Hotels in Altea

Altea

Altea is a coastal town in the Marina Baixa, north of Benidorm on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante. Its old town is a maze of whitewashed houses and narrow streets climbing a hill above the bay. At the top, on the Plaza de la Iglesia, stands the church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, whose blue-tiled dome has become an icon of the Costa Blanca. The square has wide views over the bay and the Mediterranean, and in summer it hosts an art market. Altea is known as a painters' town, and its streets are lined with artisans and artists' workshops. The old town is pedestrian-only, so visitors leave their cars at the town hall or by the Paseo Marítimo, the seafront promenade below. Life here moves more slowly than in nearby Benidorm, and evenings centre on small restaurants and galleries rather than nightlife. It suits couples and travellers who want a historic village with the sea at its foot rather than a large resort. Benidorm and its theme parks are close enough for a day out, and so is Calpe to the north. Alicante-Elche is the nearest airport, and the coastal tram from Alicante serves the town.