Travel Tips for the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida

The Costa Blanca (province of Alicante) and the Costa Cálida (Region of Murcia) form one long stretch of Mediterranean coast with sandy beaches, mild winters, golf courses, walking routes and lively weekly markets. Our local team live and work here, and these guides collect what they recommend to guests. We focus on places and activities rather than restaurants or opening hours, which change too often to list reliably. Check the official website of any attraction before you go.

Explore by region

Costa Blanca South. Wide beaches, pink-tinted salt lakes and some of the area's biggest markets.

Costa Cálida. A shallow lagoon for watersports, protected salt flats and the Roman city of Cartagena.

Costa Blanca North. Cliffs, coves and mountain villages, plus theme parks and water parks.

Things to Do on the Costa Blanca South

The southern Costa Blanca, from Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa to Pilar de la Horadada, has long sandy beaches, salt lakes, several golf courses and some of the region's biggest weekly markets. Alicante, Elche and the island of Tabarca make easy day trips. Winters are mild, so walking and golf work well outside summer.

Culture & Day Trips

This part of the coast is a good base for short cultural outings, most of them a morning or an afternoon.

• Alicante. Santa Bárbara Castle looks out over the bay. In town, walk the Esplanada d'Espanya promenade and the narrow streets of the old quarter, Barri Vell-Santa Cruz.
• Elche. Known for its palm grove (the Palmeral) and the Basilica of Santa María.
• Santa Pola and Tabarca. Santa Pola is a working fishing town with salt pans nearby. From its port, ferries cross to Tabarca in roughly 15 to 25 minutes. Tabarca is a small walled island and Spain's first marine reserve, popular for snorkelling and swimming. Boats also leave from Alicante and, in season, from Torrevieja.
• Rojales. Famous for its cave houses, built into the riverbank.
• Ciudad Quesada. A popular holiday area next to Rojales, with its own shops and services and the Zoco Sunday market nearby.
• Villena. An inland town with a winery that offers guided tours and tastings, Bodegas Francisco Gómez. Villena is a longer drive from the coast.
• Elda. Home to the Museo del Calzado, a footwear museum where you can even design your own sneakers.
• Guardamar dunes. A pine forest and dune landscape beside long, wide beaches.
  
  

Beaches, Golf & Hiking

Beaches: Wide sandy beaches stretch along Guardamar del Segura, La Mata, Santa Pola and Orihuela Costa, with smaller rocky coves around Cabo Roig. For a quieter stretch, try Playa del Mojón near Pilar de la Horadada.

Nature walks and birds: The Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja Natural Park protects the salt lagoons around Torrevieja, including the pink-tinted lake.

The Pedrera reservoir and the El Hondo wetland park are good for birdwatching and easy walks.

The Río Seco gorge has a marked hiking route, the Ruta Senderista Río Seco.

Flamingos can often be seen on the salt pans near Santa Pola, especially in autumn and winter.

Watersports: Catamaran trips, snorkelling along the rocky coast, kayaking and stand-up paddling are all available along the Orihuela Costa.

Golf and other sports: Several golf courses lie within a short drive of Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa and Pilar de la Horadada, including Las Colinas Golf & Country Club near Campoamor. You will also find padel courts, riding stables and the municipal sports centre in Pilar de la Horadada.

Food, Markets & Shopping

• Torrevieja's Friday market is one of the largest in the area.
• Friday: Street market: Pilar de la Horadada
• Saturday: Street market: Playa Flamenca (Orihuela Costa)
• Saturday: Street market: Santa Pola
• Sunday: Lemon Tree Market: Guardamar del Segura
• Sunday: Zoco Market: Algorfa

In Alicante, the Mercado Central is a covered market hall with fresh fish, produce and regional products.

Market days and locations can change, so check the town council's website for the market you plan to visit.

Shopping centres: La Zenia Boulevard in Orihuela Costa is an open-air centre with more than 150 shops. Habaneras in Torrevieja is another open-air centre with well-known fashion brands.

Rainy day ideas

Try La Zenia Boulevard or Habaneras for shopping, the Museo del Calzado in Elda, or a day in Alicante's old town and castle. In Cartagena, the Roman museums are covered (see the Costa Cálida guide).

In winter

Winters here are mild, which makes it a good season for walking at the salt lagoons, playing golf and visiting markets that run all year. Many guests stay several weeks between November and March.

Things to Do on the Costa Cálida

The Costa Cálida, in the Region of Murcia, is known for the Mar Menor lagoon, the salt flats of San Pedro del Pinatar and the Roman heritage of Cartagena. It suits watersports, walking, cycling and cultural day trips.

