Altea’s Roads
Sometimes disconnecting is necessary, changing our vision from day to day and immersing ourselves in nature or in some new environment. In Altea you can find endless possibilities, since this charming town offers you the best of the sea, as well as the mountain. It is also consolidated as the cultural capital of the Costa Blanca, as its cultural offer is very varied and complete.
Throughout the year many free guided tours are organized in Altea. If you want to spend a different day and get away from the routine a bit, read on. We are going to list four wonderful ways in which you can discover why Altea is magical.
The Algar
You will know the richness of this natural space where birds stand out. In addition, you can discover the oldest flour mill in the municipality, the ‘’Pi del Senyoret’’, the second largest pine tree in the Valencian territory, or admire the charm of the game L’Horta with its hermitage of Sant Roc and its ditches.
The Algar River rises in the Ferrer mountain range and descends along its 12.2 km long along the western slope of the Bernia mountain range. His most important contribution comes from the Fuentes del Algar in Callosa d’en Sarrià.
Due to the presence of a permanent flow, the Algar River harbors riverside fauna and vegetation of special interest. Such is the importance of this enclave that has been included in the Catalog of Humid Zones of the Valencian Community.
Along the route, you will find signs that will inform you about the most abundant species in this area, such as the gray heron, the cattle egret, the little egret, the common moorhen, the common duck and the cormorant, with respect to the birds. They also inform us of some butterflies such as the saltacercas, or the macaon and numerous pollinating insects.
Old town
The old town of Altea is one of the jewels of the Costa Blanca. Its cobbled streets trace a labyrinth of white and blue houses full of plants and colorful flowers, and its Mediterranean air pervades everything.
You can go to the old town of Altea from the ‘’Costera del Mestre de música’’, a beautiful staircase that ascends between whitewashed houses or along the ‘’Pont de Moncau Street’’ that will take us to the ‘’Plaza de la Cruz’’, then you will have to cross the ‘’Portall Vell’’ and go up the ‘’Calle Mayor’’ which is full of craft stalls and restaurants until you reach the center of the old town of Altea and the Plaza de la Iglesia and its viewpoint.
Altea is a charming town and not in vain has various attractions considered of Cultural Interest, such as Portal Vell, Salamanca Street, Glorieta del Maño or Plaza de Iglesia, among others.
If you want to take a break, you can try one of the magnificent restaurants that you will find in the old town of Altea and taste the most Mediterranean flavor.
Quintanes i Barranquet
We can start the tour at ‘’Partida de l’Horta’’ where the hermitage of Sant Roc and Pi del Senyoret stand out, to continue by ‘’PArtida del Barranquet’’ dominated by the picturesque hermitage of Sant Lluis. We will continue along ‘’Camí Vell d’Alcoi’’, one of the main roads of the 17th century and which communicates directly with the Church’s square.
For Altea, the hermitages represent a heritage of incalculable value, surrounded by the oldest traditions, preserved to this day. From the refoundation of the town, the population was colonizing all corners of the term, creating over time cores of houses surrounded by orchards and terraces popularly called ‘’partidas’’.
These inhabited enclaves transformed the landscape and with the effort of the neighbors were born roads, ditches, … and of course, the hermitages. Both the ‘’partidas’’ and the hermitages are still alive today.
In addition, the townhall of Altea organizes every year the Route of the Ermites, a cycle of concerts from the Saturday before Easter until the next weekend, performing a concert per day. This activity attracts a large number of public, lover of good music. The cycle takes a tour of all the Altean geography, visiting seven places where the aforementioned hermitages are located, each of them dedicated to a Saint.
The Camí Reïal
This route, known as the Green Corridor, runs along the old Camino Real del Mar. Through this pedestrian path you can learn about the singularity of the volcanic outcrop of Cap Negret, contemplate stately villas and bunkers of the Civil War or relax with a walk next to the sea on the beach of l’Olla.
The volcanic outcrop, with its characteristic black color, comes from the volcanic eruption of submarine origin that was associated with the rupture of Pangea.
The cape, or the mound of Cap Negret is formed by a large basaltic mass with stone extraction remains; extractions that were made over the centuries and that were industrially exploited at the time of years 30-36 of the twentieth century, parallel to the basaltic reef of the Quarry of Calces, the material of both extractions gave rise to the project and construction of the wharf that worked in these decades and of which we still can find remains, in addition to the management booth currently in use as a recreational home.
Its declaration as a Protected Natural Area takes into consideration the Volcanic Outcrop of Cap Negret and the Fosil Beach.
With this route, we can also enjoy the architectural wealth recreated by the various palaces that have been part of the coastal landscape of La Olla beach for more than a hundred years.
This beach measures a mile and intersperses bowling, rock and sand. It is located between two marinas and from there you can see the Peñón de Ifach.
In front of it emerge “L’Illeta”, which can be accessed by swimming and “L’Illot”. It is perfect for disconnecting, reading or playing games with children.
In August the renowned pyromusical show of El Castell de l’Olla takes place.