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Sunny day view of Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello, Alicante coast. A wide sandy beach with sunbathers and swimmers stretches alongside a dense skyline of high-rise apartment and hotel buildings under a clear blue sky. Large sea rocks line the breakwater in the foreground.

Alicante Compass

El Campello, Alicante.

The Costa Blanca town worth leaving Alicante for — just 20 minutes up the coast.

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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.

Petro — AlicanteCompass
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.

How to Get to El Campello from Alicante?

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.

Local tip: Missed the L3? Line 1 also reaches El Campello — fewer stops, slightly quicker.

What is Playa Muchavista and El Campello Seafront Like?

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.

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.

What Are the Best Things to Do in El Campello, Alicante?

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.

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.

What Facilities Does El Campello Beach Have?

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.

Why Visit El Campello Instead of Staying in Alicante?

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.

Is El Campello Good for Families with Kids?

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. 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.

How Long Should You Spend in El Campello?

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.

El Campello, Alicante — Photo Gallery

Real shots of the beach and promenade — updated regularly so you know exactly what to expect before you arrive.

Scenic view of the Mediterranean Sea in El Campello, framed by two large palm trees on a sunny promenade. The turquoise water and a distant white boat are visible between the palm trunks under a cloudless blue sky.
Scenic view of Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello under a clear blue sky. The wide sandy beach features a tall vertical monument in the center, with scattered beach umbrellas and people enjoying the Mediterranean Sea. A stone breakwater is visible stretching into the calm blue water on the left.
Beach volleyball court on Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello. A yellow-framed net is set up on the wide sandy beach under a clear blue sky, with the Mediterranean Sea and several beach umbrellas visible in the background.
Beachfront promenade in El Campello, Alicante, featuring outdoor cafes, palm trees, and pedestrians. The wide sandy shore of Playa Carrer la Mar and distant mountain peaks are visible under a bright blue sky.
Beachfront view of Carrer la Mar in El Campello. The image shows the sandy beach in the foreground and a row of coastal buildings featuring Restaurante La Familia, Restaurante Titi, and a 24-hour supermarket under a clear blue sky.
A tall white lifeguard tower on the wide sandy beach of Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello. Tourists are relaxing under umbrellas near the calm blue Mediterranean Sea, which is protected by a stone breakwater under a cloudless sky.
Panoramic view of Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello. The sandy beach is filled with sun loungers and umbrellas, with a white lifeguard tower on the left. In the background, the coastal town architecture is framed by the majestic mountains of the Alicante region under a clear blue sky.
Wide panoramic view of Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello on a bright, sunny day. Large brown rocks line the breakwater in the foreground. The clear turquoise Mediterranean Sea meets the sandy shore, bordered by a long line of high-rise apartment and hotel buildings under a cloudless blue sky.
Wide-angle view of the El Campello coastline from a rocky breakwater. The turquoise Mediterranean Sea flows towards a sandy beach populated with sunbathers. The background features a long line of modern high-rise apartments and hotels under a clear, deep blue sky.
Sunny summer view of Platja del Carrer la Mar in El Campello. The sandy beach is full of sunbathers and colorful umbrellas, framed by a row of coastal hotels and apartments with palm trees. The clear turquoise Mediterranean Sea and the distant mountains of the Alicante region complete the panorama under a clear blue sky. Foreground features natural sea rocks.
A long rock breakwater structure at Platja del Carrer la Mar in El Campello on a bright, sunny day. The camera looks down the center of the large grey and brown boulders extending into the calm, turquoise Mediterranean Sea. Several people are fishing with long rods near the end, and a single sailboat is visible in the distant water under a clear blue sky.
A rock breakwater at Platja del Carrer la Mar in El Campello on a bright, sunny day. The camera looks from the water along the central path of the boulders towards the wide sandy beach. The waterfront is lined with multiple modern high-rise apartment and hotel buildings under a clear blue sky. A single person is walking near the edge of the rocks, and distant beachgoers are visible.
A lively afternoon at the sandy beach in El Campello. The photo captures small waves washing onto the shore, scattered beachgoers enjoying the sun, and the modern city skyline featuring a tall brown monument tower against a cloudless blue sky.
Sunny view of the El Campello beach promenade (Carrer la Mar). The sandy beach is in the foreground, with a low stone wall separating it from a row of coastal restaurants, cafes, and hotels. Palm trees line the walkway under a bright blue sky.
Wide sandy beach area in El Campello featuring volleyball nets. The beach is scattered with colorful umbrellas and sunbathers, bordered by a long row of coastal residential buildings and palm trees under a sunny blue sky.
Close-up top view of the fine, light-colored sand on El Campello beach. The texture shows ripples, small footprints, and a few tiny pebbles under bright daylight.
A white modern lifeguard tower stands on the sandy Playa Carrer la Mar in El Campello. People are sunbathing and swimming in the calm Mediterranean Sea, which is protected by a stone breakwater under a vast clear blue sky.
Sunny promenade in El Campello featuring a row of tall palm trees casting shadows on the tiled walkway. To the left are colorful beachfront buildings with outdoor cafe seating, and to the right is the sandy shore of Playa Carrer la Mar.
A row of iconic colorful striped beach huts on the sandy shore of El Campello. The small wooden cabins feature red, green, yellow, and blue vertical stripes against a bright blue sky. A paved promenade with a patterned tile walkway and tall street lamps runs alongside the beach area.
Sunny pedestrian promenade in El Campello featuring palm trees casting long shadows on the patterned tile walkway. The scene shows beachgoers, local shops, and the sandy beach under a bright blue sky.
A sunny urban square in El Campello featuring a white multi-story residential complex with unique rounded balconies. In the center is a Mercadona supermarket entrance with a large staircase, a children's playground to the right, and a paved walkway with street lamps.
A bright street scene in El Campello showing the entrance to an underground parking garage with a P sign. The area includes white multi-story apartment buildings, several pedestrian crosswalks, and retail shops under a clear, sunny sky.
A street in El Campello leading toward the Mediterranean Sea. The scene shows parked cars, a palm tree, and the Seis Perlas restaurant on the right, with people walking along the beachfront promenade in the background.
A sun-drenched wide street in El Campello leading towards the coast. Tall palm trees line the sidewalk, casting long shadows across the asphalt. Modern multi-story apartment buildings and local businesses stand under a clear, bright blue sky.
Interior view of a brightly lit underground parking garage in El Campello. Rows of various cars are parked in numbered spots, and a white directional arrow is painted on the floor.
Wide coastal panorama from El Campello, Alicante, showing the turquoise Mediterranean bay, sandy beach, and distant mountain peaks of the Costa Blanca region under a clear sunny sky.

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