Calpe - resort information

 

La Fossa beach, Calpe. Beautiful beach with soft sand and the dramatic Peñon D'Ifach rock in the background. Foot showers. Toilets. Pedestrian promenade the length of the beach with cafes, restaurants & shops.

Calpe is situated just south of Moraira. It is approximately twelve minutes drive between Moraira and Calpe via the coast road which provides dramatic sea views. 

 

Cantal Roig beach, Calpe. This is situated on the other side of the Peñon D'Ifach. Often the water is calmer and 
warmer on this side. Foot showers. Toilets. Promenade with cafes, restaurants & shops. 

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Cantal Roig beach, Calpe. Shallow calm waters. Great for families with young children		Some of the Calpe fishing boat fleet moored in the port between the Peñon & Cantal Roig beach.

Late afternoon  - hot day in summer at Cantal Roig Playa (beach), Calpe. Good beach for families with young children. Plenty of amenities, shops, cafes etc. nearby and easy parking.

Calpe

At the heart of the Costa Blanca, within the region of Valencia lies the fishing port and holiday destination of Calpe. The town sits in an ideal location, easily accessed from the N332 that runs from Valencia to Alicante. Calpe is approximately one hour drive from Alicante airport.

Calpe has a wonderful mixture of traditional Valencian culture plus modern tourist facilities. It is a great base from which to explore the local area and enjoy the many local beaches. Calpe alone has three of the most beautiful sandy beaches on this stretch of the coast. The principal beaches are Cantal Roig and Levante, each with an extensive stretch of golden sand, foot showers, toilets, cafes ,restaurants and shops. In addition to the beaches, there are two sailing clubs and numerous restaurants serving fresh fish and an impressive variety of local seafood.

The Calpe coastline consists of extremely scenic, beautifully maintained, clean, safe, sandy beaches as well as numerous smaller coves. In addition to Calpe, the picturesque town of Moraira is only a 15 minute drive north along the spectacularly scenic coast road. Moraira also has a good variety of safe, family beaches as well as several sheltered coves ideal for snorkelling. There are also some excellent smaller beaches to be found on that 15 minute drive between Calpe and Moraira (e.g. La Fustera, Bassettes, Baladrar, EL Pinets). Besides a wide range of bars and restaurants, the Calpe beachfronts offer a wide range of watersports such as scuba diving, windsurfing, water-skiing and sailing (from the Calpe Nautical Club). The clear waters make this area a popular scuba diving destination. Trips to dive points from the Puerto Blanco diving centre. Glass bottomed boat trips available if diving is not your thing.

In addition to its three exceptional beaches,  Calpe is renowned as a fishing town par excellence, with more than 13 km. of coastline and with its famous Peñon de Ifach landmark (the Rock of Calpe) visible for miles in either direction (the rock is 332 metres in height and classified as a nature reserve). Prior to becoming a popular holiday destination, Calpe was an established hub for agriculture (almonds, raisins and carob beans), fishing and the extraction of salt from its salt flats.

Today, the Calpe fish market with its daily fish auction is a hugely popular attraction for visitors.  In addition to the wholesale auction, members of the public can buy fresh fish in the late afternoon. The local Guild of Fishermen was founded in 1924 and it currently manages 22 fishing boats manned by approximately 160 fishermen.

Calpe beaches - the two 'main' beaches are La Fossa (no. 4) and Cantal Roig (no. 7) 

The promenade at La Fossa beach. Photo taken from one of the many cafes and restaurants. 

 

The Calpe fish market. Every weekday, late afternoon, once the fishing boats return to port, there is a fish auction. Fish can also be purchased by the public from a shop there.

 

One of the larger Calpe fishing boats after its return to port late in the afternoon.  The fish market building is seen to the right in the background. Cantal Roig and Arenal beach are a few hundred metres from here.

 

One of Calpe's two marinas. This one is at the foot of the Peñon in the port area.

One of several good cafes and restaurants adjacent to the beach areas. Good for drinks, snacks or full meals.

History of Calpe

Calpe is a town rich in history and culture and its strategic position on the coast has attracted many voyagers and settlers throughout history. Remains of Iberian tribes have been found around the town. Later, the Romans founded Calpe as a prosperous colony, whose main activity was drying and salting fish. Christians and Moors lived peacefully for a time but were subjected to attacks by pirates during the 14th-17th centuries.

La Fustera beach only three minute drive from Calpe. Easy parking. Cafe. Showers. Toilets. Really nice beach.

 

 

Cantal Roig beach, Calpe. A favourite for families with young children due to shallow, warm, calm water.

 
 

Arenal beach, Calpe, Just beyond Cantal Roig beach. Bordered by promenade with cafes and restaurants.

 

One of the exceptional sand castles built on La Fossa beach in the evening. This a favourite place for Spanish familes to stroll in the evenings due to the good cafes, ice cream parlours, restaurants and usually something interesting to see.