Casco Antiguo (Old Town) of Calpe
Perched on a low hill between the two main beaches, Calpe's Casco Antiguo is a compact maze of whitewashed streets, bougainvillea-draped doorways and centuries-old architecture that predates the coastal tourism boom by several hundred years. It is the quietest and most atmospheric corner of the town.
Key Sights Within the Old Town
The 16th-century Iglesia Antigua de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves anchors the old town with its simple Gothic-Renaissance facade and a bell tower that has served as a watchtower against Barbary pirate raids. The adjacent Plaza de la Villa is the social heart of the barrio — a shaded square where locals play petanca (pétanque) in the evenings.
Look for the remains of the Moorish defensive walls (murallas árabes) that still stand in sections along the northern edge of the old quarter, a tangible reminder that Calpe was a fortified Muslim settlement before the Christian Reconquista in the 13th century. The small interpretive panels are genuinely informative.
Eating and Wandering
Several small tapas bars and traditional restaurants cluster around the Plaza de la Villa and the surrounding lanes — Bar La Plaça and similar neighbourhood spots serve cold Estrella Damm, local olives and simple montaditos to a largely Spanish clientele, making them a refreshing contrast to the tourist-oriented seafront terraces.
The old town is best explored on foot in the cooler hours of morning or late afternoon. Streets are narrow and uneven — comfortable shoes matter — and the whole area can be walked thoroughly in about 90 minutes, though lingering over a coffee in the plaza is strongly encouraged.
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