Walking the Colada de la Costa at Villajoyosa

Between Villajoyosa and Benidorm there is a stretch of coast you will hardly find anywhere else: no promenade, no apartment blocks, just rock, pines and a narrow path running from one watchtower to the next.

That path is called the Colada de la Costa, and it is not a walking route somebody invented. It is a vía pecuaria, an old drovers’ track, and that legal status is precisely why it was never built over.

On 4 November 2026 the town hall of la Vila Joiosa announced that 140,000 euros will go into upgrading about two kilometres of it. Below: where the route runs, what exactly is happening and what to know before you go.

What has actually been announced

This covers a defined stretch, not the whole route.

The sum. 140,000 euros for roughly two kilometres, the section between playa del Torres and the cala del Racó del Conill.

In three parts. The council divides the work into three tramos. That is more than an administrative choice: it means not everything is dug up at once.

The stated aim. Mayor Marcos Zaragoza and councillor Carlos Soler present it as making accessible and safe a stretch of coast that is awkward in places, without losing its character. That second part shows up in how the work is specified, and a later section covers it.

What was not included. No start date, no duration, no contractor and not a word about closures during the works. So do not assume the route is impassable from tomorrow, but do not count on it staying fully open either.

The route: from funerary tower to watchtower

The Colada de la Costa runs the length of the municipality’s coastline from north to south.

The starting point is the torre funerària de Sant Josep, a Roman funerary monument on the edge of Villajoyosa. Starting a walk at a tomb tower almost two thousand years old is so ordinary here that nobody puts up a sign about it.

Along the way the path skirts the Racó del Conill, the stretch of coast with the coves that comes up further down.

The end point is the torre de guaita de l’Aguiló, a watchtower from the era when this coast was guarded against pirates. Tower to tower, with twenty centuries in between.

The sources disagree on the length. The town hall says eight kilometres, the Comunitat Valenciana tourist service about five. We are not picking one. Allow half a day, check the signage on site, and remember the route is described one way, so double it if you walk back.

The difficulty is described as between medium and low. Not a mountain walk, but not a flat promenade either.

Racó del Conill: the cove the route passes

The Racó del Conill is the best-known point on this stretch, and it is worth knowing what you are arriving at before you are standing there.

It is a naturist cove. That is not an anecdote but everyday practice, and anyone who would rather not come across it can look at the coastline from the path and walk on.

About three kilometres from the centre. Close on the map, but not attached to the built-up area.

Parking is limited. On summer days that is the biggest practical problem. Walk the route from one end or the other, rather than starting at the cove, and it does not affect you.

The snorkelling is good. Clear water and a rocky bottom, which means you see something almost immediately. Do bring shoes that cope with sharp rock.

What is being built, and what is being taken away

The list of works is more interesting than the sum, because it shows what kind of path they want to end up with.

Albero as the surface. That is the yellow-brown, semi-compacted finish you see in Spanish parks and on church paths. It walks well, it lets water through and it does not look like asphalt. It is a deliberate choice against concrete.

Wooden railings and steps where the path is steep or runs along an edge.

Masonry and drainage. Less visible, but this is where paths like this fail: one downpour washes the track away if the water has nowhere to go.

Furniture in recycled plastic. Benches and posts that do not rot in sea air.

And here is the most interesting point: things are being removed. Lamp posts and surplus signage are going. That is the opposite of what usually happens to a coastal path. Less light at night also means less disturbance to what lives there, and a path that in daylight looks like a path.

The plants that are coming back

Planting is part of the work, and the species list is not a garden-centre list but a list of what belongs here.

Shrubs: lentisco, albaida, romero, tomillo, lavanda and esparto. Mastic, rosemary, thyme, lavender and esparto grass, all species that manage without irrigation on a rocky south-facing slope.

Trees: algarrobos, olivos and almendros. Carob, olive and almond, the three trees of the old Valencian dry-farming landscape.

Why that matters. Mediterranean coastal planting with exotics needs water, and water is the scarce thing here. Native species need almost nothing once established. They also flower at different points in the year, so the path smells different in March from September.

If you want to see what this landscape looks like without any planting: climbing the Montgó gives you the same plant palette on a far larger scale.

Sendero Azul: what the label does and does not say

The Colada de la Costa was awarded the Sendero Azul distinction again in 2026, for the third consecutive year.

What it is. A label for coastal paths, from the same organisation behind the blue flag for beaches. It looks at the state of the path, at information and at environmental education.

What it is not. It is not a difficulty grade and no guarantee that the route is easy throughout. A path can hold the label and still have steep sections and loose stone.

Why three years in a row counts. The distinction is assessed afresh each year. That it keeps coming back says more about the upkeep than any single award does.

The tower in the photo above, the torreón de la Malladeta over playa del Paraíso, belongs to the same Villajoyosa coastal landscape but is not on this route. We show it because it illustrates how closely these watchtowers are spaced here.

Practical: when to go and what to take

The route is open all year, but not sensible all year.

The season. This is an October to May walk. In July and August a coastal path with no shade is a bad idea in the middle of the day; then you go early or you do not go.

Shade. There are pines, but the path runs largely open along the coast. Do not count on cover.

Water. Take what you need. There are no taps on this track.

Shoes. Loose stone and rock. Sandals are not enough here, albero or no albero.

The wind. On the open sections this coast can blow hard, and in winter that feels colder than the number on your phone.

Combining. A morning here and an afternoon inland works well; see our guide to Guadalest. And for what the season brings, see the Costa Blanca in December.

What is not yet known, and frequently asked questions

When does the work start? That has not been announced. Nor has the duration.

Will the path close during the works? Nothing has been said about that. Because the work is split into three parts, a phased approach looks likely, but that is our reading and not a statement from the council.

Who pays for it and who carries it out? Neither the funding source nor the contractor has been named.

How long is the route really? The sources say eight and about five kilometres. Plan for the longer of the two and you will not get caught out.

Can I walk it with children? It is not a pushchair route. For children who can walk a few hours it is manageable, as long as you watch the edges.

Can the dog come? It is a freely accessible vía pecuaria, but rules on adjoining beaches and coves can differ and vary by season. Check that with the council.

Is there public transport to the start? Villajoyosa has a station on the Alicante TRAM. Exactly how you reach the start of the colada from there depends on which end you choose; plan that in advance.

Another route nearby? Further up the coast lies the Cova Tallada, with very different rules and compulsory booking in high season.

About the authorMilo Schuijt

Milo Schuijt is an entrepreneur and DJ on the Costa Blanca. He writes about the places where he lives, works and plays: from beach bars to the housing market.