OLD TOWN CALPE
ABOUT THE OLD TOWN OF CALPE
If you’re planning on visiting Calpe because of the known beaches Arenal-Bol and La Fossa, the Peñon de Ifach or the Salinas; make sure you don’t miss out on the old town of Calpe, because there’s also a lot to discover with its maze of streets, the famous stairs with the national flag and the church area.
Located about 2 kilometers from the coast we find the old town of Calpe. Because of the constant threat from pirates and privateers in ancient coastal populations, they moved away from the coast and built the Peça Tower, a walled enclosure and fortification for protection. This is the case of Calpe, which had a wall that ran along the perimeter of the old town to defend against pirate attacks.
What to do in the Old town of Calpe
The best thing to do in the Old town of Calpe is ambling by this charming place to discover every corner. We can follow the tourist signposted route touring the small narrow cobbled streets, alleys full of beautiful plants and flowers, the decorated stairs or visiting the ancient city walls, churches and the ancient Roman ruins.
One of the highlights of the Old town of Calpe is the Torre de la Peça, located in the Plaza de la Vila, which was part of the double defensive wall with artillery that defended the city in the 15th century and currently houses the Museo del Coleccionismo. During the tour you can also visit Iglesia parroquial de nuestra Señora de las Nieves, a unique parish that is also located in the Town Square in the heart of the historic center. Museo de Historia y Arqueología de Calpe, located on Calle Santísimo Cristo, is the perfect place to discover the secrets of the past of this beautiful city.
Along the streets we can see several murals and colorful mosaics on the walls, among which highlights Mosaico Mural on the facade of the tourist office, by the painter and Alicantino muralist Gastón Castelló representing his view of the Villa de Calpe.
The historic centre of Calpe is already quite lively in itself, but if you want to see it more deeply, every Sunday there is a craft market where you can find not only handicrafts, but second-hand goods, bakery, sweets, plants, clothing, books, and organic vegetables.
Nuestra señora de las nieves church
The parish church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves is located in the heart of the old town. This attractive building was built in 1975 & has a mixture of both modern & traditional design. It’s features include beautiful stained glass windows, and mosaic murals both externally & inside the building – these illustrate different periods from the Old & New Testament, as well as images of the Cristo del Sudor, and the Virgen de las Nieves.
Torreó de la Peça
The Torreó de la Peça is a defence tower in which would have been sited the “peça”, a piece of artillery which defended the Christian town from the XV century onwards. Next to the wall are located two cannons extracted from the port of Calpe -they were constructed in England and date back to the XIV century.
La Muralla Roja
La Muralla Roja is categorized as a tourist attraction in Spain, as it became a very popular area on social media, recognized by almost everyone in Europe. Many now relate and compare it to the building you’ll see in the famous South Korean survival drama “Squid Game”, as it looks very similar to the real Muralla Roja.
It is actually an apartment complex above the old town of Calpe, designed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill and it was constructed in 1973.
During the last couple of years, with an increase of “Instagramers” visiting the place, neighbours have complained, and the area is now totally private, but you can still have a look at it from the outside!
Properties in Calpe
Properties in Calpe can be found in all sorts of sizes and price range, with or without views. We can help you find what you’re looking for, if you contact us.
