The Peñón de Ifach and the whole curve of Calpe bay seen from a clifftop viewpoint

Calpe, Costa Blanca

Sea views, colourful streets, the Peñón de Ifach & hidden gems

Costa Blanca · Alicante

About Calpe

Most people know Calpe for one thing: the Peñón de Ifach, the huge limestone rock that rises straight out of the Mediterranean and can be seen from half the Costa Blanca. It is spectacular — but it is genuinely the smallest reason we would tell you to come.

We went to Calpe wanting to see past the seafront, and what we found was an old town of painted houses and murals, a set of tiled steps that has become one of the most photographed corners on this coast, viewpoints where the water turns properly turquoise, and small family-run restaurants where nobody is trying to sell you a full English.

This page is our own guide, written after our visit, and we will keep adding to it every time we go back.

Calpe sits on the Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante.

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Things to do in Calpe

Explore Calpe Old Town

Narrow lanes, tiled doorways, flower pots and pastel houses climbing the hill behind the beach. Easily half a morning if you let yourself get lost in it.

Discover the colourful Spanish Steps

A tiled stairway painted in blues, yellows and terracotta — the corner of the old town everybody photographs, and it really is as pretty in person.

Visit the Peñón de Ifach

The 332-metre rock and natural park at the end of the bay. Walk the lower path for the views, or hike higher — check current access and booking arrangements first.

Relax on the beaches

Two long sandy bays either side of the rock, plus small rocky coves for snorkelling when the main beaches are busy.

Walk along the seafront

A flat, easy promenade with the rock ahead of you the whole way — the best walk in Calpe with a pushchair or tired legs.

Visit Morro de Toix

Our favourite discovery: panoramic clifftop views over turquoise water, the coastline and the Peñón from the other direction.

Discover the murals and colourful streets

Painted walls, mosaics and hand-tiled house numbers all through the old quarter. Bring a camera and a bit of patience.

Explore the historic corners

Old town walls, small squares and quiet churches tucked between the busier streets — the parts most day trippers walk straight past.

Find the best viewpoints

Between the old town, the seafront and Morro de Toix there are viewpoints for sunrise, sunset and everything in between.

Enjoy the local restaurants

From old town terraces to something completely different — we ended up at a Mexican, El Torito, and had one of our best meals of the trip.

Best beaches

Playa de la Fossa (Levante) — sandy, wide and family friendly
Playa Arenal-Bol — right below the old town
Cala El Racó — small and sheltered at the foot of the rock

Restaurants

El Torito Mexican Restaurant — a great family evening and not what you expect here
Old town terraces on the small squares
Fresh fish near the port

Where to stay

Terra de Mar Boutique — small, 12 rooms, lovely terrace, close to the old town

Walks

The seafront from Arenal-Bol round towards La Fossa — flat and easy
The old town stair circuit, taking in the Spanish Steps
Morro de Toix — steep and rocky, but the best views in Calpe

Viewpoints

Morro de Toix — the panoramic one, and our favourite
The seafront at either end for the classic Peñón view
The top of the old town looking back down over the bay

Markets

Wednesday and Saturday markets

Hidden gems

The murals and tiled corners away from the main old town streets
The quieter end of the seafront early in the morning

Written from our own visit

Our Calpe experience

We recently visited Calpe and wanted to explore more than just the main tourist areas. What we found was a destination full of colour, incredible views, historic streets and some seriously beautiful corners.

We based ourselves at Terra de Mar Boutique, walked up into the old town, spent a long time on the Spanish Steps, looked up at the Peñón from every angle we could find, drove out to Morro de Toix for the views, walked the seafront and ate far too well. Everything on this page is somewhere we actually went.

Terra de Mar Boutique

A small boutique stay with a lovely terrace, minutes from the old town — where we based ourselves for the visit.

Calpe Old Town

Colour everywhere: painted facades, tiled steps, murals and quiet corners between the busy streets.

