Calpe is located in the Spanish region of Alicante on the Costa Blanca and located about 35km south of Denia. We drove along the N332 rather than the A-7, which is the main toll highway. The drive along the N332 was very scenic, and we stopped at Gata, the home of hand-crafted wicker goods - you have never seen so many wicker hats, baskets, and chairs on display in one street before! And you can visit Gata's guitar factory, where handmade guitars are lovingly fashioned from rosewood and mahogany, or stop at one of the many ceramic shops situated along the road – great place to stock up on souvenirs.
We found Calpe to be our favorite village visited during our stay in Costa Blanca – it was charming, with a great deal to offer. The local residents were friendly and all facilities were clean and well cared for.
The town's most famous and distinguishing feature is its mighty Peñon de Ifach - the huge rock which rises 332 metres out of the Mediterranean, reminiscent of the Rock of Gibraltar. The Peñon was declared a nature reserve in 1987 and now provides a safe haven for a variety of birds and unusual flora and fauna. For the energetic, a hike to the top of the Peñon de Ifach is a memorable experience - but definitely not one to be contemplated by the elderly, disabled, or those prone to vertigo! The summit can be reached by means of a tunnel that was built in 1919 and leads to the northeastern side of the rock. The climb up was relatively easy up to this point, but the rocks in the tunnel were extremely slick. There were ropes on both sides of the tunnel to help you cross this area more safely. At the exit, there was a small vantage point towards the west. The itinerary from here becomes much more hazardous, and we chose to turn around and head back. People less well-equipped, i.e., sandals instead of hiking boots, proceeded on – we wished them well. The views from all points along the walk were spectacular.
Calpe also has a wonderful marina that sits alongside the old fishing port. From here it is possible to take glass-bottom-boat rides around the rock. If you are interested in Calpe's colourful past, step back in time and take a stroll through the ancient streets of the Old Town. We popped into one of the town's tourist information centers and they gave us a detailed itinerary with a proposed route to follow and details of places of interest along the way. Calpe was once a fortified and walled town and you can still see the remains of its ancient walls and defenses. The walk had us enter through the Forat de la Mar gateway (an arched portal through the original exterior wall) and head up a gentle hill to Plaza Miguel Roselló, where we found the Torreo de la Peca. This is the defense tower which was Calpe’s chief guardian against invasion from the 15th century onwards.
We found the quayside a great place to stop for lunch. It is lined with seafood restaurants with tempting fish platters on ice on display outside. Here you can also see the regular fish auctions (the Lonja). Finally, the beaches were nice, clean and not overly crowded.
Calpe is also easy to get to via the main highway (A-7) or the N332, although the centre is very difficult to navigate. Overall, we found that Calpe offered a wealth of culture. It had a mixture of high-rise beachside buildings geared to the needs of the 21st-century tourist and charming, narrow medieval streets bearing the hallmarks of a bygone age. Calpe has my vote as the ideal base for a coastal holiday in Costa Blanca.
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