Altea
The small town of Altea on the north Costa Blanca spills down from the hills that shelter it towards the sea below. Its highest point and dominating feature is the stunning blue and white-tiled, domed church of the Nuestra Señora del Consuelo. The maze of narrow streets and alleys that make up the town are filled with quaint artisan shops, tempting boutiques and whitewashed little houses.
Altea, which has not lost any of its traditional Spanish charm, is situated just 11km away from Costa Blanca’s biggest mass tourism resort, Benidorm, yet it is worlds apart from the bright lights, all-night bars and clubs and skyscraper hotels that cater to the package holiday tourist.
Location
Whether you’re travelling by road, air or even water, Altea is easily accessed. The nearest airport is Alicante-Elche, which is located 70km away and a 50-minute drive. Valencia’s Manises airport is 138km north and approximately 1hr 20min by car. If you do not have your own vehicle, it would make more sense to hire one rather than pay the taxi fare to and from either airport.
Altea is situated on the national coastal road that runs from the north to the south of the country, the N332, and just off the AP-7 motorway. There is the option of travelling by bus or tram from Alicante airport, but this is time-consuming for the short distance covered, although it is much cheaper.
For those arriving from the Balearic Islands, you can catch the ferry to Dénia and drive down to Altea from there.
The closest resorts to Altea are Calpe to the north and Benidorm to the south.
Altea town
Altea is divided into three parts: the old town in the hills with its spectacular views; the new town; and the sandy and pebbly beaches with their delightful marina and promenade lined with excellent restaurants, cafés and bars. Altea is one of the most picturesque towns on the Costa Blanca and the perfect destination to relax, unwind from the stresses of modern life and take a step back in time. It’s not really the place to go for an action-packed week of hair-raising adventure, although even the most thrill-seeking of visitors could not fail to be impressed by Altea’s delightfulness and beauty.
Property
As with many other nearby towns located on this part of the coast, Altea has become somewhat of a haven for the expatriate resident and visitor. House prices are categorized in the upper range, but this reflects the quality of the property in this area and the demand from wealthy buyers.
Altea offers a wide range of varied properties, mainly dependent on the location. There are affordable two and three-bedroom apartments close to the beach that can be acquired for around 150,000 €, yet at the same time, a luxury penthouse in a prime spot can set you back hundreds of thousands of euro. Altea perhaps has a larger variety of apartments than some of its neighbours due to the fact that it is slightly more built up.
The location where you will find all of the exclusive and luxury villas is in Altea Hills, which isn’t surprising, really, when you consider the fantastic views of the coast, the surrounding pine tree forests and striking mountain backdrop of the Sierra de Bèrnia. The setting couldn’t be more idyllic!
Beaches
As the town is divided into two by the busy N332 main road, it is sometimes easy to overlook the beaches. Altea has approximately 8km of coastline, where golden stretches of sand are intermingled with hidden coves, tiny inlets and steep cliffs. Altea is situated in a sheltered bay that is backed by a lovely promenade lined with palm trees, ice cream parlours, restaurants and a busy marina at the southern end. Take your pick of stunning beaches from the larger Cap Negret, Playa de la Olla and Playa de la Roda to the quieter and smaller, pebbly bays of Cala del Soyo and Playa de Mascaret. The larger and more popular beaches are great for water sports and activities including sailing, windsurfing and diving.
Places of interest
While the majority of visitors come to Altea to relax and do as little as possible, there are a number of must-see sites in the town that depict the interesting history of this small Costa Blanca resort, which, after declining in importance and becoming somewhat discarded and run-down, was brought back to life and prosperity in the 1950s by a colony of artists and craftsmen who made Altea their home.
• Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Consuelo
• Iglesia Santa Ana
• Casal Fester (depicts the history of the Moors and Christians fiestas)
• Iglesia Monasterio de las Carmelitas Descalzas
• Torre de la Galera (Watchtower declared Place of Cultural Interest)
• Torre de la Belaguarda
• The old town
• The marina and harbour área
• The many art galleries
• Large weekly market held every Tuesday
Highlighted properties in Costa Blanca North:
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Detached Villa in Altea
Costa Blanca North, Spain1,250,000 €
3
3
564m2
804m2
New construction modern villa for sale in Altea la Vella. With sea and mountain views. The clean lines and balance of this unique design make this villa very appealing. Located in the area of Santa Clara, so quiet and with a lot of...
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Detached Villa in Altea
Costa Blanca North, Spain2,450,000 €
4
4
351m2
848m2
Stunning modern new-build villa combining classic architecture with technology and comfort. Located in a well-known urbanisation of the Costa Blanca - Altea Hills with unsurpassed sea views and mountain views to the south. Built on a plot...
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Apartment in Altea
Costa Blanca North, Spain399,000 €
3
2
149m2
This apartment has top quality finishes and it is situated on the 4th floor of a building with lift, situated next to la Roda Beach and the marine in Altea. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, independent kitchen, utility room and an...
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