What you can see on the Altea webcam
The camera looks straight out to sea from the seafront in the centre of town, between palm trees, over the pebbles of the town beach. It shows the colour of the water, the state of the waves and how many people are out on the seafront. Cap Blanch, the beach where Altea's coastline meets Albir, has its own page with a live camera looking out towards the Serra Gelada: the Cap Blanch webcam.
Altea seafront: La Roda beach
Framed by two palm trees on Altea's seafront promenade, this view looks straight out over La Roda, the town beach, to the open Mediterranean. The shore here is pebbles and coarse sand, and a lifeguard post and a beach information board stand on the left, with a lamp post on the right.
The camera faces east, so the sun rises over the sea in front of it: the first images of the day are often backlit, with a bright path of light across the water, and the scene is clearest from mid-morning. It sends still images, and the 24-hour playback shows how the light, the clouds and the number of people on the beach have changed through the day.
A town of painters and blue domes
The old town grew up on its hill for defence, and its steep lanes of whitewashed houses still lead up to the square in front of the church of the Mare de Déu del Consol, whose blue and white glazed domes are visible from far along the coast. Altea has long drawn painters, potters and musicians, and the University Miguel Hernández teaches fine arts here, which helps explain the number of galleries and craft shops in the upper town.
When to watch Altea
The bay faces east, so the sun comes up over the sea in front of the camera: the first images of the day are often backlit, and the light is at its best from mid-morning. Spain is one hour ahead of the UK all year. Altea's beaches are shingle and pebbles rather than sand, which keeps the water very clear; sea shoes make getting in more comfortable.
Around Altea
North of the bay, the Morro de Toix headland and the mountains of the Serra de Bèrnia close the view. To the south, Albir's promenade leads to the path up to the lighthouse in the Serra Gelada natural park, and Benidorm is ten minutes beyond. Inland, the Algar waterfalls near Callosa d'en Sarrià are a popular half-day trip.
Visiting Altea
The old town is best explored on foot: the climb from the seafront is short but steep, with steps for much of the way. The TRAM coastal line has stops in Altea and links it with Benidorm and Dénia.
