You may be wondering if this is Santorini? Are we in Greece? No, we are in Spain, Alicante, pretty close to Guadalest. Altea is a small town right at the coast of Alicante, located between Benidorm and Calpe. Altea is very beautiful and has one of the most famous beaches in Alicante.
If you are looking for a day at the beach, please enjoy Altea and one of the best “Chocolaterías” in Europe, Chocolatería Valor. But in this article, we are going to focus on the “Casco Antiguo”.
Recommended Trip
- Time of the year: Apr - June or Sept - Nov
- Duration: Afternoon/Night with dinner
- Approx. Expenses: 50 euros per person
- Recommended food: Seafood and homemade ice cream.
Recommended Route
As you come into the town from the N-332, you will find yourself with the biggest challenge in Altea: to find a parking spot. If you want paid parking, you have many options, but our family usually parks in a free parking area and walks up to the town. The best free parking spots are “Carrer Zubeldia” and the blocks around that street.
Once you have found your parking, find the “Carrer Mestre Música” and start going up the street. As you keep going up, you will notice the streets and the houses become more and more traditional. On your way up, you will see a small lookout, but the real views are up the top.
Once you are in one of the main gates of the old town (I recommend coming in through the age at the “Carrer del Portal Vell”), you will start seeing better views around you. Take your time, enjoy the views, and take photos. Get ready for travelling to the past.
If you come inside the old town through the recommended door, you will find a beautiful area with restaurants and the “Carrer Mayor”. You will find many good artisanal shops and restaurants; do not choose where to eat yet. Enjoy shopping, taking photos in the beautiful streets, and of the beautiful houses in the area.
Make your own trip: If you want to spend more time at Altea and also enjoy the beach, there are many Airbnbs inside the old town with easy access to the beach. Have a look; you will like the experience.
As you keep going up the “Carrer Mayor,” you will reach the main “plaza” with the beautiful church. Feel free to enjoy looking around, but before you leave, make sure you check out the main lookout “Mirador de los Cronistas de España”, one of the best lookouts at Altea, especially if you have been at the recommended time. You will be able to see the dusk from there.
From the main “plaza,” you will find a few streets you can investigate and take photos. We normally choose “Carrer Santa Barbara” until we arrive at the second-best lookout of Altea, “Mirador Blanc”. We normally take a bit there, taking photos and looking at the views, and then we go back to the main entrance, through the beautiful streets of “Carrer Bailén”. Then we go up the very small street of “Carrer Jesus” until we turn right to “Carrer Concepció”.
Your Dinner
At this point, you have seen Altea. We normally have dinner at the end of the street in the most amazing and authentic Italian restaurant (La Bottega dei Sapori Altea). They have the best pizza in Altea and the best pasta. It makes you feel you have gone to Italy for dinner.
After dinner, you can go to “The Ice Cream Factory” and finish your day with the most delicious ice cream, which will be made in front of you from the flavours you request.
Make your own trip: If you prefer something a bit more traditional of Spain, you can have some beautiful Seafood in the main "plaza" at "Restaurante d'els Artistes".
Conclusion
Here is the recommended route we take. I hope you enjoy Altea and if you visited feel free to add you comments to the post.
