Altea

June 2, 2024

Today’s ride is just a hop, a skip and a jump along the coast from one beautiful town to another, even more beautiful town.

We started the day with another hotel breakfast in the square, cafè con leche, fresh fruit, freshly squeezed orange juice and scrambled egg on toast.

Not a Spanish breakfast, but it sure works for us.

We have not only enjoyed the town of Vila Joiosa, but the young people working at the hotel have been absolutely wonderful to us. Sandra, a work experience student, was very good at her job and was a real pleasure to meet. Christian, a young man who helped out was also great. They both spoke English and were engaging young people. Both were studying to improve their language skills. These heartwarming memories will stay with us for a very long time.

Small stickers like this were placed randomly on the coloured houses throughout Vila Joiosa.

We loaded up the bikes and headed out of Vila Joiosa after breakfast. It felt great to be spinning our wheels again. This being Sunday, the traffic on the highway was light and the bike lanes were in good condition. so we used them when available.

Before long, we were entering Benidorm, where the bike lanes took us right down the centre of the roadway all the way to the beach. We stopped to check it out.

Notice how quiet it was on this Sunday morning.

We said goodbye to Benidorm and rode uphill to exit the town. The next town we came to was Albir, which shares the same bay with and appeared to blend right into Altea. The towers of Benidorm could be seen poking out just beyond the hill separating it from Albir.

We were in no rush today, so we stopped in at one of the many beachside cafès for a snack and a drink. We marvelled at the colour of the water.

A short, easy ride further down the beach took us to Altea and our hostal, the Blue Sardine. We had checked in online for the hostal at Altea and requested an early check-in which was fine, but when they saw the bikes, they hesitated. The management does not allow bikes in the rooms as they are very small. There was no space anywhere else to store them. A private discussion ensued while we held our breath.

I normally include this detail in each booking but this reservation was made on the fly, so I missed telling them about the bikes. After a few minutes and some introductions about who we were and how we travel, they were more receptive. We told them we understood their concern and we would be very careful and respectful of their hostal. They kindly gave us the green light so we unloaded our gear, then carried the bikes carefully up the stairs, high over the bed and gingerly placed them on the balcony. This is a new hostal so we genuinely understood their concern and appreciated the kind gesture.

Altea is a crown jewel on the Mediterranean coast. The buildings here are all whitewashed and many had bougainvillea or jasmine draping down the walls.

After a short rest, we took a stroll up the hill to see the old town. A mix of narrow roads and steps led us to the top of the hill. Navigating by car would be nearly impossible here. Below are some photos of this incredible place.

Inside the church where David lit two candles in memory of his brother.

Later in the afternoon we started looking for a restaurant for dinner. The number of dining establishments here is mind-boggling and they virtually all got top ratings. How to choose? We decided to pick one that was just steps from our hostel, Casa Felix. We had the best we have had in Spain. Every mouthful was a taste sensation. We soon discovered it was Felix, the owner, who had seated us and brought us wine, a young Rioja. What a gentleman, so understated but with a twinkle in his eye and a knowing smile when we complimented him on the meal and the service. He really knows the restaurant business and reminded us of Greg Hayes (for you Victoria folks). Our waiter was also a pro and so much fun. This was a night to remember.

It started with a cheese platter with 5 types of cheese, walnuts, mango and some fig preserves and this is what followed…

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Today's ride: 22 km (14 miles)
Total: 906 km (563 miles)

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Patty BarronWhat another beautiful place you found; two lovely cities, Villa Joyosa & Althea, which both bookend Benidorm, & gives hope for lovely, smaller cities.
The meal looks absolutely delicious & amazing!
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3 months ago

Anne AnastasiouSo glad the bike storage worked out! Glad that they recognized that you two take very good care of your own and other people's property. Finally, the tuna I love! Such an amazing looking meal.
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3 months ago