaches, as well as the Roman burial tower Torre de Sant Josep.

Villajoyosa is also home to the famous Valor chocolate factory. Valor is the brand of chocolate most sold in local supermarkets such as Mercadonna, Masymas, Eroski and Carrefour (near Benidorm).

 

FOOD & DRINKS

Restaurant Puerto Blanco

Canuta Baja 3503710 Calpe

https://www.puertoblanco.eu/nl/welkom/

 

La Viña De Calpe

Avinguda Jaume I el Conqueridor – 1H03710 Calpe

https://www.lavinadecalpe.com/es/

 

Restaurante El Toro

Avinguda Jaume I el Conqueridor 1

NL-03710 Calpé

http://www.eltoro-restaurante.com

 

Casa Florencia

Carrer del Mar 21

03710 Calp, Alicante, Spain

Delicious Sarsuela and paella! The Sarsuela must be ordered one day in advance.

 

La Casita Beach

Av. Europa, 30, p3-4,

03710 Calp, Alicante, Spanje

 

Taverna La Plaza

Plaça de la Villa, 03710 Calp, Alicante, Spain

Delicious tapas and not expensive!

 

Bar La Cabana Moraira

Carretera Moraira-Calpe, km 121,

Moraira
http://www.barlacabanamoraira.com/

 

Chiringuito Olalà.

Carrer de la Manta, 7,

NL-03720 Benissa

 

And so much more.....!

TIPS

• Every Saturday morning a large and lively market takes place in the street Avinguda del Nte. You can buy all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables of very good quality here, but clothing and furniture are also for sale.
•  Are you traveling with children? The water parks Terra Mitica and Aqualandia around Benidorm are a nice trip! Check the (English) websites for the current opening hours.