Alicante’s coastline is really two coastlines in one. South of the city, long golden beaches roll out behind dune systems and pine groves, easy to reach and built for a full day in the sun. North, toward the Marina Alta, the coast turns dramatic: pine-covered cliffs drop into pebble coves so clear they look photoshopped, sea caves carved by centuries of stonecutters, and watchtowers that once watched for pirates. This is our ranking of the best of both, based on water clarity, scenery, things to actually do, and how memorable each one is once you’ve left.

This is an editorial ranking, not a scientific one — we’ve weighed beauty, water quality, variety of activities, and overall character to land on this order. Every entry links through to our complete guide for that beach, with full details on access, parking, and the best time to visit.

1. Cala de la Granadella, Jávea

If there’s one cove that keeps coming up when locals are asked to name the most beautiful beach in the province, it’s this one. Granadella is small and pebbly, enclosed by cliffs over 100 meters high on both sides, and the shelter they provide keeps the water inside genuinely calm — turquoise, still, and often compared to a saltwater swimming pool. It’s held Blue Flag status every year since 1989, and the kayak route north toward Cap de la Nao opens up sea caves and hidden bays that barely existed on maps until recently. The catch: access is genuinely capped in peak summer, with a barrier closing once the small lot and the beach itself reach capacity, so this is a beach that rewards an early start.

Read the full guide to Cala de la Granadella →

2. Cala del Portitxol, Jávea

Also known as Cala de la Barraca, this cove built its reputation on a single photograph: a small whitewashed fisherman’s cottage with a bright blue door, framed by turquoise water and a tiny offshore islet. The picture went viral, and the cove has been busy ever since. Beyond the famous door, the appeal is real — calm, sheltered water, flat rock slabs split by narrow channels that make for excellent snorkeling, and an easy coastal trail out to the Cap Prim headland. Two restaurants sit right on the gravel shore, an unusual luxury for a cove this size. Arrive at opening time if you want a clean shot of that door, or genuinely any peace at all in August.

Read the full guide to Cala del Portitxol →

3. Cala del Moraig, Benitatxell

Cala del Moraig has an artificial origin — part of the cliff was blasted away decades ago during construction work nearby — but nothing about it feels man-made today. The real draw is the Cova dels Arcs, a sea cave stretching roughly 150 meters into the rock and doubling as the outlet of the longest underground river course in Spain, where a visible freshwater layer shimmers over the saltwater below. Getting here means leaving the car at the top and walking down a steep 300-meter ramp, which keeps the crowds slightly more manageable than the access alone would suggest. Bring proper water shoes; there’s no sand here, only gravel and stone.

Read the full guide to Cala del Moraig →

4. Isla de Tabarca, Alicante

Nothing else on this list is reachable only by boat, and nothing else comes with its own walled 18th-century village, a permanent population of around 50 to 60 people, and Spain’s very first marine reserve, declared in 1986. The 25-minute catamaran crossing from Santa Pola includes a stop over the reserve for underwater viewing, and once you’re on dry land, the choice is yours: explore the fortified old town and its Genoese history, walk the flat 3.2-kilometer perimeter trail to the lighthouse, or snorkel the clear water around Cala del Francés. Save room for caldero tabarquino, a rice and fish dish that genuinely exists nowhere else.

Read the full guide to Isla de Tabarca →

5. Cala el Portet, Moraira

After a run of pebble coves, El Portet is a genuine change of pace: real sand, a shell-shaped bay sheltered by the Cap d’Or headland, and water shallow enough near shore to make this one of the easier beaches on this list for young children. It’s also one of the most loved beaches in Moraira, which means it gets genuinely packed in July and August despite its compact size. The hour-long round-trip hike up to the 16th-century Cap d’Or watchtower is worth the detour, with views stretching to the Peñón de Ifach, and three restaurants sit right on the small seafront promenade for a meal afterward.

Read the full guide to Cala el Portet →

6. Playa de la Fossa, Calpe

Calpe’s main beach sits directly beneath the Peñón de Ifach, a 332-meter limestone rock that dominates the skyline and turns up in nearly every photo taken here. Nearly a kilometer of golden sand, calm and sheltered enough to feel almost like a swimming pool, plus a floating platform, kayak and pedal boat rental, and a promenade dense with restaurants make this one of the most complete family beaches on the Costa Blanca. Both Blue Flag and the Spanish “Q” quality certification back up the reputation. Head to the quieter southern end, known locally as the Cala de la Fossa, for clearer water and a better shot at snorkeling.

Read the full guide to Playa de la Fossa →

7. Playa de San Juan, Alicante

San Juan is the beach Alicante actually uses on an ordinary Tuesday, not just a postcard for visitors. It’s one of the longest, widest urban beaches in Spain, with golden sand running for nearly 3 kilometers within the city limits alone, around 20 beach volleyball courts, windsurfing schools, and a tram line (three of them, in fact) running right behind the sand. The sheer scale means it almost never feels as packed as the smaller coves further north, even at the height of summer, and the shallow, gentle water makes it a genuinely practical choice for families. If you want a beach with services rather than solitude, this is the one.

