Located on the Costa Blanca, Albir is only 30 minutes on the bus from the city of Benidorm yet, with so many things to see and do, there’s no real reason to leave Albir at all. If you’re planning a trip to Albir, don’t miss seeing or doing these fun things – they’re inexpensive and give you a good insight into typical Spanish life.
Walk Along the Promenade to Altea – Albir is situated right on the ocean front with a wide promenade that runs all the way from Albir to the next town of Altea. On our third day of a recent holiday in Albir, we set off in the late afternoon and walked the length of the promenade into Altea. The walk takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on the speed you walk, but on a nice day it’s a lovely way to see the two towns without having to take a bus or rent a car.
Stop off at a beach side coffee shop or restaurant for a cafe con leche or a brandy, look around the marina which is mid-way between the two towns, and take photographs of the views over the ocean and looking out to the town of Calpe. It’s beautiful.
Don’t forget to look down too. The town has created an Avenue of the Stars on the promenade, with stars inlaid into the promenade with the names of hundreds of Spanish celebrities.
Sit at a Sidewalk Cafe in Town – Another fun thing to do in Albir is to sit at an uptown coffee shop or cafe and watch the crowds walk by. Every morning early, all the coffee shops on the main shopping street open. Soon after they open, lots of Norwegian, German and British tourists or expat residents find a comfortable table, order a coffee or breakfast, and sit and watch the world go by.
At most of the sidewalk cafes, you can order a cafe con leche, a brandy and a cake for only 3 euros ($4.20) or a coffee and a sandwich for 2.50 euros ($3.50). It’s a wonderful way to enjoy great coffee, good food, some alcohol if you like, and to watch most of the town coming and going right by your table.
Visit the Sunday Market – One of the best things to do in Albir is to spend a few hours at the town’s weekend market. Albir’s Sunday market has currently only been in existence for a month and it’s one of the best Spanish markets I’ve visited. Located on the main road that runs through Albir, it’s on a parking lot right across the street from the Consum supermarket and, boy, does it get busy.
At Albir’s Sunday market, you’ll find clothing, shoes, jewelry, handicrafts, leather handbags, wallets and belts, paintings and souvenirs. There’s also a full food market with stalls selling fresh homemade bread (delicious!), sausages and pates, desserts, nuts and dried fruit, fruit sellers, flower stalls and more. There are also a couple of small stalls set up with small tables and chairs, where you can grab a coffee and a sandwich, or a pasty. Don’t miss the hot churros van too. These homemade Spanish donuts are superb eaten by themselves or dipped into a cafe con leche or a hot chocolate.
Shop at One of Albir’s Five Supermarkets – If you’re new to Spain, one of the most fun things to do in Albir is to visit the town’s supermarkets. With five large supermarkets, it’s here you get a good idea of typical Spanish life as you browse the shelves looking at all the exotic food and drink.
Buy some fresh cheese or a Spanish ham (famous in Spain). Pick up a couple of jars of pate (dirt cheap), some fresh loaves of bread, salami and garlic mayonnaise and a cheap bottle of Spanish wine. Or why not try a typical Spanish dessert? Every time I go to one of Albir’s wonderful supermarkets, I come out with food I’ve never seen before and am dying to try, and for only a few euros too.
Enjoy an Evening at Castillo del Conde de Alfaz – A fun evening for the whole family, Castillo del Conde de Alfaz is on the outskirts of Albir and is a medieval banquet-style entertainment venue, where you eat a ‘medieval dinner’ while watching a jousting match and a knights-on-horseback show. Lots of hilarity and fun ensue, and it’s a great night out for both mom and dad and the kids. It’s also very popular with the locals.
While pricey, the food is excellent and there’s lots of it, as well as as much Spanish wine as you want to drink. You also get a visit to the dungeons in the price, which the kids will love. Take lots of photos (you can take them with the knights too either before or after the show) and eat a lot. You’ll love it.