Things to Do in Altea in 1 Day and With Kids

Discover the things to do in Altea in 1 day and with kids. Let yourself be amazed by the magic of one of the most beautiful villages of the Costa Blanca in Alicante.

💯 Read here our article on the Things to do in Costa Blanca.

Altea is one of the most picturesque towns on the Costa Blanca. It’s characterized by the white facades of houses, the narrow cobbled streets that climb up to the main church and the dreamy beaches of incredible colors.

Let’s discover Altea in Spain!

Map – things to do in Altea in 1 day and with kids

In the map below you will see that Altea is where all the blue markers are concentrated. But, if you are traveling by car to Altea, we recommend more sites. They are marked in purple and are a little further away:

• Altea la Vella or Altea la Vieja, with a beautiful old town where you have to go to see the Church of Santa Ana.
• The Temple of the Archangel Michael, the first Russian Orthodox Church built in Spain.
• Remains of Roman Aqueduct, from the 3rd century.

We visited Altea in a day trip from Alicante.

💯 Take a look at the things to do and see in Alicante.

1) Wandering through the historic center of Altea

The charm of Altea is concentrated in the historic center. It’s located on a hill next to the sea, which is one of the postcards of the Costa Blanca.

The church of Our Lady of Consolation (“Nuestra Señora del Consuelo”) is the most outstanding construction in the historic center. It dominates the upper part of the town with its beautiful blue domes and its baroque style architecture, making it one of the essential places to see in Altea in 1 day.

Next to it, the Church Square is the perfect place to find the Cronistas de España viewpoint. It provides a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea and part of the Costa Blanca.

Take your time and sit on the terrace of one of the bars. Feel the atmosphere of this town, watch events in the summer or visit the handicraft market.

Narrow cobblestone streets climb up and down the hill from the promenade to the church. You will find typical white houses decorated with flowers, cafes and stores. All these make a visit to the historic center of Altea one of the most beautiful of the entire coast of Alicante.

If you have time, go to Belaguarda Tower (“Torre de Belaguarda“) that is located in the Plaza de la Canterería. It is an old defensive tower from which you have another beautiful postcard of the Church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo.

2) Town Hall Square and surroundings, a place to see in Altea in 1 day

Between the historic center and the beach, it is worth exploring the area where the Town Hall of Altea is located, with its white facade, and the adjoining square.

This is a large leisure area with many stores for shopping, cafes for a drink on the terraces and a lively atmosphere both day and night.

3) Walking along the promenade and visiting the harbor

One of the many things to do in Altea in 1 day is to walk along the promenade that stretches from the mouth of the Algar River to the town’s port.

Lined with palm trees and a bike path, you can contemplate the Mediterranean Sea and even stop in a restaurant to eat a plate of rice or fresh fish, two of the delicacies prepared in Altea.

Although the port is not as large as in other cities in Alicante province, it still maintains that seafaring atmosphere. You can walk along the breakwater to see the moored boats; and reach the fish market (lonja), the place where fresh fish is unloaded, which has one of the best views of the sea.

• Sail in this Catamaran Trip with Barbeque around Altea.

4) The beaches, a must to see in Altea

If there is one thing to do in Altea is to dive into one of the beaches. With its extensive coastline, the town has a variety of places to be in contact with the sea: from cliffs and small coves to the large pebble beaches in the center.

In addition, the beaches of Altea are ideal for water activities due to the crystal clear waters and its seabed visibility. You can sail in a boat to observe the town from the sea or go snorkeling to discover colorful fish.

Another advantage of the beaches of Altea is that they are not as crowded as in other places of the Costa Blanca, such as its neighbor Benidorm. Although the influx of tourists in summer is high, you can enjoy the beaches in total tranquility.

5) Visiting the Orthodox Church

A few kilometers from Altea heading to Calpe, and a few meters from the N-332 road, is the Russian Orthodox Church of San Miguel Arcangel. Although you need a car to get there, it is one of the most striking and beautiful places to see in Altea.