Read the full guide to Playa de San Juan →

8. Playa del Carabassí, Elche

Despite sitting just 20 minutes from Alicante’s airport, Carabassí stays genuinely wild thanks to the active and fossil dune system rising behind the sand, protected and crossed only by a network of numbered wooden boardwalks. Pine groves, wetland birdlife, and consistent wind that draws windsurfers and kitesurfers all add up to one of the more ecologically distinctive beaches on this list. A section toward the south is officially designated for nudism, a status tied to the beach’s broader conservation approach rather than mere tradition. Stick to the boardwalks; this is a protected ecosystem, not just scenery.

Read the full guide to Playa del Carabassí →

9. La Cova Tallada, Dénia/Jávea

Technically not a beach at all, but too remarkable to leave off this list. Cova Tallada is part natural sea cave, part centuries-old quarry, with chambers reaching 40 meters high and a turquoise natural pool inside where the sea enters through five separate openings. Reaching it means a demanding cliffside hike from Dénia’s Les Rotes neighborhood or a kayak crossing, and between June 15 and September 30 a free but mandatory reservation is required just to set foot on the trail. It’s not for young children or casual visitors, but for anyone who makes the trip, there’s genuinely nothing else like it on this coast.

Read the full guide to La Cova Tallada →

10. Playa Mascarat, Altea

Where Altea’s coast meets the Sierra de Bernia, a near-vertical limestone wall drops straight into the sea, and Playa Mascarat sits right at its base. The cove is pebble rather than sand, sheltered by a headland and the adjoining Puerto Campomanes marina breakwater, with a rocky seabed and Posidonia meadows that make for solid snorkeling on calm days. The standout extra here is the Barranco del Mascarat, a dry riverbed canyon hike just inland that several visitors describe as the unexpected highlight of an Altea trip. Nudism is permitted on the northern section only.

Read the full guide to Playa Mascarat →

11. Playa Paraíso, Villajoyosa

At over a kilometer long, Playa Paraíso is one of the bigger stretches of coast in this part of Alicante, running right alongside the Hotel Montíboli and its own cluster of smaller, harder-to-reach coves further along. The shore is pebble with patches of sand, the water clear and calm, and the sheer length means it absorbs crowds noticeably better than the smaller coves nearby — a real plus given its popularity with younger visitors and the summer full-moon kayak tours that paddle out in front of the hotel. A short walk inland leads to La Malladeta, an Iberian archaeological site with a 19th-century observation tower on the hill above.

Read the full guide to Playa Paraíso →

12. Racó del Conill, Villajoyosa

Genuinely tiny — some measurements put it at well under 100 meters — but Racó del Conill packs in a lot for its size: a central rock formation splitting the cove in two, water clear enough to rival far more famous coves, and an official naturist tradition dating back to the 1970s that’s increasingly shared with clothed visitors as the cove’s popularity has grown online. There’s no rental equipment, no restrooms, and only a seasonal kiosk, which keeps the atmosphere appropriately wild for a cove that’s also doubled as a film set, including for the British sitcom “Benidorm.”

Read the full guide to Racó del Conill →

13. Cala Cantalar, Alicante

Proof that you don’t need to drive an hour out of the city to find a quiet, undeveloped cove. Cala Cantalar sits inside the protected Cabo de las Huertas marine reserve, just a tram or bus ride from downtown Alicante, with flat rocky platforms flanking a small strip of sand and genuinely clear water for casual snorkeling. It’s the only officially recognized naturist beach within the city limits, though clothed and nude bathers share the space without much fuss. No restaurants, no rental kiosks, just a quiet cove and a coastal path connecting to neighboring beaches — a solid pick for an easy half-day escape from the city.

Read the full guide to Cala Cantalar →

A Note on Cala Ambolo

Visitors researching this stretch of coast will often come across Cala Ambolo, a cove between Granadella and El Portitxol that was once one of the most beautiful and remote in the area. It has been officially closed to the public for several years due to a genuine, ongoing rockfall risk, and we don’t recommend attempting to access it. The Mirador de Ambolo viewpoint above the cove remains open and offers an excellent view without any of the risk — see our full guide for details.

Planning Your Trip

Most of these beaches reach their best conditions between June and September, when water temperatures sit comfortably between 24°C and 27°C, though that’s also when parking, access barriers, and reservation systems become genuinely relevant considerations rather than minor details. If crowds matter more to you than warm water, late spring and early autumn deliver nearly the same conditions with a fraction of the competition for space. Whichever beach you choose, check the specific guide linked above before you go: several of these coves have seasonal parking reservations, access restrictions, or shuttle systems that are worth knowing about in advance.

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This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional, legal, safety, or travel advice. Beach conditions, access rules, parking systems, and seasonal services can change without notice; always check the official sources linked in each individual guide before planning your visit. Always follow posted safety guidance and lifeguard instructions where available.