10 Best Beaches Between Javea and Calpe
By Ellen (Jul 2026)
⏱️ 9 min
Planning to visit Spain’s beautiful Costa Blanca and looking for the best beaches (we call them “calas” here), then this guide is for you! This guide focuses on the best beaches between Javea and Calpe, a spectacular stretch of the northern Costa Blanca, in Alicante. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly sandy beaches, hidden coves or crystal-clear snorkelling spots, these are some of our favourite places to spend a day by the sea.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison
How to choose the right beach?
Some of the best beaches between Javea and Calpe are incredibly diverse. Some are easy to reach with restaurants and facilities nearby, while others require a hike or are only accessible by kayak. Before heading out, think about what kind of day you’re looking for. See below for our quick comparison table to give you some idea.
💡Tip: no matter which beach you choose, arriving early during the summer months will give you the best chance of finding parking and enjoying the coastline before it gets busy.
| Beach | Go for | Access | Family-friendly (babies/young children) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cala Granadella (Jávea) | Best overall | Easy | ✅ |
| Cala Portitxol (Jávea) | Photos/snorkeling | Easy | ✅ |
| Cala En Caló (Jávea) | Kayak adventure | Only by Water (kayak/SUP) | ❌ |
| Cala Llebeig (Benitatxell) | Best coastal (and hidden) hike | Moderate | ❌ |
| Cala del Moraig (Benitatxell) | Cliffs and scenery | Easy | ✅ |
| Racó del Corb (Calpe) | Best wild cove | Difficult | ❌ |
| Cala Barra Grande (Altea) | Quiet escape | Moderate | ❌ |
| Cala Ambolo (Jávea) | Dramatic views | Technically closed but read more below on access via water (kayak/SUP) | ❌ |
| Playa del Arenal (Jávea) | Family beach day | Easy | ✅ |
| Playa de la Fustera (Benissa) | Easy beach day | Easy | ✅ |
Best Beaches Between Javea and Calpe
This section covers the key things to know about some of the best beaches between Javea and Calpe.
Cala Granadella
We have a lot of fond memories of Cala Granadella. It’s one of the most well-known beaches of the area and is incredibly popular with tourists (both foreigners and local Spaniards alike). I would have to say though, my best memories of it are when it was quieter. You can still experience a more relaxed and quiet vibe outside of the high season but from late May to September, expect it to be a busy beach. It’s stunning, accessible, and there are beach bars/restaurants right there.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Jávea
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles (water shoes recommended)
- 👨👩👧👦 Best for: scenery
- 🚗 Parking: Small car park (arrive early in summer else you will get turned around and have to make a different plan for the day)
- 🚶 Access: Easy walk from the car park
- 🍽️ Facilities: Beach restaurant, seasonal amenities
- ⭐ Local tip: Visit before 9am in peak season. After 10 for sure police agents will tell you the parking is complete.
Cala Portitxol
We’ve been to this beach several times also with friends and just as a couple. When I say it’s best for “photos” it’s not really because of the beach itself, but there’s some old white fishermen houses on shore, with bright blue doors. People tend to take the typical Instagram photo in front of them. I personally haven’t snorkeled at this beach, but each time we’ve gone, there have been a lot of people snorkeling.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Jávea
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles (water shoes recommended)
- 👨👩👧👦 Best for: Photography, snorkelling and kayaking
- 🚗 Parking: Limited roadside parking. Arrive before 9am in summer as spaces fill up quickly.
- 🚶 Access: Easy walk from the parking area. However, the more uphill you are forced to park (later arrival) then later you’ll have to walk uphill to reach your car.
- 🍽️ Facilities: Beach bar/restaurant and seasonal amenities.
- ⭐ Local tip: Walk to the viewpoint at the northern end of the beach for one of the best views of Portitxol Island before heading down to the water.
Cala En Caló
Finally in June 2026, we were able to visit this “secret” or “hidden” cove. It is only accessible by water so after all these years, we finally made the effort to visit it. It’s a tranquil little corner of the Earth. Lots of people like to snorkel around here (I saw some fish but nothing that impressive to be honest) haha but, there’s a little island in the middle of the cove and a cave-like structure that you can swim through.
