Town
Alicante · Marina Alta
Calpe/Calp
A town built around the Penyal d'Ifac, where a Roman coastal site, fishing harbour and urban salt lagoon reveal far more than a beach resort.
Rock, salt and harbour
A town gathered around the Penyal
The 332-metre Penyal d'Ifac is more than Calp's backdrop. Once an island, it is now joined to the coast by a low tombolo which helps organise the town, its beaches, harbour and salt lagoon.
Roman remains at the Banys de la Reina, the medieval Pobla d'Ifac and a continuing fishing trade add different layers to a coast whose modern urban growth is impossible to ignore.
Fast facts
INE padrón, 1 Jan 2025
- Population
- 27,616
- Change since 2015
- +28%
21,540 in 2015
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One reviewed coast and town guide
Reviewed August 2026
Calp: the town shaped by the Penyal d'Ifac
How the Penyal, Roman Banys de la Reina, medieval Pobla d'Ifac, salt lagoon and fishing harbour fit into modern Calp.
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New contribution · Autumn 2026
Penyal d'Ifac's Red Route: deciding whether to go beyond the tunnel
Calp's landmark walk changes character sharply at the tunnel, where a family viewpoint becomes a rough summit route.
Published 10 September 2026
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