Tabarca Tourist Information Point

The Alicante Municipal Tourism Board, on which Tabarca depends, opens a tourist information point on the island during the summer season. It is the place to ask when you get off the boat: what to see in the village, where the beach is, what time your boat returns or where to snorkel without disturbing the marine reserve. The phone numbers given by the Board are 965 177 201 and 965 125 633, and the emails [email protected] and [email protected]. The Board does not publish its exact location or daily hours; if you go out of summer, expect it to be closed and resolve your questions beforehand in Alicante.

What they tell you

Tabarca is the only inhabited island in the Valencian Community. It measures about 1,800 metres long and at most 400 wide, and forms a small archipelago with the islets of La Cantera, La Galera and La Nao. In the 18th century Charles III ordered it fortified and a village built for families of Genoese fishermen held captive in Tabarka, in Tunisia; its walls and the San Rafael gate are a Site of Cultural Interest. Inside the enclosure are the church of San Pedro y San Pablo and the Nueva Tabarca Museum, free and open Wednesday to Sunday. Outside, the San José tower and the lighthouse.

Marine reserve and snorkelling

Tabarca's waters are a marine reserve, and the Board hands out a snorkelling guide with clear rules: do not go in when the water is murky, or with swell or currents; always carry a buoy and, better, a life jacket; watch for boats in summer; do not feed the fish, do not touch or disturb the animals and do not take anything living from the seabed. If you want to go with an instructor, see the entry for snorkelling in the marine reserve.

Boats and beach

You get there by boat from Alicante harbour, in a little over an hour, and also from Santa Pola and Benidorm; timetables change with the season. You have the options in boat from Alicante and boat from Santa Pola. Tabarca beach has a Blue Flag in 2026 and, in summer, lifeguards and assisted bathing.

Tips

Ask here about the state of the sea before swimming or snorkelling, and confirm the time of the last boat back. For eating, the island's dish is the caldero; in the village you have, among others, La Almadraba and Los Pescadores. If you are staying overnight, see the Hostal Masín.