← Maratón Elche-Alicante·1 night

Altea: One Night Under the Blue Domes

A whitewashed hill town above the Bay of Altea, crowned by a church with blue-tiled domes, with a level seafront promenade for the legs and the old town for later.

Duration1 night
TransitTRAM lines 1 and 9, about 1 hour 40 minutes from Luceros, Alicante
DepartsAlicante Luceros

After the Maratón Elche-Alicante: Altea

The Route: Alicante (Luceros) → Benidorm → Altea → Alicante Airport Logistics: TRAM line 1 to Benidorm, then line 9 to Altea, about 1 hour 40 minutes in total. One night, then back the same way and on to the airport. Marathon Month: November Duration: 1 night

Alicante Luceros ──(TRAM L1, about 1 hr 15 mins)──> Benidorm ──(TRAM L9, about 25 mins)──> Altea (1 night)
                                                                                                  │
                        Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) ◄──(TRAM back to Alicante, then airport bus)─┘

The Maratón Elche-Alicante ends at sea level in Alicante's port. Altea, an hour and a half up the coast, is built on a hill, with the old town climbing to the church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, whose domes are covered in blue and white tiles that catch the light from the sea. The town below, along the bay, is flat. That split suits a one-night stay after a marathon: the seafront on the first afternoon, the old town the next morning, when the legs have had a night's sleep.

Late November in Altea is quiet and mild. Afternoons are usually around 20°C, evenings cool, and the beach and seafront belong mostly to residents and long-stay winter visitors. The shingle beaches are not for sunbathing at this time of year, but the light on the Sierra de Bernia behind the town is at its best in the low autumn sun.

From Luceros station in central Alicante, TRAM line 1 runs north along the coast to Benidorm in about an hour and a quarter. At Benidorm, change to line 9, which continues to Altea in about 25 minutes. Tickets are sold at station machines. Services run every 30 minutes or so; check the connection at Benidorm before setting off.

Night One: Altea

Start at the seafront. The promenade along the bay runs level for well over a kilometre past the fishing harbour and the beach, paved, with benches and cafés, and the old town rising above it. It is the recovery walk: flat, short and with the best view of the domes.

The old town is best left for the next morning. Its lanes are cobbled, narrow and steep, with flights of steps between the terraces, and the climb from the seafront to the church square is a real one on marathon quads. Take it slowly, using the Carrer Major, and stop at the viewpoint beside the church over the bay. The square in front of the church is lined with small restaurants and cafés. Going down is harder than going up; take the steps sideways if you need to.

Where to stay: Hotel Altaya sits right on the seafront promenade, which keeps the evening flat and the sea view at the window. Hotel Cap Negret, a larger hotel on the water north of the centre, has sea-facing rooms and a longer, flat walk into town.

Where to eat: The old town's restaurants cluster around the church square and the lanes below it, and the seafront has fish and rice places that stay open through the autumn. Dinner in Spain starts late, and in the off season it is worth booking.

Getting Home

Take TRAM line 9 back to Benidorm and line 1 to Alicante, about 1 hour 40 minutes, then the airport bus from central Alicante to Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC), about 30 minutes. A taxi from Altea to the airport takes about an hour by motorway and avoids the changes; book it the evening before.