Best Beaches Near Alicante: A Complete Costa Blanca Guide
July 31, 202610 min read
Best Beaches Near Alicante
Here's a truth most guidebooks won't tell you: Alicante's city beach is not the best beach near Alicante. Not even close. The Costa Blanca stretches for over 200 kilometers of coastline, and the stretch surrounding Alicante hides some of the most spectacular swimming spots in the Mediterranean — pine-fringed coves, powder-white sand bars, and turquoise water that looks Photoshopped but isn't.
To make this alicante beach guide, I only included beaches within a 60-minute drive of central Alicante. Each one had to earn its ranking on three criteria: water quality (crystalline or don't bother), atmosphere (crowds ruin everything), and something distinctive — a natural feature, a viewpoint, a vibe you can't get elsewhere. Party beaches with sunbed rows packed like sardines were disqualified.
What follows are the ten best beaches near Alicante, ranked with conviction. Some are famous. Some you've never heard of. All of them are worth the drive. By the end, you'll know exactly where to point your rental car — and which beach to skip even if a hotel concierge insists.
The 10 Best Beaches Near Alicante, Ranked
1. Cala Granadella (Jávea)
Why it's great: Cala Granadella is, without exaggeration, one of the finest coves in the Mediterranean. A horseshoe-shaped bay carved between pine-covered cliffs, its water hits a shade of jade-turquoise that seems physically impossible. The pebble beach keeps the sea free of stirred-up sand, meaning visibility often exceeds 15 meters — snorkelers regularly spot octopus, bream, and even the occasional barracuda.
Cost: Free entry; parking $6–$9 in summer
Best time: Arrive before 9:30 AM in July/August or you won't park. May, June, and September are ideal.
Location: ~50 minutes north of Alicante via AP-7, then narrow winding road down from Jávea
Duration: Half day minimum
Pro tip: Skip the main parking lot and hike 10 minutes over the southern headland to find Cala Ambolo's viewpoint — the photo everyone posts of Granadella is actually taken from here.
2. Playa de la Granadella's Neighbor: Cala del Moraig (Benitachell)
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Why it's great: If Granadella is famous, Moraig is its wilder, more theatrical sibling. Sheer ochre cliffs plunge into deep sapphire water, and at one end sits Cova dels Arcs — a partially collapsed sea cave you can swim into. The scale is dramatic; you feel small here in the best way.
Cost: Free; parking limited and $5–$8
Best time: Mornings for shade beneath the cliffs; late September for empty sand
Location: ~55 minutes north of Alicante, near El Poble Nou de Benitatxell
Duration: 3–5 hours
Pro tip: Bring water shoes. The beach is coarse pebbles, and the swim into Cova dels Arcs is unforgettable but requires steady footing entering the water.
3. Playa de San Juan (Alicante)
Why it's great: The best of the beaches in Alicante proper. San Juan is a 7-kilometer ribbon of fine golden sand with legitimate Blue Flag status, gentle shelving that makes it ideal for families, and enough space that even August crowds don't feel oppressive. What earns its high ranking is convenience: tram from central Alicante gets you here in 20 minutes.
Cost: Free; sunbed and umbrella rental around $16 per day
Best time: Late afternoon when the light turns golden and lunch crowds thin
Location: Northern outskirts of Alicante; TRAM line L1, L3, or L4 to "Playa San Juan"
Duration: Full day possible
Pro tip: Walk to the northern end near Cabo de las Huertas — the crowds evaporate and you'll find small rocky coves with clearer water than the main sand strip.
4. Playa del Torres (Villajoyosa)
Why it's great: Framed by the atmospheric ruins of the 4th-century Roman Torre de Sant Josep watchtower, Playa del Torres combines history with genuinely great swimming. The dark volcanic-tinged sand contrasts with clear water, and because it sits just outside Villajoyosa's famous rainbow-colored old town, you can pair beach time with tapas among candy-hued fishermen's houses.
Cost: Free; ample parking, usually free outside peak weekends
Best time: Any time — this beach rarely feels packed
Location: ~30 minutes north of Alicante on the N-332
Duration: Half day, plus 2 hours for Villajoyosa town
Pro tip: Combine with a factory tour and tasting at Valor Chocolate in Villajoyosa (about $6) — one of Spain's most iconic chocolate makers, headquartered here since 1881.
5. Cala del Racó (Calpe)
Why it's great: Sitting in the shadow of the towering Peñón de Ifach rock, Cala del Racó offers something few beaches can: a monumental natural landmark rising 332 meters directly beside you as you swim. The small pebble cove has excellent snorkeling around its rocky edges, and the fishing port next door means the freshest seafood lunches are steps away.
Cost: Free
Best time: Morning, before the Peñón hike crowds descend
Pro tip: Book Peñón de Ifach hiking permits in advance — access is now capped at 300 people per day, and summer slots vanish weeks ahead.
6. Playa de la Albufereta (Alicante)
Why it's great: A tiny crescent of sand tucked into a residential bay, La Albufereta is where Alicante locals go when they don't feel like leaving town. Shallow, warm, and remarkably calm thanks to natural bay protection, it's the closest thing to a lagoon within city limits. Roman ruins line the surrounding hillside — this was a significant port 2,000 years ago.