I marked this as not family-friendly for babies, toddlers, or very young children since you need to either go by kayak or SUP. If your child is old enough to manage one of those, then it’s fine.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Jávea
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles and rocky shoreline (water shoes recommended)
- 🛶 Best for: Kayaking, paddleboarding and secluded swimming
- 🚣 Access: Kayak or paddleboard only (no direct land access)
- 🍽️ Facilities: None – bring everything you need.
- ⭐ Local tip: Launch from Cala Granadella on a calm day like us (we rented a kayak). Check the sea conditions before setting out, and allow enough time and energy for the return journey.
Cala Llebeig
I have very special memories of this beach because it was one of the first that Roberto brought me to when we first started dating. It was also the first time I experienced a Mediterranean beach like this – with rocks and extremely clear turquoise water and an impressive backdrop of rocky cliffs. Now I know that the Mediterranean is home to many stunning beaches like this one, but it left a lasting impression on me as the first. The hike there (about 30 minutes) was also memorable – you can find the trail near the entrance to Cala Moraig and we have all the info about in this other post: Hiking the Ruta de los Acantilados.
I marked this as not family friendly with babies or very little kids due to the walk there with no shade, and lack of facilities at the beach.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Benitatxell
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles and rocks (water shoes recommended)
- 🥾 Best for: Hiking, peaceful surroundings and escaping the crowds – it tends to be a bit less crowded just because you have to hike to get there.
- 🚗 Parking: Park near the start of the hiking trail. Spaces are limited in summer.
- 🚶 Access: Moderate hike (around 20–30 minutes depending on your route) – wear proper shoes to walk in! Please do not be “those people” who hike in flip-flops.
- 🍽️ Facilities: None – bring plenty of water, snacks and anything else you’ll need.
- ⭐ Local tip: Don’t rush the walk. The coastal path offers some of the best views in the area, so it’s worth taking your time and enjoying the scenery along the way.
Cala del Moraig
Moraig is one of the most photographed beaches on the Costa Blanca. The views alone make it an easy recommendation, even if you’re just stopping to admire the view before continuing your drive. Every time I see it, I’m captivated by the dramatic scenery with the intense blue water below and stop to take a photo even if I already have photos from another visit.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Benitatxell
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles (water shoes recommended)
- 🌊 Best for: Dramatic scenery, swimming and cliff views
- 🚗 Parking: Parking is controlled during the main season and can fill up quickly.
- 🚶 Access: Short walk downhill from the parking area to the beach.
- 🍽️ Facilities: Seasonal beach bar and amenities.
- ⭐ Local tip: Before heading down to the beach, stop at one of the nearby viewpoints for a spectacular view over the cove and the surrounding cliffs.
Racó del Corb
This beach also left an impression on me the first time I visited it due to its huge long rock wall that plunges into the water. Also – the first time here I snorkeled and I saw an octopus resting in between some rocks! Very exciting as I love to snorkel and dive, and love marine life. I’m not sure if an “untrained” eye would have even noticed it as it was well camouflaged but it made my day.
I marked this as not family friendly due to the short hike down to reach the beach – you have to scramble a bit on some steep rocky parts. I think for this reason, I have never seen many young children or elderly people at this beach.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Benissa
- 🏖️ Beach type: Rocky cove with pebbles (water shoes recommended)
- 🤿 Best for: Snorkelling and dramatic scenery
- 🚗 Parking: Limited parking near the access point and around the Mascarat urbanisation.. Arrive early in summer.
- 🚶 Access: Difficult – steep, rocky sections require some scrambling. (wear proper shoes! Do not just wear your flip-flops)
- 👨👩👧👦 Family-friendly: Not recommended for young children or anyone with limited mobility due to the difficult access.
- 🍽️ Facilities: None – bring everything you need.
- ⭐ Local tip: Bring your snorkel gear if you have it. The rocky shoreline and posidonia provide habitat for plenty of marine life – and if you’re lucky, you might even spot an octopus.
Cala Barra Grande
This beach is nearby Racó del Corb so if you have enough time in your day, you could visit both. It is a truly stunning little cove, with crystal clear gem-toned waters – you can see it from the street above.
I marked this as not family friendly again, due to the access at the end, going down to the beach. The rest is quite easy.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Altea
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles and rocks (water shoes recommended)
- 🌿 Best for: Seclusion, scenery and swimming
- 🚗 Parking: Limited street parking around the Mascarat urbanisation. There is no car park directly at the cove.
- 🚶 Access: Moderate – the route through the urbanisation is relatively straightforward, but the final descent to the cove is steep and uneven.
