El Campello is a popular resort located in the province of Alicante (the Valencian Community) on the Costa Blanca. It is separated by only 13 km from the capital of the province – the city of Alicante. It would seem that the distance is short, and El Campello should be a lot like its large neighbor, but this is not the case: the absence of heavy traffic, a quiet, calm and cozy atmosphere, beautiful beaches make life in the town much more measured and comfortable.
The population of El Campello and the distance to nearest cities and airports
The population of El Campello is approaching 30,000 inhabitants. As in other coastal resorts, during the peak summer season, the population increases several times: the Spaniards come to their summer cottages, vacationers flock from all over Europe – everyone is attracted by the comfortable Mediterranean climate and the long beach season.
El Campello can be reached by car (the entire Spanish coast has a convenient extensive road network, including highways (A-70, AP-7, A-31), national highway (N-332) and secondary roads), by train (the nearest the main train station is in Alicante) or by plane (The Elche-Alicante International Airport is about 30 km south of El Campello, and The Valencia International Airport is about 180 km north).
The nearest cities to El Campello are Alicante (13 km), Villajoyosa (18 km), Benidorm (30 km). The easiest way to reach them is by tram, the route of which passes through the territory of the country. Trams run frequently, with many stops and are very popular: this is not just a public transport, but an opportunity to make an interesting journey through the regions of the Costa Blanca. If you change in Benidorm, you can continue to Altea (38 km), Calpe (53 km) and Denia (80 km). El Campello also has an established bus service with other tourist destinations.
El Campello’s area and main activities
El Campello is a small municipality with an area of about 55 km2. The visiting card is its beaches and bays, replacing each other for 23 km. Here everyone can find a suitable place to relax: secluded, away from popular places, or, conversely, located near the town embankment and the town center.
Like most seaside localities, El Campello is a port town. A fairly large port is occupied by both sports boats and harvesting fishing vessels. The port regularly hosts a fish exchange, by arranging auctions that everyone can take part in. The yacht club also offers a sailing school «Escuela de Vela» with its sports regattas, local and national competitions.
The outskirts of El Campello are centers of agriculture. The main direction is crop production (citrus, fruit and olive trees, vegetable growing) and livestock.
But, of course, the main economic activity is tourism and its closely related areas: construction, services and public catering.
The climate of El Campello
All resorts of the Costa Blanca are famous for their Mediterranean climate, and El Campello is no exception. A cool winter with little rainfall smoothly turns into a very comfortable, warm spring and early summer. Next comes a heat wave, which lasts from July to the end of September, and it is replaced by a long autumn velvet season, stretching until November. With the exception of the two hottest summer months, El Campello’s climate is incredibly convenient for living. The mild change of seasons, comfortable temperature and moderate seasonal rains delight both tourists and local residents. And, of course, lovers of various outdoor sports will find complete expanse in El Campello.
During the year, the air temperature in El Campello is mainly between +7ºС and +31ºС, rarely dropping below -3ºС and rising above +33ºС. The hottest month according to statistics is August, the coldest month is January.
The beach season in El Campello lasts almost all year round. With the exception of a few cloudy weeks with cold winds during the winter months, sunbathing is possible at any time of the year. The swimming season, of course, is somewhat shorter: it begins in May, but the water warms up to a comfortable temperature by early June, and then gradually cools down by the end of October.
The history of El Campello
Tribes and nations have lived on the territory of the modern province of Alicante since ancient times: Iberians, Romans, Muslims and Christians who replaced them. The most ancient settlements found in this part of the coast are dated by archaeologists to the 2nd millennium BC. Only little has remained to this day: the remnants of ancient foundations, ceramics and weapons.
The era of the ancient Romans left behind more historical and architectural trails. On the island of La Illeta dels Banyets, they were engaged in fish farming: small and shallow dams, connected to the sea and provided with a constant influx of clean water, have survived to this day, where their fish farm was located. In addition to breeding fish, the Romans were engaged in the production of their most famous sauce el garo, prepared by fermentation and serving at one time not only as a seasoning for dishes, but also as a medicine for many diseases. To date, archaeological excavations have been completed, the island has received museum status and is considered one of the best archaeological parks in the Mediterranean.
The Aigües gorge in the vicinity of El Campello has also played a significant role in history. Until 1296, it divided the possessions of the Castilian crown and the Crown of Aragon. At the end of the 13-th century, the King Jaime II joined the territories where modern El Campello is located in favor of the Crown of Aragon, placing them under the control of the Kingdom of Valencia. At the same time, a permanent settlement was formed on the coast, whose inhabitants took up fishing, Barrio de Pescadores arose – a fishing area.
In the XVI century, two watchtowers were erected on the coast to protect the lands and the local population from the raids of the Barbary pirates: La Torre del Barranc d’Aigües and La Torre de la Illeta. The second tower was completely restored at the end of the 20th century, and currently it serves as a symbol of the municipality.
It is believed that a full-fledged settlement on the site of modern El Campello arose in the 18th century, when several families moved here for permanent residence to engage in agriculture. At the same time, the first church was built, and in 1849, it was replaced by its own parish church – Iglesia Parroquial.
Up to the twentieth century, El Campello was administratively part of the district of Alicante, but in 1903, it gained full independence, becoming an independent settlement. The development of the Spanish railway network and the inclusion in it of El Campello gave an additional impetus to its economic growth: trade began to expand, and passenger traffic increased. In just a few decades, El Campello turned into a popular Spanish resort, and European tourists were also interested a little later.
