El Campello between Coast, History and Fishing Culture

El Campello has 23 kilometres of coastline with beaches, cliffs and small coves. On a former island, connected to El Campello’s coastal area by an artificial isthmus, lie the Illeta dels Banyets and its archaeological remains.

Beaches, Promenades and Coastal Art

Platja de Muchavista is a 3,300-metre-long beach with fine, golden sand. It also has an accessible beach section for people with reduced mobility. At Platja de Muchavista, you can windsurf, walk and run along a promenade that is more than three kilometres long.

The Paseo Marítimo runs through El Campello’s fishing district and is approximately one and a half kilometres long. The Paseo de Voramar de les Escultures offers a different view of the coast: It begins at the foot of the Torre de la Illeta and runs along the entire coastline to Playa de la Almadraba. Accessible and inclusive information panels were developed together with MARQ and the Instituto de Ecología Litoral. Along the route stand the sculptures “La bañista” and “Niña leyendo” by the artist Vicente Ferrero; they are dedicated to women and integrated into the landscape.

Archaeology and Historic Sites

The Illeta dels Banyets preserves archaeological remains from the Bronze Age, an Iberian settlement and a Roman villa, as well as Islamic materials from sporadic medieval settlement. The Roman phase includes small thermal baths and fish tanks cut into the rock and connected to the sea. For visitors wishing to dive, the underwater route “Los Baños de la Reina” also begins at the northern end of the Illeta dels Banyets.

The Torre de la Illeta was built in 1557 at the request of the Viceroy of Valencia, D. Bernardino de Cárdenas, as a coastal defence structure against attacks by Barbary pirates. The Torre del Barranc d'Aigües was also built in the second half of the 16th century as part of the Valencian coastal watchtower system against such attacks. Unaccompanied visits to the Torre de la Illeta are not permitted; for visits, visitors should consult the guided tour calendar at the tourist office.

The parish church of El Campello, dedicated to Saint Teresa, was built in 1849 and later extended, while retaining its original character. The Ermita de la Virgen del Carmen was built in 1960 with donations from local fishermen. Its tiled altarpiece depicts the Virgin as “Stella Maris”.

The gardens of Villa Marco also combine landscaping and art. They were created at the beginning of the 20th century under René Bardin, the French honorary consul at the time and owner of the estate, and were given a Modernist style with influences from French colonial art. The garden is divided into five areas: the Arab garden, the historic garden, the entrance garden, the Mediterranean garden and a pine grove. The gardens contain two sculptures by the Alicante-born artist Vicente Bañuls: “La Noche” and “La Marsellesa”.

Activities Between Land and Water

Club Náutico Campello operates a recognised sailing school offering dinghy-sailing courses for different levels, from introductory to advanced training. Club Náutico Campello also offers rowing, Optimist sailing and kayaking.

Those who want to experience the landscape beyond the coast can explore El Campello’s natural surroundings on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The local hiking trail SL-CV 93 runs through the les Puntes de Gosàlvez area. This area is considered a viewpoint with impressive coastal views, as well as part of the municipality’s landscape and ethnological heritage.

Fish Auction, Cuisine and Festivities

Restaurants in El Campello serve traditional dishes such as Caldero campellero, arroz a banda, fideuà and bollitori. The fish auction at La Lonja offers a direct connection to the local fishing industry and is open to the public all year round in El Campello.

From Monday to Friday, the catches of fishing boats from El Campello are placed in trays and auctioned at La Lonja at around 6:00 p.m. Visitors can take part in the fish auction and place bids.

The festival calendar adds further traditions to the town’s maritime associations. The main festivities of Moros y Cristianos take place from 11 October to 15 October; the programme includes a Moorish landing, embassies and colourful parades. The Fiestas de la Virgen del Carmen reach their peak around 16 July with a maritime procession and the singing of the “Salve”.

Connections to Alicante

The modern tram connects El Campello with Alicante every 30 minutes.

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To the higher-level travel overview: Alicante.