# Cerca de Alicante

From Alicante you head out along the coast and inland. To the north, Villajoyosa and the Guadalest valley; by boat, Tabarca; to the south, Elche, Cartagena and Calblanque; inland, Bocairent, Xàtiva, the Segura at Archena and the Júcar gorge.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/alicante/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Elche Palm Grove and arroz con costra](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/elche/itineraries/huerto-del-cura-and-rice.md) (25 min en coche): The Huerto del Cura and the Palm Grove Museum first thing, the 11:30 guided visit of the basilica and the centre, arroz con costra at Cachito and a stroll beneath the palms.
- [Camp d'Elx: Ilici, Puçol and a winery](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/elche/itineraries/ilici-pucol-rice-and-winery.md) (25 min en coche): In the morning, the Iberian and Roman Ilici of La Alcudia and the Puçol School Museum; at midday, rice with crust; in the afternoon, a visit and tasting at a family winery.
- [Villajoyosa: chocolate factory and coloured houses](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/villajoyosa/itineraries/chocolate-saturday-in-villajoyosa.md) (30 min en coche): Breakfast at the Mercat canteen, the Valor Chocolate Museum visit with a tasting, the coloured houses from the beach, rice by the harbour and the Roman ship at Vilamuseu.
- [Villajoyosa: kayaking round the coves and the Valor Museum](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/villajoyosa/itineraries/kayak-rice-and-chocolate.md) (30 min en coche): Three hours kayaking round the southern coves with a snorkelling stop, rice beside the Yacht Club, the coloured houses and an afternoon visit to the Valor Chocolate Museum.
- [Tabarca by short boat from Santa Pola](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/sunday-from-murcia-via-santa-pola.md) (45 min en coche): Drive to the Santa Pola jetty, Tabarbus in 15 minutes, the island on foot with its wall and its museum, snorkelling with an instructor and caldero before heading back.
- [Guadalest and Les Fonts de l'Algar](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/itineraries/castle-and-fonts-de-lalgar.md) (50 min en coche): The tunnel in the rock and the Castell de Sant Josep before the coaches, lunch with a view of the reservoir and the afternoon at the pools of Les Fonts de l'Algar.
- [Bocairent: caves, rock and olleta](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/bocairent/itineraries/moorish-caves-and-bullring.md) (1 h en coche): The medieval old town and the Covetes dels Moros in the morning, Bocairent olleta at El Cancell and the bullring carved into the rock before you head home.
- [Tabarca by boat from Alicante](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/walls-snorkelling-and-caldero.md) (1 h en coche): The 10:45 boat from Alicante harbour, an 18th-century museum and walls, snorkelling in the marine reserve, caldero on the beach and a walk to the lighthouse before the return boat.
- [Xàbia: kayak, rice and lighthouse](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/xabia-javea/itineraries/kayak-wood-fired-rice-and-lighthouse.md) (1 h 10 en coche): Two and a half hours of kayaking and snorkelling under the southern cliffs, a swim at La Granadella, rice cooked over a wood fire and the afternoon between the lighthouse and the harbour.
- [Archena hot springs and Ricote](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/archena-spa-and-lunch.md) (1 h 15 en coche): The thermal pools of the Archena Spa in the morning, lunch at El Sordo in Ricote, open on Sundays, and a stroll round the Moorish old quarter. Half an hour from Murcia.
- [Xàtiva: Cova Negra and Gorgo de la Escalera](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/xativa/itineraries/cova-negra-and-gorgo-de-anna.md) (1 h 15 en coche): A flat walk to the Cova Negra before the heat, oven-baked rice facing the Seu and an afternoon swim at the Gorgo de la Escalera in Anna, at the foot of 136 steps.
- [Cartagena: theatre, castle and boat](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/roman-theatre-castle-and-boat.md) (1 h 15 en coche): The Roman theatre first thing, the castle by lift and the air-raid shelter, caldero in the centre and the port by boat in the afternoon. 40 minutes from Murcia, also by bus or train.
- [Xàtiva: castle and baked rice](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/xativa/itineraries/xativa-seu-castle-and-baked-rice.md) (1 h 15 en coche): A morning in the old town with the Seu and the upside-down Philip V museum, baked rice on Plaça del Mercat and the castle in the afternoon, with a shuttle in season.
- [Calblanque: unspoilt beach and caldero](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/beaches-without-buildings-and-caldero.md) (1 h 20 en coche): A morning on the unspoilt beaches of Calblanque, among fossil dunes and salt pans, and caldero beside the Cabo de Palos lighthouse. Less than an hour from Murcia.
- [Rafting from Cieza to Blanca](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/rafting-on-the-segura-and-ojos.md) (1 h 25 en coche): A raft descent from Cieza to Blanca with instructors and a picnic lunch, from age 6, lunch in Ricote and an afternoon on the suspension and Tibetan bridges of Ojós.
- [Caravaca de la Cruz on a Sunday](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/region-of-murcia/caravaca-de-la-cruz/itineraries/basilica-and-fuentes-del-marques.md) (1 h 40 en coche): The Vera Cruz basilica and castle, the Wine Horses Museum before it closes at 14:00, lunch and a stroll at the Fuentes del Marqués. An hour from Murcia.
- [L'Albufera: birds, rice and a boat](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/albufera-valencia/itineraries/birds-rice-and-traditional-boat.md) (2 h en coche): A tower and bird observatory, a short walk among pines and dunes, rice in El Palmar and the boat of the village boatmen, 20 km from Valencia.
- [Alcalá del Júcar: canoe, caves and castle](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/alcala-del-jucar/itineraries/alcala-del-jucar-canoe-lunch-in-tolosa-caves-and-castle.md) (2 h 10 en coche): Two hours' canoeing on the Júcar beneath the village, a La Mancha lunch by the river in Tolosa and, in the afternoon, the Cuevas del Diablo, which cross the crag, and the castle.

