12 Places in Altea You Must Not Miss

This guide to the best places to see in Altea helps you experience one of the most beautiful towns in Alicante and throughout Spain, allowing you to make the most of your time.
Altea is located on the famous Costa Blanca at the foot of the Sierra de Bernia and makes an unforgettable first impression with its well-preserved old town featuring white facades and blue ceramic domes, as well as its 8-kilometer coastline with several different beaches.
Although half a day is enough to see the entire old town, you can choose to stay at one of the many hotels during the summer and take day trips to the best coves in Alicante and nearby towns like Villajoyosa, Calpe, or the touristy Benidorm.

Based on the time we have spent in this town during our travels around the Valencia region, we have compiled this list of 12 places in Altea you must not miss. Let’s get started!

1. Calle de San Miguel

After parking the car in one of the parking lots near the Faculty of Arts, one of the best things you can do in Altea is stroll along Calle San Miguel, which is filled with souvenir shops, craft stores, and galleries until you reach the square by the church.
In the last part of Calle San Miguel, you’ll find one of Altea’s most famous postcard scenes: the chalked house facades and the blue domes of the photogenic Nuestra Señora del Consuelo church in the background.

2. Plaza de la Iglesia, One of the Places to See in Altea

Calle de San Miguel leads you to Plaza de la Iglesia, where the Nuestra Señora del Consuelo church stands, and it is another one of the places you must not miss in Altea.
This square is the central meeting point in the old town and is always bustling with life on the many terraces, filled with tourists taking a well-deserved break while enjoying the view of the church and the surrounding white houses or browsing through crafts in the small stalls.

3. Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Consuelo

The Nuestra Señora del Consuelo church, located at the highest point of the town, is the most important religious building to see in Altea and one of the most beautiful places in the entire Valencia region.
The church is Neo-Baroque with modernist details, built between 1900 and 1910, and it is Altea’s landmark thanks to the two domes with blue Levantine tiles and white details, making it visible from large parts of the town and surrounding areas.
You can enter for free and admire the interior, which is decorated with classic and floral gold details.

4. Mirador de los Cronistas

When you exit the church, you can walk to Mirador de los Cronistas (or Mirador de la Muralla), which offers spectacular views of Alicante’s coast, Serra Gelada, Altea Cove, and on clear days, the skyscrapers of Benidorm as well as the Peñón de Ifach rock in Calpe.
To learn more about Altea’s history and not miss anything important, it is advisable to book a free tour.

5. Casa Cervantes

Near Plaza de la Iglesia, when you walk down the idyllic Calle de Santa Bárbara, you’ll find Casa Cervantes, a striking eclectic house from the early 1900s and one of the most interesting architectural works to see in Altea.
The house was built in the early 1900s by Francesc Martínez i Martínez, a historian with a great love for Miguel de Cervantes’ works. The house is characterized by Mudéjar-inspired details in its three floors and a portrait of Miguel de Cervantes‘s profile on the white facade.

6. Exploring the Old Town – One of the Best Things to Do in Altea

Getting lost in the cobblestone alleys and stairways of Altea’s old town, known in Valencian as El Fornet, is one of the things you must not deprive yourself of.
If you do not arrive by car to the upper part of the town, we recommend walking up the charming stairway Costera del Mestre de la Música, which leads past Molí de Bellaguarda, and then exploring the most photogenic streets of the old town, dating back to the Muslim period and adorned with flowers, such as Carrer Mayor, Concepció, Santo Domingo, Cónsol, Fondo, and Salamanca.

7. Portal Vell

At the end of Calle Mayor lies Portal Vell, and along with Portal Nou from the 17th century, it is the only preserved city gate from Altea’s old city walls.
Just meters from this gate is La Taberna del Chef, a charming place to enjoy delicious tapas made with quality ingredients.
Other well-reviewed restaurants in the area include Oustau, Casa Vital, l’Airet, and Mamarosa.

