Benissa coves: the complete guide
Benissa has barely 4 kilometres of coastline, squeezed between Calp and Moraira, yet that stretch holds six very different coves and one of the most rewarding coastal walks on the Costa Blanca: the Paseo Ecológico, which links almost all of them along the top of the cliffs. The municipality’s Blue Flags are l’Advocat and Baladrar, not La Fustera, which is the main sandy beach but does not hold that award. Three of the six have a beach bar and a lifeguard in season; the other three have no facilities at all and are reached down steps, which is why they stay quiet even in August.
This guide runs through them south to north (from Calp towards Moraira) with access, parking, facilities and who each one suits. Data comes from Benissa’s tourism portal and the Valencian regional government; summer services can vary from year to year.
Comparison table
| Cove | Seabed | Blue Flag | Facilities | Access | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Les Bassetes | Rock and pebbles | ❌ | Yacht club, diving | Car, easy | Diving, kayaking |
| La Fustera | Sand | ❌ | Lifeguard, beach bar, restaurant, toilets, foot showers, parking | Car, very easy | Families |
| Els Pinets | Pebbles and rock | ❌ | None | Steps | Quiet, snorkelling |
| Llobella | Rock and boulders | ❌ | None | Steps, parking above | The wildest |
| L’Advocat | Sand and shingle | ✅ | Lifeguard, beach bar, restaurant, toilets, foot showers, parking | Steps | Families, snorkelling |
| Baladrar | Pebbles | ✅ | Lifeguard, beach bar, toilets, parking, picnic area | Steps | Sunset, snorkelling |
The Paseo Ecológico: the backbone
The Paseo Ecológico de Benissa is a coastal path of 3.2 km one way with about 100 m of accumulated climb, easy in difficulty, with wooden railings, interpretive panels, benches, picnic tables and a viewpoint over the Penyal d’Ifac. It starts at the Tourist Info Benissa Playa (Aula del Mar), which has parking and toilets, and splits into two branches: 0.7 km south to the Les Bassetes yacht club, and the long stretch north past La Fustera, Els Pinets, Llobella, l’Advocat and Baladrar. The whole thing, with stops, takes about an hour each way.
There are flights of steps down to each cove: fine for children who can walk, not for pushchairs or wheelchairs. Bring water (the only public toilets are at the tourist office and the Fanadix green area) and water shoes: every cove except La Fustera is stony.
The coves, south to north
Les Bassetes
The bay on the boundary with Calp, home to the Les Bassetes yacht club and a dive centre. Rock and pebbles, water shoes needed to get in, and one of the most popular launch points for dives and kayak trips in the area (from here you paddle towards the Penyal d’Ifac). Reachable by car; the southern end of the Paseo Ecológico.
La Fustera beach
Benissa’s big sandy beach and the easiest to reach: lifeguard from 15 June to 15 September (plus 20, 21, 27 and 28 September), 10:00–20:00, beach bar, restaurant, toilets, foot showers — not showers — parking and bike racks. The Tourist Info Benissa Playa and the Aula del Mar are on the beach itself. It does not hold a Blue Flag, though it does have the Ecoplayas award and ISO 9001 and 14001 certification. Nor is it the municipality’s only sandy beach: l’Advocat is sandy too, on a small scale. Busy in August; wide and quiet the rest of the year. Guide: La Fustera beach.
Cala dels Pinets
Small and quiet, pebbles and rock, no facilities. From here, in summer, you can reach the Mar Morta i Roques Negres area, a stretch of great scenic and geological interest. Good snorkelling on calm days. Guide: Cala Pinets.
Cala de la Llobella
The wildest and most unspoilt in the municipality: rock and boulders, no facilities at all, parking at the top at the end of the estate and steps down. Very clear water and hardly anyone. Guide: Cala Llobella.
Platgeta de l’Advocat
Small but fully serviced and Blue Flag: a mix of sand and shingle, with beach bar, restaurant, toilets, foot showers, picnic area and parking, and a lifeguard from 1 July to 1 September (plus 28 and 29 June), 10:00–18:00. It has accessible parking and an accessible toilet. It is sheltered by a breakwater and the rocky sides make it very good for snorkelling. Note: no dogs and no smoking. Guide: Cala Advocat.
Cala Baladrar
For many the prettiest in Benissa. A rocky outcrop splits it in two — Baladrar proper and La Goleta — and the whole ends in a cliff of about 30 metres riddled with channels. It is pebble, with no sand. It has a Blue Flag, beach bar, toilets, picnic area and parking, with a lifeguard from 1 July to 1 September (plus 28 and 29 June and 6, 7, 13 and 14 September), 10:00–18:00, and accessible parking, an accessible toilet and a baby changing table. The orientation is perfect for sunset over the Penyal d’Ifac. Steps down from the path. Guide: Cala Baladrar.
Which one to choose
- With small children or a pushchair: La Fustera, no contest.
- Snorkelling: l’Advocat and Els Pinets; Baladrar around the rocks.
- Scuba diving or kayaking: Les Bassetes.
- Sunset and a beer: Baladrar.
- Solitude: Llobella.
- Walking with several swims: the full Paseo Ecológico from La Fustera northwards.
Practical tips
- Water shoes always, except at La Fustera.
- Parking: La Fustera and the Tourist Info have car parks; at Baladrar and Llobella there are few spaces in the estate and they run out by mid-morning in August. The alternative is to park at La Fustera and walk along the path.
- Shade: almost none at any cove. Parasol and water.
- Season: June to October for swimming; the Paseo Ecológico is even better in spring and autumn.
More about Benissa and around
- Benissa guide: the old town and the fortress church
- Benissa Old Town and the Fortress Church
- The Moros i Cristians de Sant Pere, in the Marina Alta summer fiestas guide
- To the south, the Penyal d’Ifac in Calp; to the north, the coves of Moraira and Jávea in the Jávea beaches guide
- 🗺️ All the coves of the Costa Blanca — the index by municipality, from Dénia to El Campello