7 Places in Moraira (Alicante) You Must Not Miss
This guide to the best attractions in Moraira helps you discover one of the smallest and most charming coastal towns in the Alicante province.
The town is located in the Marina Alta region and consists of two urban areas: Teulada inland and Moraira on the coast, which is the most touristy part and the focus of this post. Note that Moraira’s population triples in the summer (mostly foreigners) attracted by the fantastic beaches, the cozy old town, and the excellent cuisine with rice dishes as the house specialty.
Although half a day is enough to experience the town’s main attractions, we recommend, if you visit in the summer, to spend a bit more time on the many beaches and coves or take day trips to other charming towns in the Alicante province, such as Calpe, Jávea, and Altea.
Based on the time we’ve spent in this town during our self-drive trip around the Valencia region, we’ve compiled this list of the 7 places you should see in Moraira. Let’s get started!
1. The Old Town of Moraira
After parking your car in one of the town’s parking lots (marked on the map below), one of the best things you can do in Moraira is to stroll through the narrow streets of the old town, surrounded by whitewashed houses with balconies and windows filled with flowers. The streets Almacenes and Mar are our favorites as they reflect the town’s maritime past, but we also recommend a walk down Carrer Barranquet, where you’ll find the church Santa Maria dels Desemparats, and Doctor Calatayud Street, where the restaurant Rincón de Moraira is located – here you should try the delicious arroz del senyoret. It was one of our favorites on the trip! Other recommended restaurants in Moraira include El Racó de l’Arròs, Piscis, and Tasca Moraira.
2. El Castillo – One of the Places to See in Moraira
If you follow the promenade before reaching Playa de l’Ampolla, the small castle, Castillo de Moraira, appears – the town’s most important monument. The fortress, designed like a “bull’s foot” with a semicircular facade, was built in the 18th century during the Bourbon dynasty to protect the coast from Berber pirates from North Africa. As you walk through the gate, over which the Bourbon royal coat of arms is placed, you enter an exhibition area about the watchtowers in the time of Philip II and an audiovisual presentation about the sea and piracy.
3. The Beaches of Moraira
Next to the castle and the spectacular sculpture Gigante de Sal lies Playa de L’Ampolla, the most famous and most visited beach in Moraira. This town beach has fine sand, is 250 meters long, offers a view of Peñón de Ifach in the distance, and has all facilities, making it ideal for a family day by the water. Other semi-town beaches include Portet and Les Platgetes (the latter has a beautiful viewpoint and two coves). If you prefer quieter surroundings, you can drive a bit away from the center and visit Cala Llebeig, Cap Blanc, L’Andragó, or Portixolet.
From Cala el Portet, you can also take a fun kayaking trip to Benitachell’s Cueva de los Arcos cave.
4. The Route with Viewpoints
From Playa del Portet, you can start the famous Ruta de los Miradores, a coastal hike of about 5 km, which is one of the best experiences in Moraira. The hike takes about an hour and fifteen minutes (one way) and takes you past Mirador de Portixolet with views over Peñón d’Ifach, the various beaches in the town center, Mirador de les Tosqueres, Les Platgetes beach, and finally Mirador de L’Andragó, where you get a fantastic view of the town and the castle.
5. Torre de Cap d’Or
To complete this list of places to see in Moraira, we recommend visiting Torre de Cap d’Or, an old watchtower from the 16th century built as protection against pirates and corsairs. The tower is 11 meters high, 7 meters in diameter, and stands on the Cap d’Or peninsula. You can follow a short hiking trail of just over 2 km from the center of Moraira to reach it and enjoy the spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea and the Alicante coast.
6. Cova de la Cendra
On the Cap d’Or peninsula is also Cova de la Cendra (or de les Cendres), one of the most important archaeological finds from the Stone Age (Paleolithic and Neolithic) in the western Mediterranean and another place you should experience in Moraira. Some of the finds made in Cova de les Cendres – including animal and human bones, ceramics, and decorative objects – can be seen at the archaeological museum in Alicante. To reach the cave, you can follow the trail to Torre de Cap d’Or (SL-CV 51) and go down a steep staircase that leads into a large chamber and an underground cave, which is secured with a grate.
7. Teulada
If you have extra time, you can drive to Teulada, located about 6 km from Moraira, and stroll through the cobblestone streets of the old, fortified town, starting at Plaza de la Constitución. Highlights here include Casa Presor, the church Santa Catalina, the chapel Sant Vicent Ferrer, the chapel Divina Pastora, and Sala de Jurats i Justicies.