8. Torre de Bellaguarda

On the way down to the beach, you can take a slight detour and visit Torre de Bellaguarda, an old watchtower in the town’s oldest quarter, which is also one of the places you should see in Altea.
The square brick tower from the 16th century was used to watch for any attacks from pirates and Berbers. After extensive renovation, the tower today is a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the upper part of Altea.

9. Paseo del Mediterráneo

Strolling along Paseo del Mediterráneo at sunset, from the mouth of the Algar River to the harbor, is another thing you can do in Altea.
Along the approximately 2 kilometers of coastline, you will pass several urban beaches with pebble stones like l’Espigó and Roda, as well as a plethora of restaurants specializing in rice and seafood dishes, such as Casa Felix, San Miguel, and Columbus 1492.

10. Beaches to Visit in Altea

Altea’s 8-kilometer coastline offers several beaches with turquoise waters and small coves hidden between cliffs, which will delight both children and adults.
One of the advantages is that the beaches consist of pebbles and small stones instead of sand, meaning fewer people compared to the finer sandy beaches in Benidorm and Calpe. If you can live with the stones, these beaches are ideal for a relaxing day with family or friends.
Among the best urban beaches with all facilities are Playa de la Roda, Cap Negret, and Cap Blanc.
A bit further away is l’Olla Beach with a view of Peñón de Ifach, Barreta-Mascarat Beach, and Solsida Beach, which is an undisturbed, untouched spot perfect for nudism.

11. Puerto de Altea

To round off your experiences in Altea, we recommend a trip down to the harbor, where you can watch the various leisure boats and perhaps engage in a water activity like kayaking, catamaran sailing, or paddleboarding.
Among the best-reviewed tours is a catamaran tour that takes you to some of the best coves and beaches in Alicante and along the Costa Blanca, which also includes a delicious barbecue.

12. Templo del Arcángel Miguel

If you have extra time, you can visit Templo del Arcángel Miguel, located near Altea Hills, about 5 km from the center, and definitely one of the most surprising places to see in Altea.
This drawbridge church was built between 2002 and 2007 with exclusively Russian materials and labor and is the first Russian Orthodox church in Spain.
You can visit the special interior for free, but a small donation is requested at the entrance.

Excursions from Altea

If you plan to spend several days in Altea, we suggest taking a trip to some of the nearby gems, such as:

Calpe: Located half an hour from Altea, it impresses with the majestic Peñón de Ifach and the fantastic golden sandy beaches. For more information, you can read this post about what to see in Calpe.
Fuentes del Algar: A fantastic natural area consisting of several waterfalls and small water springs connected by rivers and pools, where you can take a refreshing bath surrounded by vegetation.
Benidorm: A town known for its beaches and an endless array of leisure activities, attracting tourists every summer. To get an overview, you can follow this list of places to see in Benidorm.
Moraira: Located just over half an hour away, we recommend filling out this list of places to see in Moraira and trying a delicious senyoret rice dish at Rincón de Moraira.
Calas de Alicante: If you’re looking for the best beaches in Alicante, nothing beats driving to Cala del Moraig, Cala Granadella, and Cala del Portitxol.
Villajoyosa: One of the most beautiful towns on the Costa Blanca thanks to the colorful facades of the promenade and the old town. For more information, you can consult this post about what to see in Villajoyosa.
Jávea: This inland town enchants with its well-preserved old town. More information in this post about what to see in Jávea.

Where to Stay in Altea

Our recommended accommodation in Altea is Hotel Cap Negret, located a 5-minute drive from Altea center with private access to Cap Negret’s pebble beach. In addition to the excellent location, the hotel features an outdoor pool, restaurant, full breakfast, free parking, and rooms with sea views.

Other well-located accommodations with excellent value for money include SH Villa Gadea, Blue Sardine Hostal Boutique, or Hotel Casa del Mar.

For a romantic getaway, we recommend checking out this list of charming hotels in Alicante.