Built with wood brought directly from Russia, both its exterior and interior have a lot of charm. On the outside, the characteristic vaults of the Orthodox churches stand out, and inside the gold, colored marble and hand-painted religious figures shine.

Access is free, but it should be noted that it isn’t open every day. It is usually open in the mornings. There is a visitors’ store and gardens on site.

6) Enjoying a snack in the Jardín de los Sentidos (Garden of the Senses)

Close to the orthodox church and also accessible only by car, the Garden of the Senses is indeed a tea shop, but not just any. Its environment with many trees, nature, plants and a well-kept garden makes it a very special place to go for the afternoon tea.

With a very relaxing atmosphere you can go to eat a slice of homemade cake with milkshakes or smoothies, all very tasty and with excellent service. It’s worth it!

🚩 General admission in 2023 to visit Jardín de los Sentidos: 10€, includes access to the garden plus afternoon tea.
⚠️ Attention: as it is an outdoor venue, it may be closed due to the weather. Please contact beforehand.

7) What to see in Altea la Vella

Altea la Vieja (Vella is the valencian word for Vieja or old) is located 3 km from Altea. Although it now depends on it administratively, in reality it has existed since long before. Noteworthy are the white houses between which form mazes of narrow streets, the church of Santa Ana (the patron saint of the village), the hermitage of Santa Barbara and the Font del Garroferet (two drinking fountains dating from at least the 16th century).

8) Roman aqueduct of Altea

The first great hydraulic work of Altea was built in the 3rd century by the Romans. Today you can only see the remains of it, but there are drawings and explanations that give an idea of what it once was. It was 15 metres high and included some 50 arches. In this way it was able to pass the water from the river Algar to the ancient Roman villa of L’Albir.

Although it is listed as a Cultural Asset (Bien de Interés Cultural), it has no apparent care or maintenance. It is located in an open area, away from the city and next to the San Isidro hermitage, built by the neighbours.

💯 Want more? Take a look at the things to do and see in Villajoyosa, a beautiful village near Altea.

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Things to do in Altea with kids

The accessibility in Altea if you go with a baby carriage is very limited in the historic center. The streets have steep climbs and to get to the church at the top, there are several stairs, so you have to lift the stroller every few minutes. We made it up through the street which was flatter and less steep. But the best way is to carry a baby backpack and if your child is already walking do it on foot.

Outside the historic center there is no problem as the promenade is flat. The beach is pebble, so perhaps a good idea (not only for the kids) would be to get a good pair of plastic sandals to get into the water and not damage your feet.

There are many ice cream parlours in the historic centre, including one that serves the ice cream on a small train with tracks. They also make Thai ice cream by putting the ice cream flavour of your choice on a cold surface and transforming it into small rolls to which you can add sauces and other topics. The shop is called The Ice Cream Factory and is located on the main street less than 100 metres from the church – your kids will love it!

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Useful information to visit Altea in 1 day or more

Buy your travel insurance and travel safe!

– Getting to Altea from Alicante or Benidorm

a) By plane

Altea’s nearest airport is Alicante airport. From here you can hire a car to drive the 50 kms that separate the two cities or hire a transfer service.

• Search here for car rentals in Alicante.
• Hire a transfer from/to Alicante airport for more comfort.

b) By bus

You can get to Altea by bus from Alicante. Although the most convenient way is to go, first, by bus from Alicante to Benidorm and once there take the tram or the bus to Altea. From Benidorm bus line 10 drops you off in Altea.

• Search here for bus tickets to Altea.

c) In tram

Another alternative, the easiest from Alicante, is to take the tram. Line 1 connects the centre of Alicante with Benidorm, where it ends. Note that there are two stations in the city, one is called Altea and the other Garganes. Either of the two is valid to start touring. We arrived in Altea and returned from Garganes.

From Benidorm you can take tram line 9 to Altea. To check the timetables of the tram lines, we leave you the official website of the Alicante TRAM.

d) In a tour

And finally, if you are staying in Alicante, you can visit both Villajoyosa and Altea in a day trip tour.

• Villajoyosa & Altea Day Trip.

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