Welcome to Calpe | Holiday Edit

Don't ask me why it's taken so long to upload these photographs, I've been incredibly busy and this post is well overdue but let's get caught up shall we?

In my very first post I briefly mentioned that I had jetted off to sunny Spain at the beginning of June after my University exams were complete. We began with an early morning flight to Alicante airport before a two hour coach ride driving along the Spanish coast. I had always travelled to the Balearic Islands such as Majorca and Menorca for trips but never mainland Spain. I was in absolute awe of the rugged and unique coastline as well as the mountainous terrain which seemed to extend for miles from the sea. We drove through a small town called Altea which was bursting with Spanish character and I had just wished we could have made a pit stop here because it was utterly stunning - maybe next time. But we drove on through the Altea Hills and Maryvilla before arriving in the charming coastal town of Calpe located right next to the Mediterranean Sea.

 

Calpe is one of the most beautiful trips I have ever been on. It was such a wonderful town bursting with Spanish culture and breath-taking views across the Mediterranean Sea. My camera wasn't out of my hand for the whole week! There is so much to experience here! First of all the hotel that we were staying at was absolutely incredible. The Gran Hotel Sol Y Mar was hands down one of the best places I have ever stayed at! With a perfect location overlooking the ocean and landscape, a modern and stylish interior design, an infinity pool, a gym, beautiful rooms and a breakfast buffet like no other - it was perfection every morning - I honestly couldn't recommend this hotel enough. If you're ever visiting Calpe definitely stay here, you will not be disappointed!

 

Over the 7 days we found the perfect balance of relaxation and exploration! The Parque Natural De Penyal D'lfach which is a huge natural park and visual feature located on the Calpe coastline is a must for any visitors. From the top of the rock there are stunning views over the surrounding towns and on a clear day as far across the Mediterranean Sea as Ibiza in the Balearic Islands. On the day that we had planned to walk up this natural beauty, one of my friends wasn't feeling well so we couldn't... but next time I'm here it is at the top of my to-do list! There are so many unique bars and restaurants along the golden coastline with views over the ocean, we were spoiled for choice. Almost at every corner there were boards outside restaurants with a multitude of paella options so of course we had to get some of this mouth-watering Spanish dish - I'm still in shock that some of my friends had never even tried it before! We were recommended to try Romeo Playa by the marina/sea front and we were not disappointed! We all got a huge spicy meat dish between us and it was absolutely delicious, definitely setting us up for the rest of the day! Obviously we spent plenty of time soaking up the rays as well, you could not keep me away from that pool or beach for long, it was just so relaxing hearing the waves crash along the shoreline and sipping on a cool drink while taking in the beautiful scenery - there were so many photo opportunities, it was crazy! 

 

There is honestly just so much to do in Calpe, whether that be walking around the shopping district or one of it's museums - I couldn't get over the fact they even had a comic museum. You could even explore the historic Old Town or enjoy the hustle and bustle of the busy street market on a Saturday morning. I would definitely recommend choosing to dine at one of the seafront restaurants with many offering freshly caught fish dishes.

 

I was so upset when the day came to leave, however one more trip to the breakfast buffet definitely set us up for the long journey back home to Northern Ireland! I was hoping to come back with some tan but the reality of the matter was that I returned very burnt... there's always next time! I took so many photographs, it was so difficult to choose what to include in this post. This trip has definitely given me the travel bug and I just can't wait to experience new places in the future! Calpe is just a stunning location to visit, whether you're wanting to relax in the sun or experience the Spanish culture, I could not recommend this place enough!

 

Is there anywhere you'd love to travel to or have you got any upcoming trips anywhere? Let me know in the comments! You can follow me on Bloglovin', Instagram and Twitter!

 

Thanks for reading, love you all.

Robert.