## North or south along the coast, and by boat to Tabarca

Almost everything around Alicante leaves by the A-7 and the AP-7, towards one side of the coast or the other. To the north, the Benidorm motorway leads to [Villajoyosa](/en/spain/valencian-community/villajoyosa) and, via the CV-70, La Nucia and Polop, to [Guadalest](/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley), about 65 km. To the south, the A-7 passes through [Elche](/en/spain/valencian-community/elche) and continues towards Murcia: with the A-30 you climb to the [Ricote Valley](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley) and descend to [Cartagena and Calblanque](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque). Inland, towards Alcoi or Villena, is [Bocairent](/en/spain/valencian-community/bocairent), and further north, already on the way to Valencia, [Xàtiva](/en/spain/valencian-community/xativa). The A-31 towards Albacete is the exit to La Mancha and to [Alcalá del Júcar](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/alcala-del-jucar).

Without a car there are two exits that work. TRAM line 1 leaves Luceros and stops at La Vila Joiosa, with the old town and the chocolate museum on foot. And from the harbour the boat leaves for [Tabarca island](/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island), an hour's crossing; if you prefer a shorter boat, the one from Santa Pola takes about 15 minutes. For the rest, a car.

## Long mornings in Elche, Villajoyosa and Guadalest

**Under an hour** fit the long-morning plans: Elche, at 25 minutes, with the Huerto del Cura and arroz con costra; Villajoyosa, at 30; Tabarca via Santa Pola, at 45, and Guadalest, at 50, with the castle on the rock and the afternoon in the pools of Les Fonts de l'Algar.

**Between one and one and a half hours** is the bulk of the Sundays. Bocairent and Tabarca by boat from the harbour, at an hour; Xàtiva, Cartagena and the Archena Spa, at an hour and a quarter; Calblanque, at 80 minutes, and [rafting on the Segura](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/rafting-on-the-segura-and-ojos), from Cieza to Blanca, at 85.

Beyond that, **between an hour and a half and two and a quarter hours**, the day gets tight: [Caravaca de la Cruz](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/caravaca-de-la-cruz/itineraries/basilica-and-fuentes-del-marques), at 100 minutes, and Alcalá del Júcar, a little over two hours, which can be done in a day with [canoe, caves and castle](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/alcala-del-jucar/itineraries/alcala-del-jucar-canoe-lunch-in-tolosa-caves-and-castle) or with [a night facing the illuminated village](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/alcala-del-jucar/itineraries/alcala-del-jucar-canoe-weekend-from-valencia).

From **almost three hours**, the trip calls for two nights: [Cabo de Gata](/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-weekend-kayak-from-almeria), at 175 minutes, and [Albarracín and the Rodeno](/en/spain/aragon/albarracin/itineraries/albarracin-rodeno-weekend-from-valencia), at almost four hours. At that distance too are [Chulilla](/en/spain/valencian-community/chulilla), with its suspension bridges over the Turia, and [Riópar](/en/spain/castilla-la-mancha/riopar), where the Río Mundo emerges from the mountain in the Sierra del Segura.

## The Elche palm grove, best from October to May

In winter, hot water is close: the [thermal Sunday at Archena with lunch at Ricote](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/archena-spa-and-lunch) or, with two nights, the [thermal getaway to the spa](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/ricote-valley/itineraries/thermal-getaway-archena-from-alicante), both best from October to April.

From October to May is the season for [Elche and its palm grove](/en/spain/valencian-community/elche/itineraries/huerto-del-cura-and-rice), the [Seu and castle of Xàtiva](/en/spain/valencian-community/xativa/itineraries/xativa-seu-castle-and-baked-rice) and [Bocairent with its Covetes dels Moros](/en/spain/valencian-community/bocairent/itineraries/moorish-caves-and-bullring). Xàtiva and Bocairent are not recommended in July and August, nor Elche in July. In spring and early autumn [Guadalest and Les Fonts de l'Algar](/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/itineraries/castle-and-fonts-de-lalgar) and the [undeveloped beaches of Calblanque with a caldero at Cabo de Palos](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/beaches-without-buildings-and-caldero) are at their peak.

For the sea, [Tabarca with snorkelling and a caldero](/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/walls-snorkelling-and-caldero) goes better from April to June and in September and October; the [short boat from Santa Pola](/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/sunday-from-murcia-via-santa-pola) runs from May to October, and out of season Santa Pola has more boats than Alicante. In high summer, the Segura by raft is the way to get through the heat without a beach.

## A chocolate Saturday in Villajoyosa

- **Without a car, in a day:** [the chocolate Saturday in Villajoyosa](/en/spain/valencian-community/villajoyosa/itineraries/chocolate-saturday-in-villajoyosa). TRAM from Luceros, almuerzo at the Mercat, the Valor museum with a tasting, the coloured houses from the beach and rice by the harbour. On a Saturday, because the museum closes on Sunday.
- **With one night:** [Tabarca when the boats leave](/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/one-night-tabarca-island-from-alicante). An hour by boat, snorkelling and a caldero, the island empty at sunset and stars at Punta Falcón.
- **With two nights:** [Cartagena and Calblanque](/en/spain/region-of-murcia/cartagena-and-calblanque/itineraries/cartagena-calblanque-beaches-weekend). An hour and a quarter along the A-7, for the Roman theatre and the harbour by boat on Saturday and the unspoilt beaches on Sunday.