Alicante & the Costa Blanca
The home coast — a sun-locked run of sheltered coves, a marine-reserve island, and the port that starts the world's toughest ocean race.
April – OctoberALC, 15 minUnhurried
Alicante is the fleet's own front door — a working superyacht coast where a Prime-Meridian marina, a protected island reserve, and a walled old town share sixty nautical miles of coastline. The cruising is easy, in short hops: Tabarca one morning, the pine-backed calas of Jávea the next, Calpe's rock and Altea's bay after that. It lacks the see-and-be-seen density of Ibiza or the Riviera, and that is the point.
"Alicante is where the boat lives. Everywhere else, it's where the boat visits."
The gallery
Aerials, the reserve, the rock, the promenade.
Signature anchorages
Five stops, five different moods.
- Tabarca IslandSpain's oldest marine reserve (1986), ~8nm from Alicante; anchoring only in designated zones. The scene: lunch in the walled 18th-century fishing village itself.
- Cala de la Granadella, JáveaPebble beach, turquoise water, pine-backed cliffs that block the wind — calm even when the coast is blowing.
- Cala del MoraigA quieter cove near Jávea/Benitachell, limestone cliffs and a sea cave; the low-key alternative to Granadella.
- Peñón de Ifach coves, CalpeClear water in the lee of the 332m rock, Costa Blanca's signature landmark; marina immediately at its foot.
- Illa de BenidormA small protected reserve just offshore — clear water in front, Benidorm's high-rise skyline behind, a genuine contrast anchorage.
- Altea BayWide and sheltered under the whitewashed old town; over half of Club Náutico de Altea's moorings are held for visiting yachts.
The scene
Round-the-world racing pedigree, a meridian marina, and a quiet celebrity coast.
The Ocean Race
Alicante has started the last several editions of the round-the-world race and hosts the 2027 start, 8–17 January — the marina becomes "The Ocean Race Village," and the coast holds the race's only official museum.
Marina Greenwich, Altea
The only marina in the world sitting exactly on the Prime Meridian — 0° longitude runs through the basin, splitting it between the eastern and western hemispheres.
Quiet, not performative
Altea's art-colony character has quietly drawn actors and directors — Ewan McGregor among those reported to holiday there — plus the wellness set at SHA Wellness Clinic above L'Albir.
Table & stay ashore
Three starred tables, and the hotel, spa and yacht club that round out the coast.
Quique Dacosta, Dénia
Contemporary Mediterranean cuisine from one of Spain's most decorated chefs, in the Costa Blanca town that trained him.
BonAmb, Xàbia/Jávea
Chef Alberto Ferruz, trained under Dacosta, turning coastal produce into precise, inventive plates.
Monastrell, Alicante
Chef María José San Román, the only starred table in Alicante city, beside the historic Lonja del Pescado.
Hospes Amérigo, Alicante
A 19th-century Dominican convent turned 5-star hotel, steps from the marina and Postiguet beach.
SHA Wellness Clinic, L'Albir
A 5-star medical-wellness resort on the Sierra Helada above Altea — 92 suites, longevity and detox programmes.
Real Club de Regatas de Alicante
The city's social yacht-club anchor, alongside Club Náutico de Altea and the marina scene at Calpe.
A week, sketched
Alicante to Tabarca
Depart Alicante marina, cross to the Tabarca marine reserve for a morning's snorkelling in protected water, lunch ashore in the walled village.
Alicante, at leisure
A gentler day close to the city under Santa Bárbara Castle; dinner at Monastrell.
Alicante to Calpe
North past Villajoyosa to anchor beneath the Peñón de Ifach; swim and dive at its base, overnight in Calpe marina.
Calpe to Altea
Short hop to Altea Bay; berth at Marina Greenwich on the Prime Meridian, explore the old town.
Altea to Jávea, via Illa de Benidorm
Pass the Benidorm Island reserve heading north; anchor at Cala de la Granadella for the afternoon.
Jávea to Dénia
Cala del Moraig for a quiet morning swim, then on to Port Dénia's superyacht marina for provisioning and a table at Quique Dacosta or BonAmb.
Dénia, or cross off
A last day at Dénia — or use it as the jump-off for a Balearics crossing; Ibiza is the short hop from here.
The long weekend
A short loop that never runs past Altea — four nights, not seven.
Alicante
Arrive and clear in; the fortress of Santa Bárbara catches the last light above the marina, dinner at Monastrell by the old fish market.
Alicante to Tabarca
The marine reserve for the morning — clear water over the protected zones, lunch at a table inside the old walled village before the day-trip boats arrive.
Alicante to Altea
A longer run north to the shelter of Altea Bay; the marina here straddles 0° longitude exactly, and the whitewashed old town rewards an evening ashore.
Altea, at leisure
A slow day in the bay — a spa afternoon at SHA Wellness Clinic above L'Albir, or simply swimming off the boat.
Return to Alicante
Cruise back south to close the loop; a last night off the Explanada de España before departure via ALC.
The long coast
Torrevieja to Dénia and on to Ibiza — the whole named shoreline, with a wellness day worked in.
Torrevieja to Alicante
Depart Marina Salinas in Torrevieja and cruise north to Alicante for the evening; a walk on the wave-pattern promenade of the Explanada de España.
Alicante
Santa Bárbara Castle above the marina, the Ocean Race Village and its museum down by the water, dinner at Monastrell.
Alicante to Tabarca
A full day at Spain's oldest marine reserve: slack water for snorkelling, then lunch inside the eighteenth-century walls before returning to Alicante for the night.
Alicante to Calpe
Villajoyosa slips by to port; anchor in the lee of the 332m rock at Calpe for a dive at its base, then alongside in the marina for the night.
Calpe to Altea
Into the shelter of Altea Bay, wide beneath the old town; berth where the basin splits east from west along the meridian line.
Altea to L'Albir
A wellness day at SHA Wellness Clinic on the Sierra Helada; back to Altea Bay to overnight.
Altea to Jávea
The Illa de Benidorm reserve passes abeam heading north; on to Cala de la Granadella for the afternoon swim, with quieter Cala del Moraig held in reserve for a second one.
Jávea to Dénia, and on
Alongside at Port Dénia's superyacht marina and shipyard; a table at Quique Dacosta or BonAmb, then Ibiza waits as the next morning's short crossing.
Pair with
The short hops from this coast.
The year, measured
Monthly means at the heart of this water — daily maxima averaged, wind as mean daily peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air, day °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 18 |
| Sea °C | 15 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 24 | 16 | 16 |
| Wind, peak kt | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 |
ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo · 2019–2023 means · sea temperature 2022–2023
The yachts that run these waters
Profiles from the record — introductions via the harbour desk.
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