IT’S not just the El Peñon de Ifach which is the natural attraction in Calpe. There are also a few luxury hotels and motels there which offer optimum excellent services. What better way to spend Halloween than here in Calpe, relaxing at these hotels. If you want to stroll around the magnificent El Peñon de Ifach, then do so during All Saints Day, Spain’s version of Halloween. It’s not actually celebrated on October 31 but on the day after, November 1. This is mostly a religious tradition but the commercial and civil aspects of it have not left the minds of the Spanish and more importantly the tourists.

They have trooped to Calpe for the past decades or so even during All Saints Day, a public holiday. When it’s a public holiday, everybody else is not focused in his or her shop but troops out into the wild like El Peñon de Ifach. After a day of mountain hiking or even riding the cable going atop The Rock, then you can head back to the motel where you are staying to unwind and have some Halloween trick-or-treat awaiting you.

This is one of the features that hotels and motels here in Calpe concoct to lure tourists in. They make sure that each celebration has the right mood to be presented. Thus, hotels here have Halloween themes and the lobbies as well as the rooms are decorated with creepy looking designs. Of course, these are all children-friendly as most of the British vacationers do have kids in tow who are as young as three years old.

And it’s not just the hotels and motels that have the Halloween theme in them. There are also the various resorts which offer windsurfing, yachting, kayaking and other adventurous activities all over the coastal town. These resorts are all marked with the blue flag accreditation of the European Union which means they all have excellent facilities in whatever sports activity or leisure they are offering.

The Halloween spirit comes in when a golf and country club for example is decorated with eerie dripping blood and Dracula or monster and mammoth-like characters. Again, it must be emphasized though that these spooky interior designs must be toned down to make the halls child-friendly.

Another thing that Calpe natives crave during Halloween is the food. Every All Saints Day or so, the folks right here go to the graves to offer food to their loved ones. If the loved ones’ favorite food during daytime was jamon Serrano or turron, then these are displayed at the tombs and must not be disturbed forever. Back home, they organize festive celebrations with every Spanish delicacy you can think of. So if you’re a British vacationer in this part of Spain, it must be wonderful to knock at the door of a native and have yourself be invited in these gatherings.

After all, the residents of Calpe are such jolly people that they are hospitable to foreigners. They have to be since their El Peñon de Ifach can only do as much to attract alien visitors. The tourists will have to rely on the hospitality of the Calpe folk so that their stay here will even be more endearing.

CALPE is Benidorm’s humble neighbor. Benidorm is a city of skyscrapers while Calpe is a natural wonder. So if you’re stuck right here in Malaga during winter, better go to Calpe. There are lots of car rentals available in Benidorm or anywhere in Alicante for that. You can even rent a 4×4 or an off-road vehicle here in Calpe. Calpe also has its share of fine beaches but during winter, these beaches are usually deserted because foreigners go back home to their respective countries. A few who remain are the expatriates so if you want to set your wedding at one of the beaches here, that’s some sensation.

Calpe is a very down-to-earth city and people nod at each other when passing the street. And just like any rural area on earth, the folks here tend to be very religious. Since Spain is a predominantly Christian country, people here celebrate Christmas in a very old-fashioned Catholic way. During Advent which starts four Sundays before Christmas, in each parish here in Calpe, one prominent family in the community stands out to light the Advent candle at the altar of the church. A word of caution to our foreign visitors across the Atlantic though – do not be surprised that Catholic churches here in Calpe are adorned with weird and Gothic designs.

These Gothic designs are imitated from the medieval churches of old and have since then become Europe’s main feature as far as church architecture is concerned. Anyway, Calpe is also a fishing village aside from being host to beautiful beaches. And so here you can find in the eateries around Calpe seafood cooked in various forms – sautéed, in broth, grilled, marinated, filleted, etc. One thing is sure though. They make sure that they garnish olive oil in their food. Olive oil and seafood make for a complete Mediterranean diet. You may want to try various sea produce here like oysters, lobsters, clams, mussels, crabs, redfish, grouper, sea bass and salmon. Down your luncheon with sherry and some Spanish delicacies maybe.

To reach Calpe, you can have a road trip all the way from Madrid down here but you can always land at the nearest airport in Alicante. Then after reaching to your hotel and checking in, you can embark on your tour this winter here in Calpe. The most common tourist spot here is El Peñon de Ifach or popularly known by the British tourists as The Rock. There are several tour guides everyday but if you’re with a tour group, this must be pre-arranged prior to your arrival. Otherwise, you can wander into El Peñon de Ifach alone because it is not prohibited. Just don’t alter anything there because the Spanish people are particularly sensitive in their natural resources and attractions. Be a responsible tourist for who knows that you’ll become a resident here by yourself five years from now.

For your convenience, you can actually stay at the nearest three-star hotel from El Peñon de Ifach. The Hotel Sol Ifach has a commanding view of the Rock and it would not hurt if you want to be billeted at one of the rooms there.

Surrounded with the pretty surroundings of mountains and vineyards; the traditional way of tourists industry makes it one of the main tourists destination around Costa Blanca, Calpe is a place best recommended for visitors who were looking for a perfect weather temperature and a place dominated with natural flourishing resources. Since it is part of Spain still, you can never deny the fact why this place is having great pristine beaches around. However, the most relevant asset of Calpe that signifies the place is the famous Rock of Ifach; the rock having a gigantic size of 332 metres high that made the place recognizable to the public. You can see the beauty of Calpe when mounting with the rock, it is actually appointed as the Natural Reserved because of the reality of having the botanical land and faunal diversity.

Calpe is very much proud and fortunate of having a mild climate making it another asset where it is one of the tourist’s choices for fun, like swimming, tanning and enjoying some beach sports. The beaches of La Fossa and Arenal serve water sports amenities for those travelers wishing to experience water sports. There are guides who will execute you how to properly use the water sports gear if you don’t know yet how to use it, while for those expert ones they are not necessarily being taught however they are still in the watch under the bay watchers for security measure.

However, if you want something different and tranquil; you can go sailing with Calpe’s coves. There are coves found in Calpe perfect for scuba diving, sailing and more. You will love the crystal like beach which glimmered when stab by the rays of the sun. Coves like La Manzanera and Les Urques is always on rescue when looking for one. You can do whatever you want here, except those things which are restricted. When you are beginners about sailing or scuba diving, in these coves you will learn the basic of it because they cater services of teaching beginners how to have a perfect boat sailing and scuba diving. As you can see there are many things you can see and discover about Calpe and as one of the traveler, you should not miss of getting around the place. Gazing with its panoramic sceneries is not enough, experience the events is like letting yourself given the opportunity of embracing the culture of the folks living in here.

Parts of Calpe were found the remains of some old villas, and these villas are believed to be part of a fish farm. You can freely pace over there and even swim along with the Roman walls. Touring around Calpe is a great experience; most of their folks are very much friendly and approachable. Almost all the facilities available present cleanliness. If you feel like hungry and wants to eat, you are very much welcome in their prestigious restaurants. You can choose whatever food you like and you will never regret choosing one or even all their specialties because all of it shows perfect taste. It is never a waste of money and time visiting Calpe, because all surroundings are worth the visit.