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. Only one, La Fustera, is a “full-service” beach with a Blue Flag; the rest are rock-and-pebble coves that stay quiet even in August because most involve a flight of steps.
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, showers, restaurant, 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 | Pebbles and rock | ❌ | None | Metal ladder | Snorkelling |
| Baladrar | Sand and rock | ❌ | Seasonal beach bar | 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 only sandy beach and the only one with a Blue Flag: lifeguard, showers, toilets, restaurant, parking and very easy access. It is the town’s family beach and the most convenient starting point for the walk if the tourist office is closed. 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
A tiny pebble platgeta sheltered by a breakwater, with a metal ladder into the water. No facilities, but a rocky seabed ideal for snorkelling. 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. Sand and rock, a seasonal beach bar on the cove itself, and a perfect orientation 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