This was our second visit to Calpe, the first being in the summer of 2019. We stayed in the same hotel, Gran Hotel Sol Y Mar. The buffet restaurant there is excellent, truly excellent, but we wanted a little bit more flexibility with our evening meal, so this time we booked bed and breakfast rather half-board. Ian and I love food and wine. It’s a huge part of our lives, so where and what we eat is always a priority, so did some of research into the best restaurants in Calpe before we went. Eateries feature quite significantly among these, our highlights of Calpe.
Our three favourite restaurants in Calpe
Bambero
In the previous blog post, I shared some photos of Bambero, the restaurant in which I had my birthday lunch. We enjoyed it so much that we went back for dinner a few days later. I won’t repeat myself- there’s quite a bit about it in my previous post– but here are a few photos from both visits. This is a restaurant with a view. It’s chic, sophisticated and unpretentious. And, most importantly, the food is divine.
La Llar de Barbara
Another evening meal highlight was at La Llar de Barbara, which is located on a quaint street in Calpe old town. The food was beautifully simple and authentic. The anchovies were a triumph.
Abiss
The third of our favourite restaurants in Calpe, is Abiss. It is a standalone part of the hotel, (if that makes sense). We went two years ago and had a tasting menu which was out of this world. Since then, they have introduced a more casual dining space, La Gastro Barra, (the gastro bar), which is where we ate this time. Once again the food and wine was excellent, although the waiter dropped a pan of grated tomatoes which splashed my WHITE Zimmerman dress, my beloved Cult Gaia bag and the table. Thankfully it all came out.
Wine tasting in Calpe
We booked a tour and tasting at the Enrique Mendoza Vineyard. which is a half-hour drive from Calpe. There are several different tours available in both English and Spanish. We went on the Gold Tour which was a guided tour around the vineyard, the bottling room and the cellars. After that we tasted seven wines which were paired with extra virgin olive oil, Spanish cheeses, Spanish sausages and chocolate. I cannot think of a better way in which to spend two hours.
Calpe Rock
Peñon d’Ifach, Calpe Rock, is the result of a landslide from nearby Sierra de Oltàone. It is of the most famous sights along the Costa Blanca coastline and is what Calpe is most famous for. It was declared a protected Natural Park in 1987 and it is safe to climb either with or without a guide. At the foot of the rock is the Royal Nautical Club and fishing port which is where we viewed if from.
Calpe’s red steps
You might remember Calpe’s iconic red steps from a blog post after our first visit. They are in the old part of the town and as you can imagine, they are very popular with tourists and photographers alike. Everyone waits their turn though and that wait is well worth it. The photograph on the left is from two years ago, the one on the right is from two weeks ago.
Calpe’s flamingos
We revisited Las Salinas and its flamingos too. Last time, I fell in and ended up knee deep in the swamp which was most unsavoury. (Read more about that mishap here). This time, we viewed them from the other side and I managed to stay on terra firma. These really are the most elegant creatures.
Calpe is a 40 minute drove from Alicante airport. It is a super place to stay- very cosmopolitan and with plenty to do. The soft sandy beaches are gorgeous and the sea is crystal clear and not to “wavy”. I hope you enjoyed this highlight reel of our holiday. And talking of reels, please do take a look at this short Instagram Reel. It brings everything to life and really captures the beauty of Calpe.
Bye for now, have a lovely weekend whatever you’re doing.
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