At Easter, at least one day you have to spend it in Altea, the charming town.
Holy Week is a very special moment for Altea for many reasons.
It is a week of bustle for tourists who come to know the town, one of the most visited charming towns in Spain. It is also a week of festivities that many neighbours and visitors live with religious fervor. And of course it’s also special for the complementary activities that the City Council organizes to enjoy the good weather and nature of Altea.
Route of the Hermitages
The space in which music and religious architecture merge into a concert that becomes unique.
As its name suggests it is a tour of the various hermitages of the village, Parish churches, chapels and oratory buildings of the municipality have been adding to this route year after year. A journey in which not only the protagonist is the physical space, but in each of these places there is a concert scheduled. An appointment with music for all visitors who want to know better Altea and its charms.
Religious processions
There are two unavoidable encounters for lovers of the Catholic tradition that distinguish the celebrations of Altea from those of the rest. First of all, the Via Crucis is celebrated every Holy Thursday, which is a staging of frozen images by a group of actors, a unique experience represented in the streets of Altea. It is also worth mentioning the charm of the procession of the Santo Entierro, which every Holy Friday at around 8 pm takes its route through the streets of the old town. Streets that are overflowing with neighbours that accompany the religious images and tourists crowding at the crossroads of the streets to see the descent of the procession.
Guided Routes
Free guided tours that take place throughout the municipality are another opportunity to get to know Altea better by walking through its streets and listening to the explanations on each secret corner. The route most commonly requested is “Discover Altea” which runs through the Old Town of Altea, but we can also make routes through “Altea la Vella”, the “Camí Reial” and the new addition “Cap Blanch i Els Arcs”. Four magnificent guided tours of about 2 hours to get to know Altea better and share it in a group of up to 40 people.
Camins d’Altea
For the most adventurous and independent people there are also 5 routes that can be done by bicycle or on foot and that take place around Altea.
The routes are “El camí Reial” that runs along the seashore, “Altea la Vella” the origin of the current Altea, “l’Algar” the beginning of the Huerta Altea, “Quintanes i Barranquet” the colonized land and last “Cap Blanch i els Arcs” where to know ancient ruins.
Craft Exhibition
They are already 35 years of the “Mostra d’artesania contemporànea” of Altea. It is enough to approach the church square between 12 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Holy Week to enjoy a lot of craft stalls offering a real show of colors and a display of know-how. It is one of the must-do visits for going out for a walk and get hungry for dinner because if you go to Altea on these dates you cannot stop enjoying the local cuisine.
Gastronomy of Holy Week in Altea
You cannot visit Altea and stop tasting one of the typical Monas of these dates, a traditional sweet of the area that has been preparing since long ago to go on picnic with friends.
Of course, you have to make a stop for lunch or dinner in one of the typical restaurants of Altea where the true masters of seafood cuisine are offering us different seafood rices and unique fish dishes throughout the Mediterranean coast.