Alicante is one of the best launchpads in Spain for road trips. Within an hour of the city you can stand in a Moorish fortress carved into a cliff, swim off a protected marine reserve, walk through 200,000 palm trees on a UNESCO World Heritage site, or drive a mountain pass that climbs above 1,500 metres. A rental car turns the Costa Blanca from a beach holiday into a proper exploring trip, and the road network here makes it easy: smooth motorways, free secondary roads, and parking that does not bankrupt you.

I have driven every one of the seven routes in this guide more than once, in different seasons, and the practical notes below come from real trips and not a brochure. You will get distances, drive times, where to park, what to actually do once you arrive, and the best time of year to go. Use the table at the top to plan, then jump into the detail for each destination.

If you have not yet sorted your vehicle, start at our Alicante airport car rental page for pickup options at the terminal. For a longer multi-day route, see our best road trips from Alicante guide, and if Calpe is your base rather than your stop, jump to Calpe car rental for in-town pickup.

Quick reference: 7 day trips from Alicante by car

1. Calpe and the Penyal d'Ifac rock

Calpe is the easy classic. It sits 40 kilometres north of Alicante on the AP-7 motorway, which is now toll-free, and door-to-door driving takes about 40 minutes if you leave outside rush hour. The whole town is built around one feature: the Penyal d'Ifac, a 332-metre limestone monolith that rises straight out of the Mediterranean. From a distance it looks like Gibraltar dropped into the wrong country.

The climb is the main event. A signposted footpath starts from the natural park visitor centre, goes through a tunnel cut into the rock in the 1920s, and reaches the summit in about an hour. The last section is exposed and the polished limestone is slippery in wet weather, so wear shoes with grip and bring water. The view from the top covers the whole bay, Altea, and on a clear day the silhouette of Ibiza.

Parking: Park in the underground car park at Plaza Mayor for around 1.50 euros an hour, then walk 20 minutes to the natural park entrance. The free street parking on Avenida Europa fills up by 10 am in summer.

What else to do: The Roman fish-salting baths at Banys de la Reina are 10 minutes on foot from the rock and free to visit. After the climb, lunch at the old town squares above the harbour rather than the beachfront, which is a tourist trap.

Best season: October to May. July and August are too hot for the climb after 11 am, and the path closes when winds exceed 50 km/h, which happens often in winter.

2. Altea, the white village above the sea

Altea is five kilometres past Calpe and the contrast is sharp. Where Calpe is a working town with one famous rock, Altea is a pedestrianised hill village painted in whitewash, with cobbled streets that climb to a tiled-dome church visible for kilometres. Drive time from Alicante is 45 minutes on the AP-7, slightly more if you take the coastal N-332 through Benidorm.

The church of Nuestra Senora del Consuelo is the photograph everyone takes. Its blue and white tiled dome was rebuilt in the early 20th century and it sits on a plaza with a panoramic view across the bay to the Penyal d'Ifac. Around it, the streets are full of small galleries, ceramic workshops, and family restaurants that have not been swallowed by chains. Altea has a long history as an artists' colony and that still shows.

Parking: Do not try to drive up into the old town. The streets are too narrow and most are pedestrianised. Use the underground car park on Calle La Mar (around 12 euros for a full day) or the free parking along the seafront promenade and walk up. The climb from sea level to the church takes about 15 minutes.

What else to do: The Saturday street market on the promenade is one of the best on the Costa Blanca for art and handmade goods, not the usual tourist tat. The pebble beaches north of the town centre are quieter and clearer than anywhere in Benidorm.

Best season: Year-round. Altea works as a winter day trip too because most restaurants stay open and the climbs keep you warm. Avoid early August when every Spanish family in Madrid seems to be on holiday here.

3. Guadalest fortress and the turquoise reservoir

Guadalest is the inland day trip and it is worth the extra time. The drive is 70 kilometres on the CV-70, a winding mountain road that climbs through almond groves and orange terraces. Plan an hour and ten minutes from Alicante, with one stop for the view at the Sierra de Aitana pass.

The village itself is impossible. A medieval Moorish fortress sits on a vertical rock above a turquoise reservoir, and the only access to the old quarter is through a tunnel cut through the rock face. The bell tower stands on its own pinnacle. The fortress, ruined by an 18th-century earthquake, has been partly restored and the view from the top covers the whole valley down to the Mediterranean.

Guadalest has more museums than residents, which is a fair warning about its tourist density. Skip the kitsch ones like the salt and pepper shaker museum and pay the small entrance fee for the Casa Orduna, the old governor's house, which gives you proper context and access to the fortress upper levels.

Parking: All cars park in the main lot at the entrance to the village (2.50 euros for the day). From there the village is a five-minute walk uphill and entirely pedestrian. Tour buses arrive in waves around 11 am and 2 pm, so go early or late.