Culture & Day Trips

• Cartagena. A port city with Roman roots. Visit the Roman Theatre and its museum, and the Roman Forum Museum at the Molinete. Experiencia 43 is a guided visit to the museum and distillery of Licor 43, a liqueur produced in Cartagena since 1946.
• Murcia city. See the cathedral on Plaza Cardenal Belluga, the Real Casino, the Monteagudo Castle on its hill and the small squares around Plaza de las Flores.
• Sierra Espuña. A large regional park in the mountains inland, good for a day of walking.

Beaches, Golf & Hiking

The Mar Menor: One of Europe's largest saltwater lagoons, shallow and sheltered from the open sea. It is popular for windsurfing, kitesurfing, stand-up paddling, sailing and kayaking. Water quality in the lagoon is tested during the season, and a beach can close for a day or two if a sample fails. Check the beach flag before you swim.

Salt flats and mud baths: The Salinas y Arenales regional park at San Pedro del Pinatar combines salt pans, dunes and pine woods with walking and cycling routes. Flamingos can often be seen here, especially in autumn and winter. Close by in Lo Pagán, the open-air mud baths are a local tradition.

Calblanque: A regional park of dunes and coves along the Mediterranean coast, good for walking.

Sierra del Carche: A mountain regional park inland, near Jumilla, with hiking trails.

Golf and other sports: La Serena Golf in Los Alcázares is one of several courses in the area. You will also find karting, horse riding along the lagoon and padel courts.

Food, Markets & Shopping

Weekly markets:

• Monday: San Pedro del Pinatar
• Thursday: San Javier
• Thursday: Lo Pagán

In Murcia city, the Mercado de Verónicas is a covered market hall for tapas and fresh regional produce.

Market days can change, so check the town council's website before you go.

Shopping centres: Dos Mares sits between San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar. Espacio Mediterráneo is in Cartagena, and Nueva Condomina is a large regional centre in Murcia.

Rainy day ideas

Cartagena's Roman Theatre museum and the Molinete Roman Forum Museum are good in any weather, as is Experiencia 43. Dos Mares and Espacio Mediterráneo are indoor options for shopping.

In winter

The Mar Menor and the salt flats stay pleasant for walking and cycling, and flamingos can often be seen at the salt pans. Watersports are quieter outside summer.

Things to Do on the Costa Blanca North

The northern Costa Blanca, around Benidorm, Altea, Calpe and Dénia, combines coves and cliffs with mountains, historic villages and family attractions. It is a good area for hiking, watersports and days out with children.

Culture & Day Trips

• Villajoyosa. A colourful old town with painted houses and the remains of a castle.
• Altea. A whitewashed old town known for its artists.
• Guadalest. A mountain village with castle ruins, set above a reservoir.

Family days out: Terra Mítica theme park, the water parks Aqualandia and Aqua Natura, and the animal parks Mundomar and Terra Natura are all around Benidorm.

Jeep tours: off-road tours run through the Callosa valley, along mountain tracks and gorges.

Dénia to Ibiza: A fast ferry crosses from Dénia to Ibiza in about two hours, seasonally.

Longer day trips inland: The city of Valencia, the Casa Tápena hedge maze in Onil, and Pou Clar's natural pools near Ontinyent are all further afield. Pou Clar is in the province of Valencia, and access is restricted in summer, so check the Ontinyent council's website first.

Beaches, Golf & Hiking

Hiking: Climb the Peñón de Ifach at Calpe, or walk in the Montgó Natural Park near Dénia and the Sierra de Bèrnia.

The coastal walk through the Serra Gelada park, between Albir and Benidorm, is about 9 km along the cliffs.

At Relleu, a wooden walkway runs along the rock face beside the reservoir.

Around Finestrat, trails lead to the Font del Molí, the Tossal de la Cala viewpoint and the Puig Campana peak.

The Algar waterfalls near Callosa d'en Sarrià are a popular swimming spot.

• Local tip: a walk to the Torre del Aguiló watchtower.

Beaches and coves: Moraira, El Campello and Villajoyosa have good beaches.

• Local tip: Cala Tío Ximo in Benidorm is a quiet, rocky cove surrounded by nature.

Watersports: Sailing, windsurfing, diving and snorkelling are all available along the coast. You can try flyboarding at Calpe, kitesurfing at Dénia, a JetBoat tour at Benidorm, or kayaking along the cliffs of Cala Granadella.

Golf and other sports: Club de Golf Ifach is one of several courses, and the area also has padel, cycling, riding and karting.

Food, Markets & Shopping

• Thursday: Village market: Villajoyosa
• Friday: Weekly market: Moraira
• Saturday: Antiques and flea market: Jalón / Xaló
• Saturday and Sunday: El Cisne, partly covered market with antiques and live music

Market days can change, so check the town council's website before you go.

In winter

November is quieter and works well for hiking, golf and weekends away. Benidorm gets busy during its autumn festivals, so check dates if you prefer a calm stay.