Calp is a small city located on the Mediterranean Sea, around one hour from Alicante. It lives mainly from tourisms and at first sight it looks like a typical little tourist town, just consisting of a long beach and some hotels and restaurants. But Calp has a tiny National Park called Penyal d’Ifac which hides one of the most beautiful views I have seen in the South of Spain.
Driving towards the town you will soon spot the big rock sitting at the edge of Calp. The Penyal d’Ifac is one of the smallest nature resorts in Europe. The rock and its protected surrounding are just about 45 hectares big and a little more than 300 metres high.
To get to the top of the rock and be able to enjoy the beautiful view the only way is to take a hike up. The walk takes about one and a half hour and is not to be underestimated. Some parts lead through steep pathways, slippery grounds and little tunnels in the rock. But already the hike is absolutely great- it leads you through beautiful nature and already after some minutes you can enjoy a nice view on the bay of Calp.
When you reach the top, the breath-taking panorama view is more than rewarding: turquoise water, long sandy beaches and a view far into the inland. It is a great place to sit down, relax and safe some strength before the walk back down.
I recommend you to not hike up the Penyal d’Ifac in the middle of the day because it can get pretty hot there (especially in summer) and will make the way up even harder. Better go in the early morning or in the later afternoon, although you should be careful to not be too late because as soon as the sun is setting it can be dangerous to not see everything on the walk down on the stony paths.
There is not much else to do in Calp, but if you are ever in the area, close to Alicante, you should definitely make a little detour to the town of Calp just to experience the beautiful hike up the Penyal d’Ifac and the incredible view it offers at the summit.
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