South down the coast from Dénia, two very different towns within half an hour of each other: low-key Moraira, and, beyond it, Calpe under its great rock.
Moraira
A small, tidy resort town built around a fishing harbour, with a compact old centre, a castle watchtower on the seafront and a Friday market. Quieter and more polished than its neighbours, and a good lunch stop.
Calpe and the Peñón de Ifach
Calpe is dominated by the Peñón de Ifach, a 330-metre limestone rock rising straight out of the sea, now a small natural park. A path climbs partway up, through a tunnel, to a viewpoint — steep, busy, and needing proper shoes for the upper section. Below it lie a long seafront, two beaches and the remains of Roman salt works.
Good to know
- Moraira is about 25 minutes from Dénia; Calpe another 15 beyond
- The Peñón climb has a daily visitor limit in season — check first, and don’t attempt the top in sandals
- Calpe’s old town, up the hill behind the front, is worth the short walk
- Both make an easy half-day from Dénia