A bit off the coastline, about 10 km from Altea and only 15 km from Benidorm you find the village of Callosa de'n Sarria. Just nearby lies the impressive waterfall of Algar.

The Fuentes del Algar should be on the top of your list for places to visit whilst you are around the area. Not only do they offer a sharp contrast to the normal days at the beach, but furthermore they show you a different, very quiet and even cool Spain.

More than just a waterfall

The Algar riverside is a very nicely maintained area with pathways along the various waterfalls and natural pools.

Most of you might perhaps have experienced various kinds of showers at the different water parks around, but its nothing compared to swimming or diving into an ice cold river on a very hot Spanish summer day.

Practical Tips

• Driving to Algar from Altea or Calpe drive the N-332 road to Urbanizacion Sierra Altea, where you take the CV-755 which gets you directly to Callosa d'En Sarria (which is just 2 minutes from the waterfall).
  or if you come from Benidorm take the CV-715 via La Nucia and Polop gets you directly to this lovely place.
   
• Parking is no problem. Plenty of parking lots when you enter the village of Algar. There are two different entrance to the waterfall area. One at the center of the village and another at the very end. So you can pass through Algar and parking grounds at the second entrance.
   
• Entrance Fee or better said admission fee is around 3 Euros. Absolutely worth eat, as the place is well preserved and even life guards are on duty.
   
• Clothing: Take your bathing suit and a pair of good shoes would be useful, as the river is full of stones.
   
• Outside the waterfall area, at the second entrance area, is an additional picnic and barbecue area. Well preserved with a little camping ground.

Of additional interest.
Apart of the beautiful waterfall area, just at the second entrance two museums are located. The Environment Museum and the Water Museum round up this perfect day trip into the beauty of nature.

Located on the CV-70, 25 km from Altea, is the village of Guadalest. Occupying one of the most stunning positions in Spain, this small village is precariously perched on the pinnacle of a granite mountain, giving fabulous views across the valley carved out by the River from which the village takes its name.

Getting to Guadalest by the twisting road that climbs ever upwards, passing through the village of Polop, is almost as spectacular as the position of the village, but the breathtaking views make the drive worthwhile even for the more nervous passengers!

On reaching Guadalest you can see why the Moors, who constructed castles to defend the area, considered this place a site of strategic importance.

Some of these castles were unconquerable and the remains of several can still be seen today, even though they were bombarded in the 18th century during the Spanish war of Succession.

However the building you will see on most of the postcards is the whitewashed bell tower of Penon de la Alcala which seems to cling to the mountain face.

Intriguingly the old village and castle is accessed through a tunnel carved from the rock and when you reach the other end and see the ancient houses, you seem to have been transported to another age.

Guadalest has plenty of museums, so you can learn more about its history, little crafts shops and places to buy a souvenir of your visit. Costing only a few euros the visit through the tunnel to the village is definitely worthwhile as the castle tour (starting at 10am) takes in the dungeon (great for the kids) and offers fantastic views across the valley from cobbled footpaths and lookout points.

The population of only 200 people now dedicates itself entirely to tourism, hence some of the area's best museums being located here. If you want to be transported to another world when land was fiercely defended, don't miss a trip to the village of Guadalest!

Guadalest Tourist Office: Tel. (+34) 965 885 298