What else to do: The reservoir below the village has a walking path around part of its shore and you can swim in summer where signposted. The Algar waterfalls are a 20-minute drive away and worth combining: a series of pools and falls you can swim in for an 8-euro entrance fee.

Best season: March to June, when the almond blossom is out and the reservoir is full. Avoid August: it is exposed, hot, and overcrowded.

4. Tabarca island and the marine reserve

Tabarca is the only inhabited island off the Valencian coast, and it sits inside Spain's first Mediterranean marine reserve. The reach is a two-part trip: drive 25 kilometres south to Santa Pola in about 30 minutes, then take a 25-minute ferry to the island. Boats run year-round but the schedule is reduced from November to March, so check before you go.

The island is small enough to walk around in an hour. Half of it is a fortified village, built in the 18th century by Carlos III to house Genoese families freed from Tunisian slavery, and the walls and gates are still intact. The other half is barren rock with a lighthouse, salt flats, and small bays where the snorkelling is the best on the Costa Blanca by a long way. The protected status means fish populations are genuinely abundant: octopus, grouper, big shoals of bream that swim right up to you.

Parking and ferries: Santa Pola has two large pay car parks near the port (around 10 euros for the day) and free parking along the salt flats if you are willing to walk 15 minutes. The Kontiki ferry company runs the main service, return fares around 22 euros per adult.

What else to do: Bring a mask and snorkel even if you do not plan to swim much. Eat caldero, the local seafood rice, at one of the village restaurants. Tabarcan rice is heavier and richer than paella, and you will not get the same dish anywhere else.

Best season: May, June, September, October. July and August work but the ferries get full so book ahead. Winter visits are fine for the village and the walk, but the snorkelling needs warm water.

5. Elche and the UNESCO palm grove

Elche is the closest day trip on this list and the most underrated. It is 25 kilometres south on the A-7, a 25-minute drive even with traffic. The city itself looks ordinary at first, but it holds two of the most important sites in eastern Spain.

The Palmeral of Elche is the largest palm grove in Europe, with more than 200,000 date palms planted in irrigation gardens laid out by the Moors in the 10th century. The whole network of orchards, walls, and channels is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Huerto del Cura, a private garden inside the palmeral, has the famous Imperial Palm, a seven-trunked tree more than 165 years old. Entry is 7 euros and worth every cent.

The Lady of Elche is the second draw. The original Iberian bust, carved around the 4th century BCE and one of the most important pre-Roman sculptures in Spain, is in the Madrid archaeological museum, but the local museum in Elche has a high-quality replica and the original was found just outside the city at La Alcudia. The site is a 10-minute drive from the centre and worth combining.

Parking: The underground car park at the Plaza de Baix is the easiest, central, and around 1.40 euros an hour. From there everything is walkable.

What else to do: The basilica of Santa Maria hosts the Misteri d'Elx, a medieval mystery play performed every August. If you are visiting then, get tickets in advance. The riverside park along the Vinalopo is a good lunch spot.

Best season: Year-round. Elche is hot in summer but most of the palmeral is shaded. Winter visits are pleasant and uncrowded.

6. Villajoyosa, the painted chocolate town

Villajoyosa is the day trip for an easy half-day with good food. It sits 35 kilometres north of Alicante, a comfortable 35-minute drive on the AP-7. The town is famous for two things: a seafront of houses painted in saturated yellows, blues, pinks, and greens, and a chocolate industry that goes back to the 18th century.

The painted houses started as a practical signal. Fishermen returning from the sea needed to identify their own home from offshore, so each family painted theirs in a distinctive colour. The result, seen from the beach or from the headland to the south, is one of the most photographed fronts on the whole Costa Blanca. It is small enough to walk through in 30 minutes and the side streets have small bars where locals still drink at 11 am.

The Valor chocolate factory tour is the second reason to come. Valor is one of Spain's oldest chocolate makers and the visitor centre, museum, and tasting room are on the edge of the town. The tour is around 5 euros and takes an hour. The tasting at the end is generous.

Parking: Park along Avenida Pais Valencia, the wide road behind the beach, where street parking is free or low-cost. The painted town and the chocolate factory are both within a 10-minute walk.

What else to do: The town has a strong Roman past and the Vilamuseu is a small but excellent archaeological museum with finds from a shipwreck off the coast. The seafront promenade is one of the best on the Costa Blanca for a sunset walk.

Best season: Year-round. The painted houses look best in spring and autumn light. The chocolate factory does not get crowded outside of school holidays.

7. Sierra Aitana mountain loop

The Aitana loop is the most ambitious trip in this guide and the most rewarding for drivers. The Sierra Aitana is the highest range in Alicante province, with a peak at 1,558 metres, and a circular drive of about 90 kilometres through it gives you mountain villages, almond terraces, gorges, and a road that climbs above the cloud line in winter.