- 🍽️ Facilities: None – bring everything you need.
- ⭐ Local tip: Wear proper shoes for the final descent and don’t underestimate the return journey. (It is considerably harder going back up.)
Cala Ambolo
Note: Cala Ambolo has been officially closed to land access for many years because of the risk of rockfalls. In 2024, Jávea reinforced the closure with a large gate at the start of the access path. Nevertheless, people can go there walking (not recommended by us) parking wherever they find and walking down the beach for around 10 minutes.
I fiirst visited Ambolo with Roberto in 2019. At this time, there was no gate and so people still made the steep walk down to the beach to spend the day there at their own risk of rockfalls. We visited Ambolo again in 2026, approaching from the sea by kayak after paddling from Granadella via En Caló. There were several other kayakers and SUP users doing the same.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Jávea
- 🏖️ Beach type: Pebbles (water shoes recommended if you’re going ashore)
- 🌊 Best for: Dramatic scenery and swimming
- 🚗 Parking: Limited parking near the former access point
- 🚫 Access: Closed from land due to rockfall risk
- 🛶 Access by sea: Possible by kayak, SUP or boat, weather and sea conditions permitting
- 🍽️ Facilities: None at the beach
- ⭐ Local tip: Do not attempt the closed land route. The beach can be admired from the water, and kayaking here makes a great addition to a trip from Granadella.
Playa del Arenal
This is the big sandy beach in the center of Jávea. Before we had our daughter, Lara, it probably wouldn’t have been our first choice for a beach day – we used to prefer wild, secluded coves. But now that we have a child, we completely understand the appeal.
Arenal is easy to access, has a wide stretch of sand and shallow water, making it a good option for families with young children. Plus, you don’t have to spend the whole day sitting on the beach if you don’t want to – there is a long promenade that runs alongside the sand, so you can combine a few hours at the beach with a stroll, an ice cream or a meal at one of the many restaurants.
It does get busy during the summer, but that lively atmosphere gives it character. If you’re looking for a quiet, secluded cove, this probably isn’t the beach for you. On the other hand, this is a great option if you’re travelling with young children and want an easy beach day with plenty of facilities close by.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Jávea
- 🏖️ Beach type: Sand
- 👨👩👧👦 Best for: Families with young children
- 🚗 Parking: Street parking and nearby car parks but it can be difficult in summer
- 🚶 Access: Easy – flat and directly accessible from the promenade
- 🍽️ Facilities: Plenty of restaurants, cafés, shops and beach services along the promenade
- ⭐ Local tip: It gets very busy in summer, so arrive early if you want a good spot on the sand.
Playa de la Fustera
We haven’t actually spent a full beach day at La Fustera, but we discovered it while walking the Benissa Ecological Coastal Path in October 2025. We stopped at the restaurant for lunch and saw people still enjoying the beach even that late in the year. The water was incredibly clear and the whole place had a relaxed feel in the autumn sunshine. I’d imagine it’s a different atmosphere in the height of summer though – when this popular little beach is likely to be much busier.
At a glance:
- 📍 Location: Benissa
- 🏖️ Beach type: Sand
- 👨👩👧👦 Best for: Relaxing beach days, families and coastal walks
- 🚗 Parking: Parking available near the beach, spaces can be limited in summer.
- 🚶 Access: Easy – accessible by car and also along the Benissa Ecological Coastal Path
- 🍽️ Facilities: Beach restaurant, picnic area and seasonal beach services.
- ⭐ Local tip: Combine a visit to this beach with a walk along the Benissa coastal path – the scenery around this stretch of coastline is beautiful.
Final Thoughts
There are many beautiful and unique beaches along the Costa Blanca in Spain. Choosing which ones to put on your itinerary doesn’t need to be complicated – just think about what your priorities are and who you are traveling with.
If you’re travelling with young children, easy access and shallow water at Arenal might be a top choice. Else, if you’re looking for a quieter beach and a more adventurous day, a hike to Cala Llebeig or a paddle out to Cala En Caló could be more your style. If you simply want to admire some of the most spectacular scenery along this stretch of coastline, beaches like Granadella, Portitxol and Moraig are hard to beat.
One thing I love about this part of the Costa Blanca is that you don’t have to choose just one. With so many different beaches and coves, you can easily pick a different kind of beach for each day of your holiday. I hope this guide to the best beaches between Javea and Calpe helps you choose the right ones for you!
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