Altea

In the north of the Costa Blanca lies the medium-sized coastal town of Altea. The city is fairly quiet and is surrounded by large tourist cities such as Benidorm, Alicante, and Calpe. You might think that the city is unremarkable because of this, but nothing could be further from the truth. Altea is known throughout the province as the white city. This is because, as you can guess, the city is quite white. While a city like Villajoyosa is known for its brightly colored houses, Altea is popular precisely for its lack of color. They do this, of course, to reflect the sun, but it adds something authentic.

Parroquia De Nuestra Señora

When you think of Altea, you think of the Parroquia De Nuestra Señora Del Consuelo. This parish church is the symbol of the city and is now in every photo ever taken of the city. This is due, among other things, to the location of the church, on top of a hill in the middle of the city. As a result, the Parroquia De Nuestra can be seen from all over Altea, but you also have a beautiful view from the church to the city and the sea.

The Parroquia De Nuestra Señora Del Consuelo is surprisingly young compared to many other Spanish churches. It will be about 10 more years before the church can celebrate its 100th birthday.

Altea's magical old town center
Near Parroquia De Nuestra lies the old town center of Altea, a place where time has stood still for 500 years. The Casco Antiguo dates back to the Moorish era and is known for its art galleries. You will come across these while wandering through the narrow streets of Castco Antiguo.
Once you are done walking, you can take a break at Plaza de Iglesia, a charming square at the top of the hill. Here, you can sit in one of the many terraces and enjoy the beautiful view that Plaza de Iglesia has to offer. But it gets even more fun when the sun goes down, when the square is gracefully illuminated and the restaurants fill up.

Russian Orthodox Church

Just outside Altea, you will find a slightly different church than the Parroquia De Nuestra. One that you wouldn't expect to find in Spain. The Russian Orthodox Church is indeed a Russian Orthodox church, the first one in Spain to be exact. It was built according to the wishes of a Russian billionaire. The construction used wood from the Ural Mountains, and the workers who built the church were Russian.

Altea's Boulevard

Along the beaches of Altea runs a great boulevard. This promenade stretches for almost 3 km and really comes to life in the evening. The many terraces fill up, bars open, atmospheric lighting comes on, and music starts playing. This is the place to be when it gets dark in Altea. Further away from the center, this pleasant promenade gradually turns into a quieter promenade.