Day trips from the Costa Blanca: 8 ideas for a day out

One of the great pleasures of living on the Costa Blanca: everything is next door. A village perched above a turquoise lake, waterfalls to swim in, an island marine reserve, a UNESCO-listed palm grove: it all works as a day out, and much of it without a car, thanks to the TRAM that runs along the coast. Here are eight ideas for your next Sundays.

The 8 day trips at a glance

1. Guadalest, the hilltop village

Twenty-five minutes from Benidorm, the Castell de Guadalest ticks every postcard box: a medieval village of under 300 people clinging to its rock, one of Spain's "most beautiful villages" since 2015, an 11th-century castle (4 euros with the museum, open 10am to 7pm), a handful of small museums and, below, the turquoise reservoir lake that steals the show. Go early or late in the day: the coach tours take over the middle of it.

2. The Fonts de l'Algar, the freshwater swim

At Callosa d'en Sarrià, twenty minutes from Altea, the Algar waterfalls unfurl natural pools and cool waters in a green setting. In summer, access is by set time slots (9am-1pm, 1pm-4pm, 4pm-8pm in July and August) and entry is around 5 euros, per the official site. The water is cold, that is the point. With children, the neighbouring DinoPark rounds off the day.

3. Tabarca, the island reserve

Spain's first marine reserve, the fortified islet of Tabarca is reached by boat from Alicante or Santa Pola. Ramparts, clear coves, snorkelling, and at midday the local ritual: the caldero tabarquino, whose story we tell in our guide to Alicante rice. The last boat back leaves in the early evening: check your operator's timetable.

4. The Elche palm grove

Over 200,000 palm trees in the middle of the city: the Palmeral of Elche, inherited from Al-Andalus, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. A stroll through the Huerto del Cura and its gardens, the old town, and for families the Río Safari on the Santa Pola road. Reachable by Cercanías from Alicante.

5. The Peñón de Ifach, the legendary climb

The Calpe rock (332 m) is climbed by a single trail, tunnel included, with the Mediterranean in 360 degrees at the top. Note: the natural park limits access to the upper part to 300 people a day, on a free permit to book online (from 10 days before at the earliest, and it goes fast at weekends), the Generalitat reminds visitors. Without a permit, the walk to the interpretation centre and the Fossa beach at the foot of the rock are well worth the trip. TRAM, Calp stop.

6. Altea, the white-and-blue postcard

The white lanes climbing to the blue-domed church, the artists' studios, the seafront below: Altea is best enjoyed on foot, late in the day when the light gilds the old town. The TRAM stops here, which makes it the simplest car-free day out in the Marina Baixa.

7. Villajoyosa, the facades and the chocolate

The colourful seafront houses, the market, the family beaches, and a local pride: chocolate, which the town's historic houses have made since the 19th century, with museums and factory shops to prove it. TRAM line 1 from Benidorm or Alicante.

8. Dénia, the great gourmet terminus

A castle overlooking the harbour, a fishermen's quarter, lively markets and the title of UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy: Dénia deserves a full day, red prawns optional. It is the terminus of TRAM line 9, and the ferry port for the Balearics if the urge for islands takes you.

And without a car?

This is the coast's pleasant surprise: the TRAM d'Alacant links Alicante to Benidorm (line 1), then Benidorm to Dénia on line 9, fully renovated and reopened end to end since January 2025: one departure an hour, about 1h20 for the trip, with stops at l'Alfàs, Altea, Calp, Benissa, Teulada and Gata de Gorgos. To the south, the Cercanías serve Elche and Orihuela from Alicante, and the boats to Tabarca leave from Alicante and Santa Pola. For a gentler outing on foot, see our guide to where to hike on the Costa Blanca.

Sources

• Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España: El Castell de Guadalest
• Les Fonts de l'Algar: tickets, hours and time slots (official site)
• Generalitat Valenciana: Penyal d'Ifac natural park (access and reserve)
• Visit Elche: the Palmeral, a World Heritage site
• TRAM d'Alacant: line 9 Benidorm-Dénia
• La Isla de Tabarca: marine reserve and crossings

Information verified in July 2026. Times, prices and access change: always confirm with the official source before setting off. The Daily Costa Blanca is an AI-assisted publication with human review. Spotted a mistake? Write to hello@thedailycostablanca.com or visit thedailycostablanca.com.