The attractions of El Campello
The main town attractions of El Campello are the watchtowers, which we wrote about above. The tower of La Torre de Illeta de l’Orta, located in the port area, is a historic venue for various events of the municipality.
Not far from the beach of Muchavista, you can admire the estate of Villa Marko, built in the Art Nouveau style by the winegrower and René Bardan in the 19th century. The most interesting thing in this estate is its park, divided into five zones, where plants from different parts of the world are collected.
The Canalejas Square (Plaza de Canalejas), located in the heart of the old town, serves as a venue for church holidays and urban events. On the square of El Campello, there is the parish church of St. Teresa. In the port area you can find another chapel built for private donations, in honor of the Virgin Carmen, who is the patroness of sailors.
The tourist center of El Campello is the town’s waterfront, where bars, restaurants, and shops are located. The embankment stretches along the urban beach and is a favorite place of walks of citizens and guests of the town.
The beaches of El Campello
The entire coastline of El Campello is a series of beaches and rocky coves.
The beaches of El Campello:
- Playa de Muchavista is the town’s most popular sandy beach, over 3 km long. Its workload is high, because the beach is located within the town and attracts all residents who prefer not to take public transport or their own car. The beach annually receives a mark of cleanliness and quality – Blue Flag, has all the necessary services: sports grounds, dry closets, foot washers, etc. In summer, lifeguards are on duty on the beach, and there is a rental office for umbrellas and sunbeds.
- Playa Carrerlamar is another urban beach located in the fishing area of Barrio de Pescadores and is about 1 km long. Like the previous beach, it annually receives the Blue Flag award for cleanliness and quality, and also has all the necessary services. The main attraction of the beach is the monument to the fishermen by the sculptor Arcadio Blasco.
- Playa de la Almadrava is a small (500 m) sandy and rocky beach with low traffic.
- Playa del Amerador is a quiet and calm beach, spread out in a small bay, whose shores protect it from strong waves. It is famous for its clean water.
- Playa Barranc d’Aigües is a rocky beach that requires special shoes. Lovers of secluded relaxation will like it.
- Playa de Les Llomes de Reixes is a beautiful small beach with large white pebbles and clear water.
- Playa La Nuza is a small sandy beach that is gaining more and more popularity every year. During the summer months, there is a bar serving refreshing drinks on the beach.
Beach for dogs
In El Campello, there are special beaches for dogs – Playa Punta del Riu, where it is allowed to relax with your pets. There is a dog walking park adjoining the beach, which is very convenient for pet owners and arranging of full-fledged walks.
Bays of El Campelo:
- La Illeta dels Banyets and Baños de la Reina are two small bays within the town, located near the marina. Stony and shallow, they warm up quickly and attract snorkellers.
- Cala del Llop Marí is a small bay of the picturesque cave – Cueva del Llop Marí.
- Cala Nostra is a rocky and sandy bay in the northern suburbs of El Campello.
- Cala del Morro Blanc is a small beautiful bay where it is interesting to snorkel.
- Cala d’Enmig is a bay with three small beaches, closed from waves, quite clean and secluded.
- Cala Piteres is a bay protected by the ecosystem. Many families with children like to come here for picnics.
- Cala de Les Palmeretes is a sand and pebble beach in a small bay in the northern part of the town. It is often littered with algae, which discourages many vacationers.
- Cala Carritxal is a secluded cove almost on the border with the nearest municipality of Villajoyosa.
Popular Hiking Trails in El Campelo
As we said above, the climate in El Campello disposes to hiking. To get to know the town and its surroundings, there are several interesting routes of different lengths and complexity:
- Route 1. Walk along the embankment. The route starts in the southern part of the town, in the Rio Sec area. Moving north, you can go through the entire promenade, visit the port, as well as the archaeological park La Illeta dels Banyets, and end your walk in the Almadrava area. You will have to walk 5-6 km in total.
- Route 2. Puntes de Gocalves. A map of the route can be found on the website of the Department of Tourism of El Campello. This is a ring route of medium difficulty. The length is about 4.5 km.
- Route 3. El Campello – Villahpisa. The route is suitable for lovers of long difficult hiking. Its length is 23 km. This route runs along the coast itself through all the beaches and bays of El Campello.
Property in El Campello
El Campello is far from the most expensive resorts on the Costa Blanca. Real estate prices in the municipality are kept at an average level. In May 2023, the average cost per square meter of housing was 2.421 €. However, it is worth noting that property prices are growing steadily, and according to statistics over the past 12 months, this growth was 6%.
The most expensive area is Playa Muchavista, where a square meter of housing costs 2.739 €, and the cheapest one is the historic center of Campello – Pueblo with a price of 1.565 €/m2.
El Campello offers every type of accommodation, from studios perfect for tourist rentals to luxury villas with their own land plots. Prices for small apartments start from 73.000 €. Bungalows and townhouses can be bought from 110.000 €. Prices for adjoining cottages start from 125.000 €, and from 190.000 € – for detached cottages. Luxury villas in El Campello start from 1.200.000 €.
Also, new projects are currently being implemented in El Campello: apartments can be bought directly from the developer from 168.400 €, about 859.900 € for cottages, from 1.310.000 € for villas.
