Altea La Vella: What To See And Why You Should Include It In Your Getaway of Hotel Ábaco in Altea. Official Website.

Just a few kilometres from Altea’s best-known scenery, the landscape begins to change. The sea gradually gives way to the mountains, revealing a small village with a different pace of life. If you are wondering what to see in Altea la Vella, you will find a peaceful spot at the foot of the Serra de Bèrnia where you can wander through its streets, visit the Church of Santa Anna and discover its fountains and natural surroundings.

It is worth clarifying something from the outset: Altea la Vella is not Altea’s Old Town. It belongs to the same municipality, but offers a different experience that can be the perfect addition to your getaway.

Are Altea la Vella and Altea’s Old Town the same place?

No. Altea la Vella is a small village within the municipality of Altea, located inland at the foot of the Serra de Bèrnia. Also known in Spanish as Altea la Vieja, it has its own identity and village centre, with a close connection to the surrounding landscape.

Altea’s well-known Old Town is somewhere else: the maze of streets that climbs towards the Church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo and its distinctive blue dome.

Altea la Vella also preserves traces of the area’s earliest settlements. Archaeological remains found around the Castellet have been associated with both the early Iberian period and the Middle Ages.

If you are still getting to know the destination, you can start with our guide to what to see in Altea and set aside another part of your trip to explore Altea la Vella.

What to see in Altea la Vella

Altea la Vella’s appeal does not lie in a long list of monuments. Part of its charm is precisely its small scale and the opportunity to discover it at a leisurely pace. The Church of Santa Anna, its streets and the fountains connected to the surrounding landscape reveal a different side of the municipality.

The Church of Santa Anna

The Church of Santa Anna is one of the village’s main landmarks. Located on the hill where Altea la Vella stands, it forms part of both everyday life and the familiar image of the village.

The present church was built in the late 19th century with the involvement of local residents and has subsequently undergone various alterations and restorations. Beyond its history, it is worth visiting for its simple architecture and for a stroll around the square and surrounding streets.

A stroll through the streets of Altea la Vella

One of the best answers to what to do in Altea la Vella is also the simplest: go for a walk.

The small village centre retains a predominantly residential feel, with light-coloured façades and the Serra de Bèrnia ever-present in the landscape. The surrounding countryside reveals another side of the municipality, historically connected to irrigated farmland and fruit growing.

There is no need to follow a set route here. Simply wander through the streets and watch as the architecture gradually gives way to the inland landscape.

Font del Garroferet and the fountains of Altea la Vella

Water also forms part of the history of this area. Among the places to see in Altea la Vella are Font del Garroferet and Font Gran, both connected to traditional paths and the agricultural landscape surrounding the village.

Font del Garroferet is also a reference point on one of the municipality’s officially recognised walking trails, the PR-CV 436 Font del Garroferet–Pinos. You do not need to complete the entire route to explore this area; it can simply be another way to experience the transition from the small village centre to the surrounding countryside.

Can you go hiking from Altea la Vella?

Yes. Altea la Vella’s location at the foot of the Serra de Bèrnia makes it easy to add some time in nature to your getaway.

One of the best-known landmarks in the mountain range is the Forat de Bèrnia, a natural opening through the mountain, with views towards Altea, Serra Gelada and the Mediterranean from the surrounding area. The Fort de Bèrnia, built in the 16th century, can also be found in the mountain range.

If you would like to dedicate part of your trip to exploring this side of the area, take a look at our hiking routes in Altea, where you will find more information to help you plan your experience.

Before setting out on any route, it is advisable to check its difficulty, current trail conditions and the weather forecast.

How can you include Altea la Vella in an Altea getaway?

You do not need to plan Altea la Vella as a separate day trip. If you simply want to explore the village itself, it can easily fit into a morning or afternoon.

If you also want to discover Bèrnia, it is worth allowing more time to explore the mountain landscape.

For a first visit, we recommend combining both sides of the municipality: begin with the Altea most closely connected to the sea and its Old Town, then set aside another part of your stay to discover its connection with the inland landscape.

Is Altea la Vella worth visiting?

Yes, particularly if you would like to discover a different side of the municipality. Here, the mountains take centre stage, the pace changes and the relationship with the landscape feels different.

That contrast is precisely what makes it interesting. Within just a few kilometres, Altea’s scenery changes and reveals its connection with Bèrnia and the inland landscapes of the Marina Baixa.

There is no need to search for a long list of must-see attractions. Walking through its streets, looking towards the mountains and discovering a few of its characteristic corners are reason enough to include it in your trip.

Altea la Vella does not compete with Altea’s best-known image. It completes it.

Hotel Ábaco, a base for discovering Altea and its surroundings

Discovering Altea la Vella allows you to explore beyond the Old Town without giving up the pleasure of staying in the heart of Altea.

Hotel Ábaco can be your starting point each day, without having to choose between one experience and another. Wandering through the Old Town or heading to Altea la Vella are simply different ways of experiencing the same destination.

And at the end of the day, you can return to a place where every detail has been designed to make you feel welcome.

That is how we understand Ábaco: as part of the getaway, not simply a place to sleep.