Spanish Coastal Resorts – Calpe

Travel Articles | February 24, 2009

Interesting article about the northern Costa Blanca resort of Calpe in south-eastern Spain. Calpe has a long histroy and is dominated by its rock formation the Penon de Ifach.

One of the big three coastal resorts of Spain’s northern Costa Blanca, along with Benidorm and Denia, Calpe was formerly just a small fishing village, mostly unchanged for centuries and carrying with it a rich history going back to the Moorish occupation. The growth of tourism during the 1960’s and 1970’s, saw Calpe grow into a significant holiday destination with something of a reputation of a mini-Benidorm, with numerous high-rise apartment blocks and hotel complexes.

The salt lakes located behind the town, provide both a refuge for birds and local wildlife, and the conditions for a unique micro-climate, giving the town splendid weather throughout the year.

While the area around Calpe was probably inhabited many thousands of years ago, the first real settlements were by the Iberians (early Spanish peoples), later the Romans built a fish-salting factory close to where the promenade is today. Between the 8th and 13th centuries, the Moors held sway, this continued until the reconquest in 1240, when Jaime I re-took Calpe for the Christians.

Calpe has two superb sandy beaches and also a number of pretty coves and bays nearby, especially when heading towards Benissa and Moraira to the north. The main beaches are safe and manned by lifeguards during busy times.

Among Calpe’s attractions, and well worth a go, is the Aquascope, a semi-submersible boat which features a glass observation chamber, ideal for viewing the underwater marine life around the Bay of Calpe, perfect for families, the kids will love this very different attraction.

Calpe is located on the northern Costa Blanca, Spain, between the huge tourist resort of Benidorm and the tranquil coastal resort of Moraira, it can be reached from the N-332 coastal road and also from the A-7 motorway. Calpe is around 75 kilometres from Alicante airport and about 100 kilometres from Valencia.

Article Tags: Coastal Resorts

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author of this article on Calpe is Steve Locke, Steve lives on the Costa Blanca and writes fro his local newspaper, he is interested in local history and photography.