Calpe, once a small fishing village on the Costa Blanca, has developed into a thriving holiday resort. The old harbour sits alongside a modern marina and the small houses in the centre give way to high rise hotels and apartments. The wonderful sandy beaches and the inviting waters of the Mediterranean attract thousands of visitors every year.
Calpe offers a relaxing holiday in picturesque surroundings with dawn till dusk sunshine. The beaches are family friendly and water sports abound. Although considered to be a family resort, Calpe has many lively bars with music that continues on into the night.
Calpe attracts a wide variety of visitors every year, many of them making a return visit. Families with young children enjoy the wonderful sandy beaches with shallow water safe for bathing. The wide variety of water sports draws many enthusiasts to the area. Although not on the scale of Benidorm, the lively nightlife attracts many young people.
The most popular time to holiday in Calpe is from April to October when the temperature ranges from a very pleasant twenty five degrees rising to the early thirties in the height of summer.
Calpe’s most striking feature is the Rock of Ifach which stands three hundred and thirty-two metres high. It is the end of the Sierra Bernia and has been designated as a nature resort. The strenuous walk to the top along the coastline and through a tunnel in the rock is well worth the effort as the views are stunning. On a clear day the island of Ibiza is visible.
The old walls of Calpe are a reminder of the need for fortifications to protect the village from the regular attacks by pirates during the sixteenth and continuing on to eighteenth century.. The church Inglesia Vieja is a rare example of Mudejar- Gothic architecture. In the fishing harbour there are the remains of a Roman fish salting works.
At the end of each day the fishermen return to port and their catch is auctioned on the quayside.
There are three main beaches in Calpe. Passeo Maritimo is a long clean blue flag beach which signifies that it is family friendly offering safe bathing. La Fossa and La Calalga are also excellent beaches. Promenades, shaded by palms and lined with bars, cafes, small restaurants and shops, border the beach.
There are numerous opportunities for water sports including water skiing, wind surfing, sailing, fishing and scuba diving. The Puerto Blanco diving centre organises trips for beginners as well as for experienced divers. A glass bottomed submarine trip is available for those who like to view marine life, including barracuda sharks, from the safety of a boat.
Sporting facilities on land include tennis and golf and there are cycles for hire.
A good way to explore the beautiful coast from Alicante to Denia is to take the narrow gauge railway.
Calpe has a number of lively bars and clubs providing a wide range of live music. There are Flamenco bars and karaoke pubs which remain open until the early hours of the morning. Those wishing to experience the wild nights of Benidorm will find it is only a twenty minutes bus ride away.
As in all Spanish coastal resorts, there are many shops selling traditional local handicrafts such as wickerwork, ceramics and leather goods, as well as a wide assortment of souvenirs and trinkets.
Calpe has bars and restaurants to suit all tastes and pockets. Traditional Spanish restaurants, tapas bars, fast foods, English style pub food and restaurants serving international cuisine, the variety is seemingly endless. Local wines are pleasant and inexpensive. Children are always warmly welcomed in Spanish restaurants.
