SPAIN SOUTHEAST part 1 – COSTA BLANCA: Alicante , Benidorm, Elche, Calpe and surroun - Page 3

CUEVAS DE CANELOBRE:

Cuevas de Canelobre (or Coves del Canelobre) are caves that are situated in the mountains in the village Busot, just 23km from central Alicante and 20km from Benidorm. The entrance is situated on the mountain ridge of the mountain Cabezón de Oro ("large head of gold"), on an altitude on 700m. The cave is 70m high, so it goes quite deep, but it is not long at all. So it reminds of a cathedral in shape, high but not long, and the formations are illuminated in different colours, mostly purple and blue. It is reachable through an open tunnel, that was created during the Spanish civil war, when airplane engines were manufactured inside the caves! You can see many different formations, like stalactites and stalagmites, column, jellyfish, coladas and microgours. In the middle of the room stands a stalagmite called El Canelobre that is more then 100 000 years old! Sometimes concerts are held there. These damp caves are one of the highest in Spain. From the parking lot at the entrance to the caves there are terraces with amazing views of the surrounding mountains, and you can see as far as Alicante and El Campello. Really breathtaking (watch the last pictures).

We visited the caves as a daytrip from Benidorm, that is not far from the caves either (combined with a visit to Elche). To get to the Canelobre Caves, you have to drive on small mountain roads. You can take a guided tour, but we chosed to guide ourselves. Busot is a really small mountain village, it has only 3 138 inhabitants.

Busot and surrounding mountains 21 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Views from the entrance to the caves.

Cuevas de Canelobre 01 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Entrance to the caves.

Cuevas de Canelobre 03 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Inside the caves.

Cuevas de Canelobre 17 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Cuevas de Canelobre 15 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Cuevas de Canelobre 12 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Inside the caves, beautifull illuminated in different colours.

Cuevas de Canelobre 10 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Cuevas de Canelobre 08 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Cuevas de Canelobre 06 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Cuevas de Canelobre 05 by Nightsky, on Flickr

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Cue...Canelobre.html

Nightsky · #47 Posted **May 27, 2016, 11:25 AM**

Busot and surrounding mountains 20 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Playa de San Juan, Alicante seen from the entrance to the caves.

Cuevas de Canelobre 02 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Our rental car, a new Ford Focus.

Cuevas de Canelobre 09 by Nightsky, on Flickr
More inside the caves.

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Cue...Canelobre.html

Nightsky · #48 Posted **Jun 7, 2016, 3:04 PM**

CALPE:

Population: 30 000
Other names: Calp
http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Calpe.html

Calpe is a small city in Costa Blanca, just North of Benidorm. It is situated in a beautiful setting on both sides of the 332m high limestone rock Penyal d'Ifach (Peñón de Ifach in Spanish), that overlooks the Mediterranean Coast and can be seen from large parts of Costa Blanca. At the outcrop and cliffs there is a natural park (since 1987) with numerous rare plants and animals. It is known as "the Northern Rock"(the rock of Gibraltar was the Southern). The city of Calpe consist of several different parts. It is not large, but quite long and narrow, just like Benidorm. To the West you find the Old City Centre (that today mostly consists of modern buildings) that is very hilly and mostly visited by locals, since it is where you find "normal" services. Further to the West is areas with private residences and mansions climbing in the mountains, residing rich people. The so called New City Centre, that is the tourist area, consists of two parts: Morello to the West of Penyal d'Ifach where you find the port, Puerto de Calpe, beaches like Playa del Cantag-Roig, tall apartment buildings, highrise hotels and restaurants. To the Northeast of Ifach you find a simlar area, La Fossa, with the largest and most popular beach, Playa La Fossa-Levante, and even more modern highrise hotels. From the beaches you have nice views of the limestone rock. Further to the North you find more exclusive residential areas high up in the mountains, in Calpe and neighbouring towns. In the middle of Calpe you find the lake Las Salinas.
Just like Benidorm, Calpe has an impressive skyline for its size since many tall highrise complexes (hotels and residential), the majority of them were built especially in the early 2000s. Calpe has 5 buildings with 20-23 floors and 18 with 15 floors or more.

