Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. To find out more, please read our Cookie Notice. Close
With its unmistakable skyline of high-rise, high-value hotels, paired with swathes of golden beaches, Benidorm has been a holiday favourite since the dawn of the package holiday. At around two hours flying time, Alicante, with annual temperatures ranging from pleasantly warm to sizzling hot, has food and entertainment that feels very familiar to the UK. So it’s little wonder that millions make the annual trip to a resort that feels a lot like home. But, equally close to those airport gates are some of the Costa Brava’s lesser known towns, mountain villages and natural parks that show a much more sedate, attractive and authentic side to this part of Spain.
Altea is merely a whisper away from busy Benidorm. And ‘whisper’ is a word that sums up this seaside town where whitewashed houses and maze-like cobbled streets replace the sky-high buildings and neon-lit strip. There are still beaches aplenty, but these are interlaced with quiet coves and bays, rather than the bars and fast-food joints of its bigger, badder Benidorm brother.
On Benidorm’s other side and also keeping the noise and crowd levels in check is the lovely little town of Albir. While the main beach may be more pebbles than sand, its promenade is all about stars – movie stars. It’s home to Spain’s very own Walk of Fame. If nature walks win over Hollywood walks, then Albir also offers up some excellent trails. The Sierra Helada Nature Park is a particularly great spot for hill walking, with tons of picnic spots to settle on following a good morning’s hiking.
If you want to go somewhere that’s slightly less hectic than Benidorm but still packs a bit of a punch,
Calpe is at least worth a visit. Once a sleepy fishing village, modern Calpe effortlessly manages to balance the cultural and historical Valencian vibe, with a bustling tourist trade. And of course, being on the Costa Blanca there are lots of sandy swathes – but less people than on Benidorm’s beaches.
Overlooking the coastal town and bay is The Rock of Ifach. While many attempt to make for the top to admire the views, it’s by no means an easy climb, so a much more simple option is to admire it from below at one of the excellent seafood restaurants in Calpe’s marina.
Quaint and charming it may be, but Guadalest is no ordinary Spanish village. It’s situated at the peak of a sheer-sided cliff, and to reach it and the remains of a medieval castle, visitors need to travel through a 15 metre long tunnel that’s been carved through solid rock. Officially dubbed a ‘Monument of Historical and Artistic Value’ in 1974, and with a host of museums and sites to visit once you get there, it’s definitely worth the journey.
When you’re on a Costa Blanca beach facing the Mediterranean, it’s pretty easy to forget to look back over your shoulder and see what lies beyond. Take time out from the seafront and you’re not that far from a couple of nature’s wonders. Head to the Terra Natura Wildlife Park and you might even think you’re on safari in Africa. Elephants, rhinos and big cats are just three of the species that call this vast terrain home. It’s not all supersized animals, though. There’s a colourful array of birds and insects to admire, as well as the opportunity to see it all from the sky on a zipline.
If you want to cool off in a quirky setting, a trip to the mighty Algar Waterfalls just has to be done. Within easy reach of Benidorm, Altea and Calpe, you’re likely to hear the roar of water before you see it. Whether you choose to leap straight into the pools, stand under a constant cascade of water, or simply sit on the bank and watch, it’s a fresh and frothy alternative to the hotel pool.
Over in Elche, you’ll stumble straight into Europe’s one and only palm garden. This botanic paradise is just 25 minutes from Alicante, but with its supersized cacti and massive trees, it’s got an otherworldly atmosphere.
We can’t talk about Alicante’s hidden treasures without mentioning some surprising gastronomic delights. While Benidorm food can best be summed up as the familiar tastes of home, the mountain towns and fishing harbours a bit further away offer up a more varied bounty.
For some of the most delicious tapas that the region has to offer, the town of Denia is up there with the best. The Plaza de la Constitucion in the old quarter is a whole street devoted to tapas eateries, while the marina sets the scene for upmarket fish restaurants such as El Bravo where lobster and crusted salmon take star billing on a truly different menu.
Offering up some regional competition on the tapas front is Javea. Mouthfuls of meat and fish dishes are available from almost every street corner of this port-side town. And as for dessert, resistance to bunyols – deep fried dough balls – is utterly futile.
What sweeter note to finish off with than the candy-filled and candy-shaded shops of Villajoyosa? Giving Belgium and Switzerland a run for their chocolate money, this harbourside medieval town is a must-do pilgrimage for lovers of anything cocoa-related. There’s even a chocolate museum and three chocolate factories, which are all open to visitors - Willy Wonka, eat your heart out.
If you’re ready for a non-traditional Costa Brava holiday, click here to book your holiday.
Author: Ali Jacobs
The stylish yet simple, Cap Negret Hotel in Altea has a huge pool and is less than a stone’s throw from a pebble beach.
Looking straight over Levante Beach, the self-catering in the heart of Calpe offers up two curvy pools to cool off in.
Call us on 0203 451 2688 or visit one of our expert Travel Advisors find your nearest TUI Store
Our top deals tailored to you, straight to your inbox Sign up for offers
Holiday Types
Popular Destinations
Mid/Long haul
Short Haul
Flights To
Cruise
Hotels
More from TUI
About TUI MyTUI app Cookies Notice Manage Cookie Preferences Privacy Notice Terms & Conditions Credit card fees Media Centre Travel Jobs Affiliates Discover Lakes & Mountains Discover Weddings App Store for Ios Google Play Store Travel Money Holiday Budget Calculator TUI Group First Choice Holiday Brochures Travel After Brexit Holiday Weather
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and National Travel Health Network and Centre have up-to-date advice on staying safe and healthy abroad.
See gov.uk/travelaware and follow @FCDOtravelGovUK on Twitter and Facebook.com/FCDOtravel - for the latest general FCDO travel advice, including coronavirus travel guidance, security and local laws, and passport and visa information.
See gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice - for FCDO travel advice about individual destinations.
See Travel Aware page - for travel advice from TUI.
See travelhealthpro.org.uk - for current travel health news.
The advice can change so check regularly for updates.
All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Some of the flights on this website are also financially protected by the ATOL scheme, but ATOL protection does not apply to all flights. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each flight before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk. ATOL protection does not apply to the other holiday and travel services listed on this website.