Lots of possibilities
The Peñon de Ifach (332 m), clean and tranquil beaches, high cliffs, valleys and mountains that loom over the sea, a privileged climate.
Calpe will surprise you with contrasts.
The town, open to tourism with modern buildings and wide avenues, merges with the seafaring people, proud of their past and traditions, in order to receive visitors that come here year after year.
Gastronomy
Calpe has an extensive offer of restaurants ranging from those specialising in international foods to those offering typical dishes of the area, principally based on fish and rice.
“Llauna de Calp”, de “Arròs de Senyoret” are typical dishes followed by many more such as putxero de polp, paella, arròs amb fesols i naps, amb bledes y al forn without forgetting the delicious cocas and home-made cakes and pastries. All this accompanied by wine Peñon de Ifach, a wine of intense ruby sparkles that is a homage to this region.
History & monuments
Calpe is a town full of history and culture.
Throughout history the strategic situation of Calpe has made of its territory an area of passage and settling of numerous civilisations. Along the sides of the Peñon de Ifach are findings that belong to the Iberian period.
In the plains the Romans set up a prosperous colony dedicated to the fish salting commerce and industry.
The medieval stage was characterised by a settlement scattered around hamlets. Christians and moslems lived together peacefully, suffering continuous plundering by the pirates from the 14th to the 17th century. Once the threat of the pirates was eliminated, Calpe began a slow recovery in the 18th century that strengthened in the 19th century and established the bases for its properity, making it the focus of national and international tourist attraction.
In the old-town, next to the Moorish suburb of Arrabal, rizes the estate formed by the Torreó de la Peça, the Ramparts and the Old Church, the only example of a gothic-mudejar style in the Community of Valencia. Bordering on the coast stretches the beach promenade where remains of a Roman village were found recently that was part of the fish hatchery of the Baños de la Reina.
In a hill, dominating the bay, lies the chapel of San Salvador from the 18th century and on the outskirts of the village is the Chapel of la Cometa and the fortified building of the Casa Nova that belongs to the same period.
Adjacent to the period of Mascarat are the ruins of the Moslem castle of Calpe.
Spread out over the district we discover the riu-raus or typical houses.
Scenery
The municipal district extends around a bay with the Peñon de Ifach rising at the northern end.
The slopes of the Peñon that is declared as a Nature Park shelter a great variety of endemic plants and numerous species of birds make their nest on the rock face. This rock with a height of 332 m goes into the sea up to the point of Carallot and a path leads all the way up to the summit from where you enjoy a magnificent view.
The Park has a visits control, but it is always possible to get access to the ” Aula de la Naturaleza “, the Nature Hall, with an audio-visual exposition and information about the Nature Park. The antique Roman salt flats at the foot of the Peñon are an important ecological landscape that shelters a great number of migrating birds.
At the south the bay clothes with the Morro de Toix whilst the heights of Cometa, Oltà, Mascarat and Collao in the interior of the district alternate with fields of cultivation, shaping a beautiful countryside. The coast combines the cliffs of Ifach, Toix and Manzanera with the inlets of Ifach, Toix en la Manzanera with the inlets of Racó, Urques, Mallorqui, Calalga and Bassestes and with the fine sandy beaches of la Fossa Levante, Arenal-Col, Cantal Roig and Puerto Blanco.
Sightseeing
A walk through the old-town with typical streets of a seaboard town and paintings in fresco, a visit to the museum Fester, the Archeological museum, the museum of Collections, the museum “Casa de la Senyoreta” and the townis squares and finally climb the hill to the chapel of San Salvador.
A climb up to the Peñon de Ifach in order to contemplate the splendid panoramic view and a walk along the ecological promenade “Principe de Asturias” that borders on the sea.
In the afternoons watch the arrival of the fishing boats and the auctioning of the fish afterwards from the lookout of the commodity exchange.
Sport
If you like sport and adventure you can chose between the sea and the mountain.
In the fishing port you will find the installations of the Nautical Club of Calpe and also outstanding are the marinas of Pueto Blanco and Les Bassetes. You can go in for underwater sports, windsurfing, water-skiing and sailing in general and you can also attend the courses that are given at different schools.
The relief of the district also allows you to go in for more risky sport activity such as scaling in Peñon de Ifach and Toix and potholing in Oità.
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Address
Partida Manzanera
Urbanisatie Cala Manzanera
Blok 12, nr. 124
E 03710 Calpe
Alicante, Spain
GPS coordinates : 38.639375, 0.037475
Contact in Belgium
Chantal Vanmarsenille
+32 473 78 15 07