MY EXPERIENCE:
It can be a bit of a challenge to drive from Benidorm to Calpe, at least the part after Altea. You have to drive on a really curvy, winding road high up in the mountains with much traffic and sport bikes practicing on the road, blocking traffic! Sometimes it can be very steep and there are a lot tunnels. Fortunately the speed limits are low. But the road is really beautiful, overlooking the mountains and sea. Pictures from the road can be found here.
When we reached Calpe, the city looked more or less abandoned. It was low season but we were still excepting more tourists and locals. Almost no people were outdoors but probably that was because of the very windy weather, and it was not tourist season. But we had paella at the fish restaurnant at the beach, with views as far as Benidorm and also drove through the old town (that actually doesn't look old) and the North part. Calpe felt very modern, with brand new highrises and only a few old buildings. More normal then the luxorious tourist resort you would expect, but still it was low season. Calpe reminds more of a typical city in California then a Spanish city. I can imagine it is a very nice place to visit summertime.

Calpe New City Centre 29 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 28 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 26 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 25 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Dracula!

Calpe New City Centre 24 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 23 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 21 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 15 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 20 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Benidorm skyline in the distance seen from a beach in Calpe!

Calpe New City Centre 19 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 17 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 16 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Some of the tallest buildings in Calp.

Calpe New City Centre 14 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 12 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 11 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Penyal d'Ifach (Peñón de Ifach in Spanish), a 332m high limestone rock that overlooks the Mediterranean Coast and can be seen from large parts of Costa Blanca.

Calpe New City Centre 10 by Nightsky, on Flickr
More residential complexes.

Calpe New City Centre 09 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 08 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Small boat harbor.

Calpe New City Centre 05 by Nightsky, on Flickr
City centre this windy day.

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Calpe.html

Nightsky · #49 Posted **Jun 12, 2016, 1:03 PM**

MORE CALPE:

Calpe New City Centre 02 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Traffic circle in the outskirts.

Calpe New City Centre 01 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 47 by Nightsky, on Flickr
The city is divided into 2 parts, connected with this passage.

Calpe New City Centre 45 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Penyal d'Ifach

NORTHERN PART:

Calpe New City Centre 43 by Nightsky, on Flickr
This is the skyline of the other part of Calpe, where you find the longest beaches and more highrise hotels.

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Calpe.html

Calpe New City Centre 42 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Looking towards the cliffs North of Calpe.

Calpe New City Centre 40 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 38 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 36 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 35 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe New City Centre 30 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe outskirts 03 by Nightsky, on Flickr
The “Calp” sign in a traffic circle.

Calpe outskirts 01 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Mexico? No, private residences in Calpe.

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Calpe.html

Nightsky · #50 Posted **Jun 12, 2016, 10:52 PM**

CALPE OLD TOWN:

Calpe - Old City Centre 20 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 16 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 15 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Penyal d’Ifach from the old town.

Calpe - Old City Centre 14 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 13 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 12 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 11 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 08 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 06 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 04 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 03 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 02 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - Old City Centre 21 by Nightsky, on Flickr

The pictures above are mostly from the old part of Calpe, that was built long before the tourist parts along the beach, that where built quite recently.

NORTHERN PART again:

Calpe - North part 12 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 11 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 10 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 09 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 08 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 06 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 05 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Penyal d’Ifach seen from the Norther part of Calpe.

Calpe - North part 03 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 02 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 17 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 15 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Calpe - North part 14 by Nightsky, on Flickr

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Calpe.html

Nightsky · #51 Posted **Jun 14, 2016, 11:09 AM**

ALTEA:
Between Benidorm and Calpe is the small, but beautiful, typical Spanish city of Altea.

Population: 24 000

The streetscape of it's Old Town is very attractive, with small winding roads, mostly white buildings with art galleries, shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants that attracts painters and tourists. The most famous building is a white baroque church with a blue tile cupola on the top, La Mare de Déu del Consol (Our Lady of Solace). The Old Town is situated on a hill above the newer parts of the city. The views from there stretches as far as the skyscrapers of Benidorm to the South and the rock of Penyal d'Ifach in Calpe. Just next to the main road, there is an attractive sea promenade, Passeo del Mediterraneo, with restaurants and hotels. It is especially popular in the evenings. The name Altea comes from Althaia, when it was a Greek marketplace. Altea was Moorish until it was recaptured by the Christians in 1244.

http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Altea.html

ALTEA’S OLD TOWN:

Altea Outskirts 04 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 03 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 01 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 49 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 48 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 45 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 44 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 42 by Nightsky, on Flickr
Penyal d’Ifach (Calpe) seen from Alta.

Altea Old Town 41 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 40 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 39 by Nightsky, on Flickr

Altea Old Town 38 by Nightsky, on Flickr

La Mare de Déu del Consol ("Our Lady of Solace"), Altea’s beautiful church.