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Alicante: Guadalest, Altea & Algar Waterfalls Day Trip

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/12

Duration11h

GroupUp to 54

LanguagesEN · FR +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

Three Towns, One Day: Altea, Guadalest & Mountain Waterfalls

You ride in an air-conditioned bus from Alicante through three distinct stops: Altea for its Mediterranean viewpoint and white-walled old town, Guadalest for its castle and galleries perched on a ridge, and Algar Fountains for natural pools and waterfalls. A local guide (English or Spanish) handles the first part of each stop, then you have free time to explore at your own pace. Entry to the waterfalls is included, and the bus handles parking and traffic so you don't have to.

11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Altea, Guadalest, and Algar Fountains

Transfer from Alicante or Benidorm
Transfer to Altea
Walk Altea old town and viewpoint
Free time in Altea old town
Transfer to Guadalest
Guided visit in Guadalest village
Free time to visit Castle of San José
Explore Guadalest museums and galleries
Transfer to Algar Fountains
Free time at Algar Fountains nature reserve
Transfer back to Alicante

The Experience

The cobblestone streets in Altea catch you off guard — they're narrower than they look in photos, and the white houses with their fussy balconies crowd right up to the edge. You're walking with a guide for maybe thirty minutes through the old town, learning about the church of Consuelo and how the place became what it is, and then you get ninety minutes loose to wander, sit at a café, or just stand at the viewpoint looking out at the Mediterranean. The bus ride from Alicante takes twenty minutes, and the air conditioning works, which matters when you're heading into the hills.

Guadalest is the stop people actually plan the day around. It's one of Spain's most beautiful villages, and the claim isn't marketing — the castle of San José sits on a ridge surrounded by mountains, and the views are the kind that make you stop talking. The guide walks you through the history and points out the galleries and the Baroque details, then leaves you for two hours to climb up to the castle, eat something local, or just sit with the panorama. The cobblestone streets are steep in places, so water shoes or booties help if you're planning to move around a lot.

After Guadalest, the bus heads to Fuentes del Algar, a nature reserve with waterfalls and natural pools carved into the rock. You get an hour and a half here, and it's genuinely different from the towns — the water is cold, the rocks are slick, and if you brought shoes you can wade into the Estret de Sacos area or just sit by the water. The entry fee (normally eight euros) is already in the price. Then it's the forty-minute drive back to Alicante, and you're done by evening.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip air-conditioned bus transportation from Alicante, a local guide in English or Spanish who accompanies you through the old towns and explains the history and galleries, free time to explore Altea's viewpoint and cobblestone streets, two hours in Guadalest to visit the castle of San José and browse galleries, entry to Fuentes del Algar nature reserve with its waterfalls and natural pools, and ninety minutes to swim or walk along the water before returning to Alicante in the evening.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Buendía

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to see three distinct Costa Blanca towns in one day without driving or navigating mountain roads yourself — the bus and guide handle the logistics, which is what makes fitting all three stops into a single afternoon possible. Plan for a full day out with walking on uneven streets and the option to swim, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water shoes if you want to wade.