Altea is one of those towns you visit on foot and without a plan. If you're coming to the promenade for lunch or dinner, here's the itinerary we recommend to our tables, tried and tested a thousand times.
Before lunch: the old town
Wander slowly up the white streets to the church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, the one with the blue domes that appears in every photo. The lookout on the square offers the best panorama of the bay, with the Peñón de Ifach in the distance. On the way down, the galleries and artists' workshops live up to the town's bohemian reputation.
The golden hour: the promenade
The seafront promenade is flat, pedestrianised and runs right beside the water. At midday the sea is at its cleanest blue; at sunset the light turns golden and the white balustrade fills with strollers. That's exactly where our terrace is: front row, with no road in between.
After lunch
A stroll to the harbour or towards the mouth of the Algar walks off any paella. The energetic carry on by bike along the coastal path to l'Albir and its lighthouse: 40 minutes of pedalling with views. The wise order another coffee and sit watching the sea, which is what it's there for.
The full plan? Old town in the morning, freshly made rice at 14:00 on the terrace, a well-earned siesta and back to the promenade at sunset. Book here and we'll set your table by the sea.