Calpe Area Guide

Calpe has been home to many ancient civilisations, which means it has a fascinating history and some remnants of its past, such as its Roman Baths that you can see today. A former ancient fishing village it is ever evolving and has transformed itself into a cosmopolitan and diverse town that blends harmoniously with traditional and modern cultures and offers an abundance of different types of restaurants, from the fabulous fish choices in the port, to high-end Michelin Star and gourmet dining in a selection of International restaurants and luxury hotels.

It has a wonderful mixture of old Valencian culture and modern tourist facilities. It offers 13 km of coastline with 14 beaches and coves, 3 of which are the most beautiful sandy beaches on the coast. Calpe is dominated and overlooked by the towering rock known as the Peñon de Ifach which reaches an impressive 332m where from the top you will be rewarded with breath-taking views and on a clear day you can see Ibiza. Calpe is a mix of urban environment and natural wealth.

Highlights and attractions

Visit the "Peñon de Ifach"

The Penyal d'Ifac is a massive limestone outcrop emerging from the sea and linked to the shore by rock debris. Rising to 332 metres high, the rock is a striking visual feature of the Meditarrean coastline. Behind Penyal d'Ifac is a large lagoon cut off from the sea by strips of sandy beach and extending inland to the coastal mountains. The wetland area around the lagoon is all that remains of the formerly much more extensive wetlands of the Marina Alta. It is possible to climb to the top and contemplate the wonderful views of the city.

Walk the Old Town

One of the highlights of the Old town of Calpe is the Torreó de la Peça,located in the Plaza de la Vila, which was part of the double defensive wall with artillery that defended the city in the 15th century and currently houses the Museo del Coleccionismo. During the tour you can also visit Iglesia parroquial de nuestra Señora de las Nieves, a unique parish that is also located in the Town Square in the heart of the historic center. Museo de Historia y Arqueología de Calpe, located on Calle Santísimo Cristo, is the perfect place to discover the secrets of the past of this beautiful city.

Along the streets we can see several murals and colorful mosaics on the walls, among which highlights Mosaico Mural on the facade of the tourist office, by the painter and Alicantino muralist Gastón Castelló representing his view of the Villa de Calpe. The historic center of Calpe is already quite lively in itself, but if you want to see it more deeply, every Sunday there is a craft market.

Commuting

The town is a first class tourist resort and home to many foreigners who have bought property both in the town and in the surrounding hills. It occupies quite a unique location. as it is easily accessed via the AP7 motorway and the N332 that runs from Alicante to Valencia.

1 hour to Alicante.
1 hour and 15 minutes to Valencia.

Food and drinks

Mare Beach Calpe

The long promenade of La Fossa beach, with a family atmosphere and full of little shops, has a new meeting point thanks to the Valencian chef José Manuel Miguel, holder of a Michelin star in his restaurant Beat and a Bib Gourmand in the bistro Komfort -both in the hotel The Cookbook, also in Calpe and of the AR Hotels & Resorts chain-. This coquettish and colorful seaside terrace is perfect for dinner or a cocktail until the end of September. Seafood dominates a very Mediterranean proposal.

AUDREY’s

Audrey is a restaurant located in Calpe awarded with a michelin star in 2017. Focused on Valencian food without losing the Mediterranean style.

Beat Restaurant

The Beat is located in the Gastro Boutique Hotel The Cookbook and was awarded a Michelin star in 2018. It delights with dishes such as shrimp with confit yolk, stilton and onion consommé or Mediterranean bluefin tuna in tartar with a veil of strawberries and pickles... Haute cuisine in a very Mediterranean space, immaculate white, bright, with a pleasant terrace.

Lifestyle

Camaleón Disco

The discotheque Camaleón is located on the promenade of the Fossa beach, below Castellón street. It has a large dance hall and a lounge style outdoor terrace. They organize parties and events with famous dancers and DJs. Great house, electro and commercial music.

Events

The festivities in Calpe are fire and gunpowder, light and color, culture and art. To participate in its festivities is to participate in its people, its gastronomy and its folklore. Calpe offers a wide range of festivities throughout the year. From the arrival of the Three Wise Men in January to the Moors and Christians in October there are numerous festivals.

Moors and Christians

The Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians), 21st - 24th October it combines religious, popular and historical events with great majesty and devotion and has become an extraordinary tourist and cultural promotion of Calpe.

A week of festivities organized by the association of Moors and Christians of Calpe, with the collaboration of the festival committee, which begins with the traditional aerial bombardment and ringing of bells, which is followed by the entrance of bands that travel along the avenue of Gabriel Miro to reach the Plaza del Mosquit. After the hoisting of banners and the traditional proclamation, the Offering of candles to the Santísimo Cristo del Sudor takes place in the parish of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves. The day ends with the dance of the Christian captain with his kabala. The dance of the Moorish captain will take place during the second day, after the Christian and Moorish entrance. The third day will feature the landing on the Arenal Beach of Calpe, which will be the scene of the First Battle between Moors and Christians.

Bonfires of San Juan

The Midsummer's Festival the Night of San Juan is celebrated in Calpe as the shortest night of the year and summer solstice. Many associated cultural rituals make this fiesta one of the highlights of the Calpe fiesta experience. The custom of lighting a fire comes from Pagan origin, with young people often having jumped over the fire to "give more strength to the sun". The other tradition is to jump seven waves and make a wish at midnight.

Calpe's Patron Saint Festivities

The "Fiestas in honor of the Virgen de las Nieves" are celebrated from July 30 to August 12 in the streets of Calpe". The Patron Saint Fiestas of Calpe surprise every year for its pyro-aquatic fireworks castle on the Arenal beach, concerts, parades, offering of flowers, despertà, mascletà, children's games...