Alicante is the gateway to the whole Costa Blanca. Within an hour you have white villages above the sea, postcard headlands, a mountain village perched over a turquoise reservoir and the largest palm grove in Europe. This guide sorts the best day trips by how much time you have and how to get there, with the bonus that many can be done by TRAM (tram) without a car.
Besides Tabarca Island (which has its own guide: how to visit it), these are the outings that pay off most.
The best day trips
| Destination | Distance | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|
| Elche | 20 min | UNESCO palm grove |
| Altea | 50 min (TRAM) | White village with blue domes |
| Calpe | 1h (TRAM) | The Peñón de Ifach and beaches |
| Guadalest | 1h (car) | Mountain village and turquoise reservoir |
| Benidorm | 45 min (TRAM) | Skyline, beaches and theme parks |
| Jávea (Xàbia) | 1h (car) | Coves and a seafaring old town |
Benidorm
Forty-five minutes by TRAM, the most famous skyline on the Mediterranean, with huge beaches (Levante, Poniente) and theme parks: Terra Mítica, Aqualandia, Mundomar. An ideal plan with kids or for a lively beach day.
Altea and Calpe
Altea is one of the prettiest white villages on the coast, with cobbled streets and the blue-domed church looking out to sea. A step away, Calpe is dominated by the Peñón de Ifach, a natural park you can climb (spectacular views; bring good footwear).
Guadalest
An hour away by car, Guadalest is a mountain village with a castle perched on the rock and views over a postcard turquoise reservoir. One of the most-visited inland villages in Spain.
Elche and Jávea
Twenty minutes away, Elche holds the UNESCO palm grove and the Misteri. An hour away, Jávea (Xàbia) offers coves, the Cap de Sant Antoni and a charming seafaring old town.
Getting around
TRAM line 1 links Alicante with the northern coast (El Campello, Villajoyosa, Benidorm, Altea, Calpe): comfortable and scenic. For Guadalest and the inland villages, a car gives more freedom. Elche is a short hop by local train.
What we don't recommend
- Doing two far-off trips on the same day. Guadalest or Jávea are a full day each.
- Climbing the Peñón de Ifach in flip-flops. It's a real climb; bring closed shoes and water.
- Confusing Benidorm with the rest of the Costa Blanca. They're very different experiences.
- Forgetting to book the Benidorm parks on holidays and in summer.
Common mistakes
⚠️ Warning: the slip-ups we see most.
- Not making the most of the TRAM. It avoids the car and parking on the northern coast.
- Seeing Calpe without Altea. They're next to each other and better together.
- Underestimating the heat in Guadalest and on the Ifach at midday in summer.
In one sentence
From Alicante, within an hour you have Benidorm, white villages like Altea, the Peñón de Ifach and mountain Guadalest: the whole Costa Blanca within a TRAM ride. For the island, how to visit Tabarca.