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Voykit pocket guide · Spain
Altea
Give Altea 2 nights: one for the old town and church at sunset, one for the beach and a chiringuito lunch. Skip it as a base if you want nightlife.
Altea is a small Costa Blanca town of about 24,000 people between Benidorm and Calpe, built around a whitewashed old town on a hill above the sea. It stayed low-rise while Benidorm went vertical, so it works as a quiet 2-night stop or a day trip from Benidorm or Calpe rather than a full beach holiday base. The old town is steep, the beaches near town are stony, and the tram and buses put Alicante, Dénia and Benidorm within easy reach.
- Country
- Spain
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, crowded, peak prices)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €85–140 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · National police 091 · Guardia Civil 062
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
- Water
- Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–2.50 |
| Menu del día at lunch | €12–18 |
| Tapas plate | €7–13 |
| Beer: caña at a bar / can at a supermarket | €2–3.50 / €0.60–1.20 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €8–12 |
| Tram ride, short hop | €1.35–7.15 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €8–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ALC · Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández
- About 60 km (37 mi) south; tram or bus to Altea with a change in Benidorm, roughly 1.5–2 hAbout 37 mi (60 km) south; tram or bus to Altea with a change in Benidorm, roughly 1.5–2 h
- VLC · Valencia
- About 140 km (87 mi) north; train or bus via Alicante or Dénia, longer and less directAbout 87 mi (140 km) north; train or bus via Alicante or Dénia, longer and less direct
Typical fares
- Tram Altea → Benidorm
- about €2–3, 20–30 min (check)
- Tram Altea → Alicante
- about €5–7.15 with a change at Benidorm, under 2 h (check)
- Taxi Altea station → Casco Antiguo
- €8–12 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The old town, port and beachfront are walkable but the old town is steep, with steps and cobbles. Llorente Bus routes 010, 012 and 031 link Altea with Benidorm and Albir; routes 027 and 028 run to the northern beaches. Tram Alicante (el Trenet) stops at Altea on the Dénia–Alicante line, with a change at Benidorm for Alicante. Parking in the Casco Antiguo is restricted to residents; use the free car parks on the edge of town.
See and do
Known for
- Casco Antiguo whitewashed old town
- Església de la Mare de Déu del Consol and its blue-tiled domes
- Coca a la llumà
- Platja de l'Olla chiringuitos
- Moros i Cristians festival
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Benidorm | Llorente bus 010/012/031 or tram from Altea station | About 30–45 min |
| Calpe | Tram north from Altea, or bus | About 30–40 min |
| Alicante | Tram with a change at Benidorm, or bus | About 1.5–2 h |
| Dénia | Tram north along the coast | About 1.5–2 h |
| Xàbia | Bus or car; the tram does not serve Xàbia | About 1.5 h |
| Elche | Bus or train via Alicante | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Casco Antiguo (old town)
- Views and quiet, but steep lanes and steps; parking is residents-only, so arrive on foot or by taxi with bags.
- Port and beachfront
- Flat walk to the beach and restaurants; 10–15 min uphill walk to the old town.
- Platja de l'Olla / Cap Negret
- North of town along the coast; beach hotels and chiringuitos, reached by bus 027 or car.
- Albir and El Albir
- Just south, sandy beach and more services; a tram or bus stop away from Altea.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syas |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| Do you have a table? | ¿Tienen mesa?TYEH-nen MEH-sah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the beach? | ¿Dónde está la playa?DON-deh es-TAH la PLAH-yah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
- Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
- Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
- Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
- Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
- Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish
Scams and watch-outs
- The old town is steep with uneven steps: wear shoes with grip, not flip-flops.
- Beaches at Cap Negret, La Roda and l'Olla are stony; the nearest sandy beach is Racó de l'Albir to the south.
- Parking in the Casco Antiguo is residents-only; leave the car in a peripheral car park.
- Many chiringuitos on Platja de l'Olla are seasonal and open in summer only.
- Restaurant La Capellá closes in February, the last two weeks of September and November; check before booking.
Altea is a low-crime small town and safe for tourists day and night. The real risks are the steep, uneven old-town lanes, summer heat, and pickpockets in crowds at the September Moros i Cristians festival.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Altea yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Casco Antiguo whitewashed old town
- Església de la Mare de Déu del Consol and its blue-tiled domes
- Coca a la llumà
- Platja de l'Olla chiringuitos
- Moros i Cristians festival
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Altea official tourism site: visitaltea.es/en/
- Altea town council: www.altea.es/
- TRAM Alicante (el Trenet): www.tramalicante.es/
- Llorente Bus: www.llorentebus.es/en
- Wikivoyage: Altea, revision 5291671 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5291671
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Altea
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Altea; the US has a consulate in Valencia, the UK and Ireland have consulates in Alicante, and most other countries keep embassies in Madrid.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/altea). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.