A budget break in Alcossebre (Alcalà de Xivert, Castellón) isn't a half-hearted one. The town has more than 10 km of coastline, fine sandy beaches, a natural park on the doorstep and a calendar of markets and fiestas that costs nothing. Here's our list of free things to do, designed for couples staying in Las Fuentes.
1. Blue Flag beaches
In 2026 Alcossebre has four Blue Flag beaches: Cargador, El Moro, Romana and Manyetes. The Cargador, the central beach, has held it without a break since 1987: 850 metres of fine sand with dunes and a seafront promenade. From Arcos you also have Las Fuentes beach, the closest, famous for the freshwater springs that bubble up in the sand itself.
| Beach | Type | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|
| Las Fuentes | Fine sand, 400 m | A quick dip next to the marina |
| Cargador | Fine sand, 850 m | Spending the day and strolling along the promenade |
| Romana | Fine sand, 500 m | Walking there along the Senda Litoral |
| El Moro | Fine sand between rocks, 300 m | A small, sheltered beach |
| Manyetes | Sand and pebbles, 400 m | Peace and quiet and dunes, to the south |
2. The Senda Litoral
The Senda Litoral is a wooden boardwalk along the sea linking Cargador beach with Playa Romana. It's the loveliest walk in town at sunset and takes no effort at all.
3. Street markets: Alcossebre and Alcalà
- Alcossebre market: Tuesday afternoons, May to October, near the seafront promenade (Camí l'Atall).
- Alcalà de Xivert market: Friday mornings, all year round, in the centre of the town of Alcalà, about 9 km away.
Browsing the stalls is free, and buying fruit, vegetables and Alcalà de Xivert's tomata de penjar (hanging tomatoes), the best-known local product, is a cheap way to eat well in your studio. Check up-to-date times and locations on the official markets page.
4. The lighthouse and the northern coast
North of Las Fuentes, next to Cala Blanca, stands the Alcossebre lighthouse. Alcossebre is the southern gateway to the Serra d'Irta Natural Park, and from the lighthouse and Cala Blanca two official walking routes of low difficulty set off:
- Route 2, Faro d'Irta - Cala Cubanita - Font de la Parra: 12.8 km, about 3 h 25 min.
- Red route "A landscape of contrasts": an 8.5 km circular walk to Cala Cubanita.
If you've brought a bike, the Ruta del Cranc follows the coastal track towards Peñíscola: 13.2 km of low difficulty. Remember that lighting fires and camping are prohibited in the park, and that in summer driving onto the park's coast requires booking a space in the official app; on foot or by bike you don't need to. More information on the Serra d'Irta Natural Park website.
5. The Santa Llúcia hermitage
The baroque hermitage of Santa Llúcia i Sant Benet, from the late 17th century, stands 312 metres above Alcossebre. The official route up from the Montemar estate is 1.3 km (about 45 minutes, medium difficulty) and the views over the coast make the climb worthwhile.
6. Las Fuentes marina
Las Fuentes marina, with 283 berths and home to the Club de Vela Alcossebre sailing club, is a stroll from Arcos. Wandering past the moorings at sunset, ice cream in hand, is a simple pleasure that costs nothing.
7. Alcalà de Xivert and its bell tower
About 12 minutes away by car, Alcalà de Xivert has the church of San Juan Bautista (18th century) with a 68-metre octagonal bell tower, one of the tallest in the Valencia region. Combine it with the Friday market.
8. Local fiestas
The fiestas of Alcossebre and Alcalà de Xivert are free and spread throughout the year: Sant Antoni Abad in January, Carnival in February, Holy Week, Saint John's Night in June, the Fiestas Patronales de San Juan Bautista between August and September and the Fira de la Tomata de Penjar in October. Check each year's dates on the town's tourism website.
9. Low-season sunshine
Alcossebre enjoys more than 2,700 hours of sunshine a year according to AEMET data from the nearest weather station. A break in spring or autumn means near-empty beaches, walks in mild temperatures and more affordable accommodation: we explain it in when it's cheapest to go to Alcossebre.
Where to stay to do it all on foot
From the Arcos II studios or Arcos I, in Las Fuentes, you can walk to the beach, the marina and the lighthouse, and with a longer stroll to the Cargador and the Tuesday market.