The Spanish Steps

Hand-painted tiles in Mediterranean blues and warm terracotta. Go early if you want them to yourself.

Peñón de Ifach

It dominates everything. We walked in as far as we could and spent the rest of the trip photographing it from different angles.

Morro de Toix

Steep, rocky and absolutely worth it — the most turquoise water we have seen on this stretch of coast.

Calpe seafront

Flat, easy and beautiful at either end of the day, with the rock always in the frame.

El Torito Mexican Restaurant

Not what you expect on the Costa Blanca, and a genuinely great evening out as a family.

Old town restaurants

Small terraces on the hill, better value and more atmosphere than the seafront rows.

Where we stayed

Terra de Mar Boutique

We stayed at Terra de Mar Boutique, a small boutique place with only twelve rooms — which is exactly why it works. It feels calm and personal rather than like a hotel block, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the location put us within easy reach of the old town and the Spanish Steps.

The outdoor terrace was the best part: somewhere genuinely lovely to sit at the end of a day of walking.

Small boutique accommodation with only 12 rooms
Lovely relaxed atmosphere
Friendly, helpful staff
Great location for exploring
Beautiful outdoor terrace
Close to the old town and the Spanish Steps
Worth knowing: the old town is uphill from the beach

Looking for somewhere different to stay in Calpe? Add Terra de Mar Boutique to your list.

Colour, murals and tiled steps

Calpe Old Town

The old town is where Calpe stops feeling like a beach resort. Traditional streets climb the hill in tight turns, walls are painted and tiled, and there are murals and decorative details on buildings you would otherwise walk straight past.

There are restaurants tucked into small squares, the Spanish Steps in the middle of it all, and enough colour that the children were happy just wandering with us looking for the next painted doorway.

Traditional streets and painted houses
Murals and mosaic details
Decorative tiled buildings and doorways
Small restaurants and terraces
The colourful Spanish Steps

Good to know: Calpe's old town is uphill from the beach, so comfortable footwear is a good idea.

The rock that defines the town

Peñón de Ifach

The Peñón de Ifach is a 332-metre limestone rock that rises straight out of the sea at the end of Calpe's bay, and it is a protected natural park. You see it from the beach, from the seafront, from the old town and from the far side of the bay at Morro de Toix — it never stops being impressive.

There is a visitor area and a path onto the rock, and the higher route is a proper hike rather than a stroll: steep, rocky and exposed in places. Access to the park is managed, so plan ahead rather than turning up and hoping.

Protected natural park at the end of the bay
Great views of the rock from the seafront and the marina side
The upper route is a genuine hike — steep and rocky
Sturdy footwear, water and sun protection are essential

Please check the current access, booking and hiking requirements with the natural park before you visit — arrangements change and we do not want you to have a wasted trip.

Our favourite viewpoint in Calpe

Morro de Toix

Morro de Toix sits on the headland at the southern edge of Calpe and gave us the best views of the whole visit. Incredible panoramas, water in a turquoise you half expect to be edited, the Calpe coastline stretching away and the Peñón de Ifach standing out across the bay.

It is quieter than anywhere else we went in Calpe, and it is where we would send anyone who thinks they have already seen the town.

Incredible panoramic views
Turquoise Mediterranean water below the cliffs
Views along the whole Calpe coastline
A different angle on the Peñón de Ifach

The route can be steep and rocky in places, so good footwear, water and sun protection are essential.

Family travel

Calpe with kids

Calpe worked well for us as a family. The beaches and the seafront do the easy days, and the old town keeps everyone interested for longer than you would expect because there is something to look at around every corner.

Sandy beaches either side of the rock
A flat seafront walk that suits scooters and pushchairs
Exploring the old town — murals, steps and colour hunting
Photo spots everywhere, which turns the walk into a game
Plenty of family-friendly restaurants, including El Torito
Easy short activities you can build a relaxed day around

Worth planning around: the old town is a climb and the summer heat is real. We did the hills early or late and kept the middle of the day for the beach.

Our Calpe tips