Cost: Free
Best time: Weekday mornings; avoid summer Sundays
Location: 10 minutes by tram or bus from central Alicante
Duration: 2–3 hours
Pro tip: Bring snorkeling gear and swim toward the northern rocks — Roman amphora fragments are still occasionally spotted on the seabed by lucky visitors.
7. Cala Ferris (Torrevieja)
Why it's great: Head south instead of north and you'll find Cala Ferris, a compact cove backed by a protected pine forest — a genuine rarity on the Costa Blanca's overdeveloped southern coast. The shade from the pines is a life-saver in summer, and the water clarity rivals beaches twice as far north.
Cost: Free
Best time: July–August afternoons when the pines cast dense shade over the sand
Location: ~40 minutes south of Alicante near Torrevieja
Duration: Half day
Pro tip: Pair with a stop at Torrevieja's pink salt lake (Las Salinas), just 10 minutes inland — the Instagram-famous rose-colored water is at its most vivid in July.
8. Playa del Postiguet (Alicante)
Why it's great: Postiguet earns its place purely on setting: you're swimming with the medieval Santa Bárbara castle looming directly above you, and the Explanada de España promenade sits at your back. It's not the cleanest or emptiest of the alicante beaches, but for a between-sightseeing dip with a view no other beach can match, nothing beats it.
Cost: Free; sunbeds around $8
Best time: Early morning swim followed by breakfast on the Explanada
Location: Central Alicante, walking distance from Old Town
Duration: 1–2 hours
Pro tip: Take the elevator up to Santa Bárbara Castle (currently $3) right after your swim — the view down over Postiguet with the port curving away is one of Alicante's iconic panoramas.
9. Playa de la Caleta (El Campello)
Why it's great: El Campello is what San Juan was 30 years ago — a proper Spanish coastal town with an active fishing fleet, and La Caleta is its jewel: a small sandy cove flanked by rocky outcrops perfect for snorkeling. The 16th-century Torre de la Illeta watchtower guards one end, and the daily fish auction at the port (around 5:30 PM) is a working spectacle you can watch for free.
Cost: Free
Best time: Afternoons paired with the 5:30 PM fish auction
Location: ~20 minutes north of Alicante by TRAM
Duration: Half day
Pro tip: Eat at one of the harborside restaurants in El Campello — the arroz a banda (fisherman's rice) here is arguably better than in any Alicante restaurant and typically half the price.
10. Cala Tío Ximo (Benidorm)
Why it's great: Yes, Benidorm. Hear me out. Skip the skyscraper-lined main beaches and drive ten minutes to Cala Tío Ximo, a tiny pebble cove hidden below the Sierra Helada cliffs. Snorkelers rate it among the best on the entire Costa Blanca — the marine protected area brings dense fish life within meters of shore.
Cost: Free; parking scarce, $4–$6 when available
Best time: Weekday mornings; it's too small to handle weekend crowds
Location: ~45 minutes north of Alicante, eastern edge of Benidorm
Duration: 2–4 hours
Pro tip: Continue on foot to Cala Almadraba next door via the cliffside path — 15 minutes of walking rewards you with an even quieter spot and views over Benidorm's dramatic island.
Honorable Mentions
Playa de los Locos (Torrevieja): A long, wave-friendly southern beach popular with bodyboarders. Missed the list for its urban backdrop but excellent if you want surf.
Cala Bassetes (Calpe): A cluster of tiny rock-carved pools that feel like natural infinity pools. Too small to accommodate more than a handful of visitors, which is why it didn't make the main ranking.
Playa de la Roda (Altea): Pebble beach with the whitewashed hilltop old town of Altea rising behind. Stunning setting; loses points because the pebbles are punishing on bare feet.
Choosing Your Beach: A Quick Framework
Ten beaches is a lot to process, so here's how to decide:
If you only have one day and want the single most beautiful swim of your trip, drive north to Cala Granadella. Nothing else on this coast comes close for pure visual impact combined with water quality.
If you're staying in central Alicante without a car, take the TRAM north to Playa de San Juan for a full beach day or Playa del Postiguet for a quick castle-view dip.
If you're a snorkeler, prioritize Cala del Moraig and Cala Tío Ximo — both sit within marine protected zones and deliver visibility and biodiversity you won't find on sandier beaches.
Quick Reference Table
| Name | Cost | Best For | |------|------|----------| | Cala Granadella | Free (+parking) | Overall best swim | | Cala del Moraig | Free (+parking) | Dramatic cliffs & sea caves | | Playa de San Juan | Free | Families & car-free travelers | | Playa del Torres | Free | History + beach combo | | Cala del Racó | Free | Iconic rock backdrop | | Playa de la Albufereta | Free | Calm water, in-city | | Cala Ferris | Free | Pine-shaded summer escape | | Playa del Postiguet | Free | Castle views, city breaks | | Playa de la Caleta | Free | Local fishing-village vibe | | Cala Tío Ximo | Free (+parking) | Snorkeling |
Rent a car for at least two days of your Alicante trip — the difference between city beaches and the coves north toward Jávea is the difference between a decent holiday and an unforgettable one. Book that rental, set your alarm early, and drive north. The Mediterranean at its best is waiting.
