✦ Day trips
Altea in a day from Alicante
The other day trip people ask us for most.
✦ Day trips
The other day trip people ask us for most.
When a guest asks us for a day trip, two answers keep coming up. One is Tabarca. The other is Altea, the white village with the blue dome, further up the coast.
You can go without a car, by tram from the stop right by the house, or by car if you prefer. Here are both ways, and what to see once you’re there.
The Mercado stop is a four-minute walk from the studio. From there:
The thing to watch is the change in Benidorm. When you board at Mercado, check the screen to make sure it’s the L1 to Benidorm. The L9 runs once an hour, so check the timetable before you set off, so you don’t wait long for the connection, and above all before you come back: miss one and the next is an hour later. Full timetables are on the TRAM d’Alacant website.
It’s the most relaxed way to go. Nobody has to drive, and you can make lunch last as long as you like.
There are parking areas in Altea, so the car is a convenient option if you’d rather not depend on the tram timetable.
In Alicante, bear in mind that L’Alcor Old Town has no parking of its own. The nearest one we recommend is the public car park in Plaza de San Cristóbal: €1.43 an hour or €15 a day.
The old town. It’s best explored slowly, at your own pace, among whitewashed houses. Some streets to walk along: El Maño, Salamanca, Fondo and Santa Bárbara.
The church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo. It stands in the middle of the old town, and its blue-tiled dome is the image of Altea you’ll have seen in photos. It’s the one visit not to skip.
The viewpoint. Next to the church is the Mirador Cronistas de España, for a view down over the village and the coast.
The seafront. After going up, it’s time to come down. The promenade and the nearby coves are the plan for the afternoon: a walk by the sea before heading back.
A day is enough for the essentials, but not for everything. The Valencia region’s own tourism website recommends spending at least two days there. If you come back with more time, it suggests two hiking routes with views of the coast: the Faro de l’Albir and the Forat de Bèrnia. With one day, stick to the old town, the church, the viewpoint and the seafront, and have lunch in the village without looking at the clock: that’s why you came without the car.
Altea is a full-day trip, so it’s best to set off after breakfast. If you book directly with us, we provide the pastries for your first breakfast. You’ll find a coffee maker, toaster and kettle in every studio kitchen.
On the way back, the tram drops you at Mercado, four minutes from the house. And the Mercado Central is five: if you get back hungry and don’t feel like looking for a restaurant, pick something up and have dinner in the studio.
Everything else around us, from Tabarca and the Baños de la Reina to the beaches and the old town, is on our Area guide page.
Information checked in September 2026. The L9 runs once an hour: check the timetable on the TRAM website before you set off and before you come back.