Calpe is an old established fishing port which is bounded by a number of first class fish restaurants offering the daily catch, plus an adjacent marina and nautical club. The fishing port and the famous Ifach Rock is the division between two excellent sandy beaches, both about 2 km long with very pleasant tree-lined promenades offering a selection of front line bars and restaurants to complement those in the main town. The lower and mid reaches of the hills forming a backcloth to Calpe provides the main residential area for individual villas, many with excellent views to the town and sea beyond.

In the thirties writers such as Hemingway spent their summers in Calpe. The Morro del Toix and the Peñon de Ifach mark the extremities of Calpe’s bay. The Peñon de Ifach (Ifach means north in Phoenician) is the symbol of Calpe and, by extension, of the Costa Blanca. It is the highest rock in the entire Mediterranean and divides Calpe’s shoreline in two. The limestone mass is 332 metres high and penetrates 1 kilometre into the sea, forming a first-rate geological feature. Since 1987 it is considered as Natural Park and it has preserved its unique ecological treasures such as the Ifach carnation. The summit of the rock can be visited in organized groups and in the Nature Auditorium the rich fauna and flora of the park is explained. There is also one of the best views of the Costa Blanca from the top of the rock. Prehistoric, Iberian, Phoenician and Roman remains have been found immediately next to the Peñon and on the isthmus which links it to the coast.

Between Les Bassetes and the Morro de Toix there are 11 kilometres of sandy beaches – for instance the Levante and Arenal beaches – and coves like the one at La Manzanera and the Les Urques cove where scuba diving and fishing are possible. The Cueva dels Coloms, in the Morro de Toix, which faces towards Altea, is a freshwater cave that is only accessible from the sea.

The nature of Calpe can be appreciated through nautical excursions and walks. The Peñon de Ifach is renowned by climbers for its difficulties and unique features, and it can be climbed by a number of routes of varying difficulty. Potholing is possible on the steep banks and peaks of the Monte Olta and the Barranc del Mascarat. Calpe’s attractions have made the village a tourist destination of note for both national and international visitors, who live together all year round in peace and harmony