El Campello is one of the best known coastal towns in Alicante. Located between Villajoyosa and San Juan, in the heart of the Costa Blanca, this is a town that is a hive of activity during the summer, with the reception of thousands of tourists.
However, with 23 kilometers of coastline and 17 beaches and coves surrounded by wonderful landscapes, this town is much more than sun and beach tourism. Stay with us to discover some of its essential attractions: today we show you what to see in El Campello.
An idea for your vacations could be to visit the towns of the Costa Blanca that we mention in our Blog and stay in our family campsite in Benidorm.
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The beaches of El Campello
Muchavista and Carrer la Mar are the most popular beaches in this municipality.
The first beach is the longest in El Campello, is located south of the town center. It is more than three kilometers long and continues to the beach of San Juan, in the municipality of Alicante.
Carrer la Mar beach is located between the port and the mouth of the Seco river. Its extension is 1.8 kilometers.
Other highly recommended coves and beaches are the cove and cave of Llop Marí, the beaches of Almadraba or l’Almerador or the coves Blanc, Nostra and Cala de Enmig.
Villa Marco
If you are looking for a more complete plan than just sunbathing on beaches and practicing water sports, one of the answers to what to do in Campello is to visit Villa Marco. This curious construction is located on the outskirts of the town, in the Fabraquer district, next to the French Lyceum.
It is an estate where a modernist residence of French colonial inspiration was built in the mid-19th century. This space belonged to René Bardin, a French diplomat who invested in vineyards in the province of Alicante.
Villa Marco and the entire grounds are closed, but are open for guided tours and cultural events. The estate has Versailles-style gardens and sculptures by the Alicante artist Vicente Bañuls.
Barranc d’Aigües ravine tower
The Torre de Reixes, or Torre del barranc d’Aigües, is a perfect place to contemplate the Mediterranean. Its location, to the northeast of the municipality, somewhat distant from the town, gives it an aura of abandonment that gives it more charm.
This sensation is broken by the proximity of the Pueblo Acantilado development. Torre de Reixes is a defensive fortification built around the sixteenth century that was intended to alert the population of possible attacks from the sea, mainly from pirates. These constructions were very popular all along the Mediterranean coast, including the Atlantic coast of Andalusia. They served as watchtowers.
The Aigües ravine can be visited on hiking trails. To reach the tower you only have to climb from the beach of the same name, about two kilometers, or extend the walk to Cala Baessa, which is about eight kilometers.
Illeta del Banyets
This is another of the most attractive areas of the municipality. If you wonder about El Campello and what to see in this town, you can not miss the Illeta del Banyets. It is a small peninsula that juts into the sea and contains archaeological sites of important importance, with traces of the passage of the Iberians through this area, where they would have built a commercial port and remains belonging to the Bronze Age.
In the area are preserved some fish farms from Roman times known as Els banyets de la Reina. It is a good place for snorkeling.
Illeta Tower
Next to the Illeta del Banyets you will find the Torre de la Illeta, one of the icons of El Campello. Like the Torre de Reixes, this also forms part of the defensive network of watchtowers on the Valencian coast. It was built in the 16th century to warn of possible incursions by Barbary pirates.
Any tourist who knows this town will recommend this place if you ask him what to visit in Campello. It is one of the emblems of the town and a symbol for the people of Campeche. Although visits to the interior are not allowed, guided events are organized, for which you should consult with the Tourist Office of the Municipality. During the year it is the scene of some cultural events.
Voramar Sculpture Promenade
Voramar de las Esculturas<br />
Without leaving the Illeta del Banyets, or at least not far from this point, we find the Voramar promenade of sculptures, which starts right at the tower and runs along the coast of Campeche.
It is an environmental route dotted with three bronze sculptures by the artist Vicente Ferrero. In them, the woman’s body is praised. The interest of this walk, beyond the sculptures, is to discover the biological, geological and environmental characteristics of the environment through various information panels.
Port of El Campello
We did not leave the sea to go to the local seaport. The port starts right where the Voramar promenade ends. This enclosure includes a fishing port and marina and houses the Fishermen’s Guild of El Campello, whose origin dates back to 1919. It is one of the oldest brotherhoods in Spain.
However, it should be noted that the fishing tradition does not translate into a historic port. The complex was built in the 1990s. Previously, the boats were beached on the Carrer la Mar beach.
In the port you will find the fish market building, where you can buy fresh catches of exceptional quality, and also numerous companies that offer sports activities such as kayaking , paddle surfing, jet ski rental, parasailing o flyboard .
Church of Santa Teresa and Virgen del Carmen Chapel
Ermita de la Virgen del Carmen<br />
In the section of religious temples, the two most relevant of the municipality are Santa Teresa and the hermitage of the Virgen del Carmen. Located in the old town of El Campello, appears the church of Santa Teresa, built in the mid-nineteenth century. The interest of the temple, beyond religiosity, is its location, the Plaza de Canalejas, one of the oldest places in the municipality and a place of celebration of festivals and events.
The hermitage of the Virgen del Carmen is located on Carrer la Mar avenue, near the beach of the same name. It was built in the 1960s and was paid for by the town’s sailors, showing once again the fishing tradition of El Campello. The Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of this town.
As you can see, there are many attractions in El Campello, now you just have to discover the rest of the beaches, history and gastronomy in a getaway on the Costa Blanca.
