Calpe is a town that I can't miss on Sundays. Okay, okay, maybe I am there for work, so I can't always walk around and enjoy it like tourists do, but last Sunday we made up for it. We spent the whole afternoon walking around, first through the old centre because we dropped our son off there, and then we walked to a neighbourhood called La Manzanera.
I had never walked through this part of Calpe until last Sunday. I know very well the part where the hotels are and the promenade, where the sandy beaches are or a lagoon with flamingoes. However, even though I am in this town every Sunday morning, La Manzanera neighbourhood was a completely new thing for me to see. And to walk - as there were quite a few streets to conquer. Uphill, downhill, and in circles - when will we get to the sea? I told my husband that I wouldn't be able to walk for a long time, but he knew the path to get to the sea and the beautiful views. He had already visited this area once, so I just let myself be guided by the one who knew the place better than I.
We were almost there - the blue colour of the sea was calling and made me forget about the issues that an aching body can have.
The sign showed the path toward the cove of La Manzanera, however, we didn't go down there. Our walking route was already organized, and the time was well calculated. We had to be back for a concert where our son participated.
The views of the cove and the whole area were so cool, though. I really like these tall cliffs and the sea when it has patterns of different colours (rocks, algae and sand parts in the water).
The huge rock emerging from the sea that you can see in this photo is called Penyal d'Ifac. It is a limestone outcrop which is 332 metres high and can be considered the symbol of Calpe. Maybe even of the whole Mediterranean coastline. You will see it in various photos as we were walking in that direction.
Our path was following the coastline, passing a few famous buildings, such as this red one. Its name is La Muralla Roja.
Another cool building we passed by was El Anfiteatro Ricardo Bofill. I think I could imagine myself living here, so close to the sea and these views. On the other side, this neighbourhood is a bit isolated, you need to take a car to arrive at the shops. Well, the alternative is taking these nice walks every day. :)
Luckily, there are stone walls and wooden fences all along the path. This whole area is situated at a considerable height, so it is better to walk safely. But sometimes I peeked over the fence, down to the sea.
Bougainvillea posing with Penyal d'Ifac in the background. 🌸
We arrived at the part where the sandy beach starts. You can see the difference between the two types of shore. I still prefer the rocks over the sand, but that is also true that it is easier to access the sea when the beach is sandy.
Cacti also posed with the rocky symbol of Calpe. 🌵
Here starts the Playa del Arenal-Bol, which is 1200 m long.
Obviously, at one point, the descending part would start. Our legs also felt the difference, and the walk became, somehow, faster from that point on. 😁
After this walk, we had half an hour of free time before the concert started. That was perfect for a coffee and a cake break.
The place we chose for this was Cafeseamos. Two cups of coffee with hearts, of course, served in blue cups to match the blue sea and sky we enjoyed in the afternoon.
Oh, a Hive t-shirt in the background? My husband had tiramisu, which arrived a few moments after I took this photo... it was not only me who had a sweet snack here - just saying. 😁
