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Altea looks out over the bay between Benidorm and Calp, its old town perched on a hill and crowned by the blue-and-white tiled domes of the church of Our Lady of Consolation. Cobbled streets, whitewashed houses and galleries: this is home to the Faculty of Fine Arts of Miguel Hernández University, and you can tell.
It’s a seaside destination without skyscrapers, with excellent food and sunset strolls. We’ve brought together six places to stay that we hand-picked: a hotel in a former bakery, suites by the beach, two guesthouses with kitchens and two houses with pools on the hillsides.
How to choose an area
Altea stretches along the coast and climbs into the hills, so your choice of area can make quite a difference to your trip:
- Old town: up on the hill, around the church square and Portal Vell. Lively in the evenings, with steep slopes and very few cars.
- Seafront promenade and centre: La Roda and l'Espigó beaches, the harbour and shopping streets, on flat ground and close to the station.
- Cap Negret and l'Olla: further north, more residential, with pebble coves and their own tram stop.
- Altea Hills and Mascarat: hillside developments by the border with Calp, with villas, pools and sea views. A car is essential here.
If you’re coming without a car or staying just a few nights, choose somewhere between the old town and La Roda. For groups or families, a house with a pool on the hillsides makes the journeys worthwhile. On our Altea page, you’ll find all the places we’ve selected in the municipality.
Where to stay in Altea
Here are the six places we recommend, from the old town to the northern hills.
Hotel Abaco Altea
A three-star hotel in an 18th-century former bakery, right in the old town, with individually decorated rooms and 40 m² studios with kitchens. Bars and shops are five minutes away, and the beach is about 350 metres away. Parking and breakfast cost extra, and reception closes at 20:00.
Las Torres by Santas Hotels
Suites for two, around 200 metres from La Roda beach and a short walk from the old town streets. Several categories have sea views and some have a terrace, so choose carefully when you reserve. There’s no parking, and the suites can’t accommodate a third guest.
Precioso Apartamento Boutique El Amante
Adults only, with spacious 60 m² rooms for two or four people and a kitchen with a hob, microwave and dishwasher. Two room categories also have a balcony, terrace and sea views. Designed for peaceful stays, with quiet hours from 23:00 to 09:00; there’s no parking.
El jardin Botánico Villa LUZ
A house with a garden and pool, 140 metres from Solsida beach, in the north of the municipality. The room is 41 m² and has a balcony and sea views; private parking is free and doesn’t need to be reserved. It’s for couples: it accommodates two guests, and check-in is between 15:00 and 17:00.
Casa Mimo Altea
Outdoor pool, garden and rooms with balconies and sea views, one and a half kilometres from Solsida beach. The studios and bungalows have kitchens with an oven and dishwasher; the double room doesn’t. You can park for free on the property, although wifi is only available in the shared areas.
Villa Altea Lomalisa
A 410 m² house with seven bedrooms for fourteen people, a private pool, garden, terrace with sea views and free parking. It has a fully equipped kitchen with a washing machine, and several beaches are less than three kilometres away. A cash deposit is required on arrival, and check-in is between 16:30 and 17:00.
What to see in Altea and the surrounding area
Start in the old town: follow Calle Mayor up to the church square, whose lookout point offers sweeping views of the bay. Then head down to the seafront promenade, which runs alongside La Roda and l'Espigó to the harbour. Almost all of Altea’s beaches are made up of pebbles: the water is very clear, but you’ll be glad you brought water shoes.
South of the promenade, the old railway bridge over the Algar River, built between 1913 and 1915, is now a path for pedestrians and cyclists stretching more than 230 metres. Inland, you’ll find Altea la Vella, the Bernia range and Guadalest; along the coast, there’s the l'Albir lighthouse and the Peñón de Ifach in Calp.
When to visit Altea
The weather is mild almost all year round; spring and autumn are ideal for combining walks and beach time without the crowds. The town gets busy in summer. The big night comes every August with the Castell de l'Olla, held on the Saturday closest to Saint Lawrence’s Day: a fireworks display launched from platforms at sea, opposite l'Olla beach. It attracts more than 50,000 people and has been designated a Regional Tourist Interest Festival.
If you’re visiting at that time, reserve well in advance. The main festivities in honour of Sant Blai and the Crist del Sagrari begin in late September, with the Moors and Christians parades through the historic centre.
Getting there and getting around
The nearest airport is Alicante-Elche, and you can get there by car via the AP-7 or N-332. By tram, TRAM d'Alacant line 1 runs from Alicante to Benidorm, where you can change to line 9, which continues along the coast to Dénia. It reopened after renovation on 28 January 2025, and in its first year Altea was the second-busiest station after Benidorm.
You can explore the centre on foot, and parking up in the old town is difficult; you’ll need a car to reach the developments in the north.
Altea is part of our guide to where to stay in the Valencian Community. If you’re exploring the Costa Blanca, also see where to stay in Calp, just to the north, where to stay in Benidorm and where to stay in Alicante.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions people ask most when planning a few days in Altea.
What’s the best area to stay in Altea?
For a first visit, choose the old town or the seafront promenade by La Roda: the church, restaurants, beach and TRAM station are just a few minutes’ walk away. The old town has more charm, but also steep slopes and steps. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, a pool or a house for a group, head north, between Cap Negret, l'Olla and Altea Hills, where villas with sea views are plentiful.
Can you visit Altea without a car?
Yes. From Alicante, TRAM line 1 goes to Benidorm, where you change to line 9, which stops in Altea and continues to Dénia. Line 9 reopened after renovation in January 2025, and Altea is one of its busiest stations. Once there, you can explore the centre and town beaches on foot; a car is almost essential only for hillside developments such as Altea Hills.
What are the beaches in Altea like?
Almost all are pebble beaches rather than fine sand, which is why the water is usually very clean. La Roda and l'Espigó, by the seafront promenade, are the easiest to reach from the centre. Further north, Cap Negret, l'Olla and the small Solsida beach are quieter. Bring water shoes and, if you’re travelling with children, a thick beach mat: lying on the stones gets uncomfortable after a while.
When is the Castell de l'Olla?
Every August, on the Saturday closest to Saint Lawrence’s Day, 10 August. It’s a fireworks display launched from platforms at sea opposite l'Olla beach, drawing more than 50,000 people to the shore and the boats in the bay. It has been designated a Regional Tourist Interest Festival. Reserve your accommodation months in advance, get to the beach by mid-afternoon and consider travelling by TRAM to avoid having to find parking.
Where should families or groups stay in Altea?
The most practical option is a whole house on the northern hillsides, with a private pool, equipped kitchen and its own parking; options range from three-bedroom houses to seven-bedroom villas for fourteen people. They often have strict check-in times, quiet hours at night and sometimes require a deposit. In the centre, several hotels and guesthouses allow only two guests per room or are adults only, so check before you reserve.
