Los Pescadores Restaurant
What to order: the caldero, which serves the rice first and then the fish with potato and alioli.
Playa Central, no number · book in season
geocalia
Day itinerary · 38.17° N · 0.48° W
An hour by boat from Alicante, and a walled village without cars.
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.
Leaving from
Part of Tabarca Island
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car1 h each way
From Alicante1 h by boat
Boat€24 return
On footabout 3 km in total
DifficultyEasy
Best timeApril – June · September – October
With childrenYes
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Alicante 15 min on foot
to Alicante harbour; Kontiki ticket office on Paseo de los Mártires de la Libertad
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1
Boat to Tabarca from Alicante harbour
Cruceros Kontiki · €24 return · open return
+34 686 994 540
- 1 h by boat
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2
Nueva Tabarca Museum
next to the pier · free
- 3 min on foot
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3
Walls and San Rafael Gate
Puerta de San Rafael and streets of the walled enclosure
- 5 min on foot
- 4
- 8 min on foot
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5
Los Pescadores Restaurant
caldero · book and confirm it is open
Playa Central, s/n, 03138 Tabarca · +34 965 960 005
Restaurant €€ - 10 min on foot
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6
Walk to the San José Tower and the lighthouse
there and back, 1 h, no shade
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Back home 1 h by boat
last Kontiki boat on Sunday; in Alicante around 18:00
Approximate cost
About €45–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Boat to Tabarca from Alicante harbour
A car-free Sunday: you walk to Alicante harbour, cross an hour of sea and spend the day in the only inhabited village of a Valencian island. Distances are short and flat, so the plan works with children and without rushing. The key is to catch the 10:45 boat to have five hours on the island.
The day, hour by hour
10:15 · To the harbour. The Cruceros Kontiki ticket office is on the Paseo de los Mártires de la Libertad and opens 40 minutes before each departure. Return, €24; free for ages 0 to 4.
10:45 · Boat to Tabarca. About an hour's crossing. The return is open: on Sundays there are boats at 16:00 and 17:00.
11:50 · Nueva Tabarca Museum. Next to the jetty, free: the history of the Genoese of Tabarka and of the island's fishermen.
12:20 · Walls and Puerta de San Rafael. Enter the 18th-century walled enclosure and walk its straight streets.
12:50 · Church of San Pedro y San Pablo. At the far end of the village, next to the wall facing the sea.
14:00 · Caldero at Los Pescadores. Rice in rockfish stock and, afterwards, the fish with potato and alioli. Call to book and to confirm it is open.
15:30 · San José tower and lighthouse. A kilometre of open country to the tower that was a prison and the square lighthouse. No shade: bring water and a cap.
17:00 · Return boat. In Alicante around 18:00.
If it is fine, snorkelling
From June to September, swap the walk to the lighthouse for the Tabarca Snorkel tour: 1 h 20 min with an instructor and equipment for €21. On your own, in the inner waters no permit is needed: bring goggles and respect the reserve.
Time1 h
Change the route
From June to September: snorkel tour with an instructor instead of the walk to the lighthouse, €21:
Guided snorkelling in the Tabarca marine reserve
In summer, with children: beach afternoon with lifeguards until 19:00:
Tabarca Beach
If you prefer to eat inside the village and not on the beach:
La Almadraba Restaurant
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
La Almadraba Restaurant
What to order: caldero or a fish rice dish; ask about the fish of the day.
C/ Virgen del Carmen, 29 · confirm hours by phone
Mar Azul Restaurant
What to order: the soupy rice with lechola, or the chopped tomato with capellán to start.
Playa Central, unit 9 · confirm hours by phone
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Tabarca Island
From April to October for snorkelling. In winter the plan works without swimming, with fewer boats and restaurants that need confirming.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Confirm the boat
Kontiki warns that timetables are confirmed when you collect the ticket. In an easterly wind, ask.
- 2Book lunch
In summer the beach restaurants fill up with the morning boats.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the day cost?
Boat, €24; lunch, €20 to €35. Guided snorkelling, €21 more.
Can you do it with small children?
Yes: everything is flat and short, and the boat is free up to age 4.
Can I bring my dog?
Kontiki admits pets on board; on the island, on a lead.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/tabarca-island/itineraries/walls-snorkelling-and-caldero
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.