Alicante Compass
El Campello, Alicante.
The Costa Blanca town worth leaving Alicante for — just 20 minutes up the coast.
"El Campello is one of my favourite escapes when Alicante feels too full and you need a bit more room to breathe — without actually going far.
The promenade alone is worth the trip. Restaurants and cafes line the entire stretch, and prices are noticeably lower than anything you'd find in Alicante city centre.
Parking along the seafront can be frustrating in summer — but here's something most visitors don't know: the underground car park next to Mercadona is your best option. I've never once arrived to find it full."
The promenade alone is worth the trip. Restaurants and cafes line the entire stretch, and prices are noticeably lower than anything you'd find in Alicante city centre.
Parking along the seafront can be frustrating in summer — but here's something most visitors don't know: the underground car park next to Mercadona is your best option. I've never once arrived to find it full."
Petro
AlicanteCompass Guide
Plan Your Visit to El Campello
Everything you need to know about visiting this coastal town. Check practical details on transport, beach facilities, and local insights in the sections below to see if it’s the right choice for your day trip.
El Campello is 13km north of Alicante — close enough for a half-day, easy enough without a car.
By TRAM (recommended): Line 3 (L3) from Luceros or Mercado — 25 minutes along the coast. Get off at El Campello for the port and town centre, or Salesians if you're heading straight to the beach. Runs frequently and costs under €2.
By Car: 20 minutes via N-332 or AP-7. Beachfront parking fills fast in July and August — skip it entirely and head two or three streets inland. You'll find space without circling for 20 minutes.
By TRAM (recommended): Line 3 (L3) from Luceros or Mercado — 25 minutes along the coast. Get off at El Campello for the port and town centre, or Salesians if you're heading straight to the beach. Runs frequently and costs under €2.
By Car: 20 minutes via N-332 or AP-7. Beachfront parking fills fast in July and August — skip it entirely and head two or three streets inland. You'll find space without circling for 20 minutes.
- Local tip: Missed the L3? Line 1 also reaches El Campello — fewer stops, slightly quicker.
El Campello has a completely different rhythm to Alicante city beaches — more space, more air, nobody rushing anywhere.
Playa Muchavista is the main beach in El Campello — a wide open stretch of sand running for kilometres along the Costa Blanca. Good for long walks or simply spreading out without feeling on top of your neighbours. The Paseo Marítimo follows the coastline and is lined with traditional restaurants and local cafes where lunch turns into an afternoon without anyone noticing.
Playa Muchavista is the main beach in El Campello — a wide open stretch of sand running for kilometres along the Costa Blanca. Good for long walks or simply spreading out without feeling on top of your neighbours. The Paseo Marítimo follows the coastline and is lined with traditional restaurants and local cafes where lunch turns into an afternoon without anyone noticing.
- Local tip: Muchavista faces open sea so it can get wavy. If you want calm flat water, head towards the fishing port — naturally sheltered and noticeably quieter.
Baños de la Reina (The Queen's Baths) — Ancient Roman fish farms carved directly into the rock. One of the most unusual spots on the Costa Blanca, and surprisingly good for snorkelling — the water is clear and the rock pools are full of fish. Bring your own gear.
The Fish Auction (Lonja de Pescado) — Head to the port around 6:00 PM on weekdays to watch the local catch being auctioned. No performance, no tourist angle — just how it's been done here for generations.
The Fish Auction (Lonja de Pescado) — Head to the port around 6:00 PM on weekdays to watch the local catch being auctioned. No performance, no tourist angle — just how it's been done here for generations.
- Torre de la Illeta — A 16th-century watchtower built to spot pirate raids along the Costa Blanca coast. Sits right by the port and impossible to walk past without stopping.
Facilities: Public toilets, showers, and chiringuitos (beach bars) open during the season.
Dining: Restaurants line the Paseo Marítimo and are noticeably cheaper than equivalent places in Alicante city centre.
Accessibility: The entire promenade is flat and fully wheelchair and stroller-friendly.