Start the loop at Sella, around 50 kilometres from Alicante (50 minutes on the AP-7 and then the CV-770). From Sella, take the CV-770 west to Penaguila, then north to Benifato and Confrides on the CV-755. This is the climb: the road switchbacks through almond and olive terraces, passes below the military summit zone, and tops out around 1,000 metres above sea level. Drop down through Quatretondeta and Gorga, then return south through Penaguila to close the loop.

Allow two hours for the driving, more if you stop, which you will. The mountain villages along the way are tiny, often fewer than 100 residents, and they have small plazas with one bar serving home-cooked food at lunchtime. Confrides has a panoramic terrace at the village edge that looks across the Guadalest valley.

Parking: Free in every village. The Font de Partagat picnic area, partway up from Benifato, is a popular start for walks into the upper Aitana and has a large free car park.

What else to do: The Forat de Bernia tunnel walk is in this area, a hike that takes you through a natural rock tunnel with views across to Calpe. Bring a torch. The Mozarabic walks below Penaguila follow Moorish-era paths between hamlets.

Best season: February for almond blossom, when the whole sierra goes white and pink. October and November for clear cool days and changing colour in the chestnut groves. Avoid July to mid-September, when fire risk closes some access roads and the heat makes the climb uncomfortable.

Practical tips for day trips from Alicante by car

A few notes that apply across all seven routes:

• The AP-7 motorway is now free. The toll was removed in 2020 between Alicante and the French border, which made the whole northern Costa Blanca much cheaper to drive. Use it as the default for trips north.
• Fuel up before mountain routes. Petrol stations are rare on the inland Sierra Aitana loop and prices are higher in small villages. Fill the tank in Alicante or Benidorm.
• Spanish driving is direct but not aggressive. Keep right on motorways, indicate every lane change, and respect roundabouts: inner lane for going around, outer for the next exit.
• Speed limits are enforced by camera. 120 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h on secondary roads, 50 km/h in town, 30 km/h on most residential streets. Tickets follow you home through your rental company.
• Parking is well-signposted with blue and white P signs. Blue lines on the road mean paid parking (use the meter or an app like ElParking). White lines mean free. Yellow lines mean no stopping, ever.
• Take water, sunscreen, and a hat from May to October. The shade is unreliable on most of these trips and dehydration is the most common reason day trippers cut their day short.
• Plan your return. Costa Blanca traffic on summer evenings going back to Alicante can double your drive time. Leave by 5 pm or wait until after 9 pm.
• GPS is essential and Google Maps works fine. Download offline maps for the Sierra Aitana loop, where mobile signal drops in the gorges.

If you are still picking up your vehicle, our team at the Alicante airport rental desk can have a car ready 24 hours a day, and we deliver to hotels in Calpe, Altea, Benidorm, and along the AP-7 corridor at no extra charge.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best day trip from Alicante by car for first-time visitors?

Calpe and the Penyal d'Ifac rock. It is close (40 minutes by motorway), it has a single famous landmark you can climb and feel you have actually done something, and the old town below the rock has good restaurants. Combine it with Altea, 10 minutes further north, for a full day.

Do I need a 4x4 for any of these trips?

No. Every destination in this guide is accessible by normal saloon car, including the Sierra Aitana loop. The roads are paved throughout. The only situations where you might want a higher vehicle are if you continue from Confrides up dirt tracks to the military zone, which most rental contracts do not allow anyway.

Are the day trips possible without a car using public transport?

Some are. Elche, Calpe, and Altea have train connections from Alicante through the FGV narrow-gauge line and the Cercanias services. Villajoyosa is also on the FGV line. Guadalest, Tabarca (the Santa Pola leg), and the Sierra Aitana loop are not realistically possible by public transport, and even the train-served destinations take three times as long. A rental car is the practical choice if you want to visit more than one place.

How much does a day trip cost in fuel and parking?

For most of these trips, expect 8 to 15 euros in fuel for a small car and 3 to 12 euros in parking, depending on whether you park in central paid lots or further out for free. Tabarca adds 22 euros per person for the ferry. The Sierra Aitana loop is the most fuel-heavy at around 20 euros because of the distance and the climbing.

Is it safe to leave a rental car in these places?

Yes. Costa Blanca towns have low rates of vehicle break-ins compared to large Spanish cities. Standard sensible practice still applies: do not leave bags, cameras, or anything else visible in the car, lock everything, and prefer underground or staffed car parks over remote free lots if you have valuables with you.

Plan your day trips with the right car

The seven routes in this guide cover the best the Costa Blanca has to offer within a day's drive, from the marine reserve at Tabarca to the mountain pass through Sierra Aitana. The common requirement is the same: a reliable car you can pick up close to your accommodation, with insurance that does not leave you exposed if a mountain gravel road throws a stone at your windscreen.

Browse vehicles, prices, and pickup options on our Alicante airport rental page, or get in touch directly if you want a specific car model held for a date. We deliver to your hotel anywhere on the Costa Blanca, and our rates include the insurance you actually need rather than the bare minimum that leaves you arguing about every scratch.