Local tip: Many shops and smaller restaurants in El Campello still observe siesta — roughly 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. If you're planning a late lunch or any shopping, factor this in. It catches most visitors off guard.
Dining: Restaurants line the Paseo Marítimo and are noticeably cheaper than equivalent places in Alicante city centre.
Accessibility: The entire promenade is flat and fully wheelchair and stroller-friendly.
Local tip: Many shops and smaller restaurants in El Campello still observe siesta — roughly 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. If you're planning a late lunch or any shopping, factor this in. It catches most visitors off guard.
El Campello, 20 minutes from Alicante, is what you're looking for if Benidorm feels too loud and Alicante city beach too crowded. A working fishing town with a long sandy beach, a proper promenade, and restaurants that exist for locals first and tourists second.
Come for the space, the slower pace, and a plate of Arroz a Banda — the local rice dish cooked in fish stock, best eaten with a view of the fishing boats that brought the catch in that morning.
Come for the space, the slower pace, and a plate of Arroz a Banda — the local rice dish cooked in fish stock, best eaten with a view of the fishing boats that brought the catch in that morning.
Yes — and more so than most beaches on this stretch of the Costa Blanca.
The sea entry is gentle and gradual, similar to Playa de San Juan — no sudden drops, no strong current close to shore. Young children can wade in without drama.
Along the waterfront there are rocky breakwaters that stretch out into the sea — kids love walking along them, spotting and photographing small crabs in the rock pools. Hold their hands on the rocks — they're uneven and can be slippery when wet.
The Paseo Marítimo runs right alongside the beach and is lined with cafes selling ice cream and pizza — the kind of lunch stop that makes the whole trip easier when you're travelling with children. Small shops within walking distance sell cheap beach toys and sand buckets — useful if you forgot something or the bucket gets left behind at the last beach.
Beach playgrounds are limited, so don't count on that. But between the promenade, the rock pools, the shallow water, an ice cream within 30 seconds of the sand, and a replacement bucket when needed — most kids won't notice.
The sea entry is gentle and gradual, similar to Playa de San Juan — no sudden drops, no strong current close to shore. Young children can wade in without drama.
Along the waterfront there are rocky breakwaters that stretch out into the sea — kids love walking along them, spotting and photographing small crabs in the rock pools. Hold their hands on the rocks — they're uneven and can be slippery when wet.
The Paseo Marítimo runs right alongside the beach and is lined with cafes selling ice cream and pizza — the kind of lunch stop that makes the whole trip easier when you're travelling with children. Small shops within walking distance sell cheap beach toys and sand buckets — useful if you forgot something or the bucket gets left behind at the last beach.
Beach playgrounds are limited, so don't count on that. But between the promenade, the rock pools, the shallow water, an ice cream within 30 seconds of the sand, and a replacement bucket when needed — most kids won't notice.
It depends on what you're after.
If you're coming for the beach — a full day makes sense. Arrive in the morning, spend it on Playa Muchavista, and finish with lunch or dinner on the seafront promenade. The restaurants don't rush you, and the evenings are worth staying for.
If you just want a change of scenery — two or three hours is enough. Walk the promenade, grab a coffee at one of the seafront cafes, maybe stop at the port. Then head back to Alicante without the day feeling wasted.
Either way, El Campello rewards the people who slow down — even slightly.
If you're coming for the beach — a full day makes sense. Arrive in the morning, spend it on Playa Muchavista, and finish with lunch or dinner on the seafront promenade. The restaurants don't rush you, and the evenings are worth staying for.
If you just want a change of scenery — two or three hours is enough. Walk the promenade, grab a coffee at one of the seafront cafes, maybe stop at the port. Then head back to Alicante without the day feeling wasted.
Either way, El Campello rewards the people who slow down — even slightly.
El Campello, Alicante — Photo Gallery
Real shots of the beach and promenade — updated regularly so you know exactly what to expect before you arrive.
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