The ‘Santorini of Spain’ is a lesser-known gem that’s 21°C in April with £28 flights

With a population of around 22,000, Altea is a small tourist town many holidaymakers miss out on (Picture: Shutterstock / Nicole Kwiatkowski) Whitewashed buildings, panoramic views and romantic sunsets are just some of the things that make Santorini a highly sought-after holiday destination. But the beautiful Greek island has long been facing challenges. In 2024, mayor Nikos Zorzos went so far as to warn that the number of visitors and the building boom of recent years could ‘destroy’ Santorini. The strain on services from cruise ships in particular has led the government to impose a tourist tax of €20 (roughly £16.80) on passengers disembarking during peak summer season. Around 800 ships docked each year in 2023 and 2024. They unloaded about 1.3 million passengers, many staying for just a few hours, turning narrow pathways into bottlenecks and spending nothing in local businesses. It gets so busy in tourist hotspots like Oia that locals say walking 600 metres can take 45 minutes in high season. As a result, holidaymakers have been seeking out lesser-known alternatives, including a remarkable destination dupe in Spain. With these views, it’s no surprise this bay has been awarded the Blue Flag (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Win a city break for two in romantic Rome with our newsletter Win a dreamy trip to Rome for you and a friend (Picture: Getty Images) Unlimited pasta, world-class shopping, thousands of years of history on every street corner... who wouldn't want to be in Rome? We’ve teamed up with Wowcher to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a city break for two in Rome, including return flights from your chosen UK airport (Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, London Gatwick or London Stansted) and a stay in a four-star hotel walking distance of iconic spots such as the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. Armed with travel tips from our exclusive new newsletter The Getaway Expert, this is your chance to explore the Eternal City like a real Roman. Good luck! Enter now  Open to UK (excluding Northern Ireland) residents aged 18 or over. Closes 11:59pm on 29 March 2029. Full T&Cs apply. Altea, in the Costa Blanca region, boasts the same winding cobbled streets, blue-domed buildings and sweeping sea views — hence its nickname, the ‘Santorini of Spain’. Located south of Valencia and close to Benidorm, tourists can wander the old town, stopping off to sip a café con leche in the square with plenty of scope to explore the best of the surrounding region if they so wish. Its charming streets are lined with white-washed houses, small boutiques and bright bougainvillaea. @wanderlust__ever 🤍Altea aka Santorini of Spain 🇪🇸 but at a budget-friendly price to visit! It is a small picturesque town in the Region of Valencia. 15 minutes drive from Benidorm & 1h from Alicante. A must visit town & things to do👇 👣get lost in the old town, gazing at the cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings with hanging plants and bright bougainvillaea 🌸flowers on every corner. 🛍️shop at the old town which is also home to lots of boutique shops, 🍹herbs drink at nice cafés with outdoor seating mainly around the main square 🏖️ relax at the a pretty beach close to the old town – La Roda Beach – where you can r easily spend a day.  ⛪  visit San Miguel Arcángel Russian Orthodox Church 🔭admire views from Plaza de la Iglesia Viewing Point. The views are breathtaking!  15 minutes drive from Benidorm & 1h from Alicante. 🧷Save this Tik Tok & share with your friends who love to travel ✈️ #altea #alteaspain #costablanca #costablanca2024 #spain🇪🇸 #spanishtown #spaintravel #budgettravel #budgetfriendly ♬ original sound – cashflips1 For those looking for a Santorini-style break, the climb up to Altea’s old town offers similar panoramic views of the coastline and genuinely spectacular sunsets. The Parroquia Nuestra Senora del Consuelo (which translates to Church of Our Lady of Consolation) is a striking blue-domed structure at the top of the town, not unlike that of Anastasi church in Oia, Santorini. Built between 1900 and 1910, entrance is free. Inside, visitors will find modernist frescoes and ornate Baroque features. Altea’s main church has been compared to similar blue-domed buildings in Santorini, but it has its own unique beauty (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto) While Altea may not offer the same volcanic black sand beaches as Santorini’s, there are plenty of beautiful stretches to relax on. Playa de la Roda, the closest to the city centre, is a pebbled beach with a lively promenade. Visit during the summer for warmest temperatures. In August, the average daily maximum is 31°C and the sea is a balmy 25°C, making it ideal for a swim. However, those wishing to avoid the crowds should consider visiting during the shoulder seasons. In April, temperatures can reach 21°C and in October they can be as high as 24°C. Other popular attractions include Portal Viejo viewpoint, which offers vistas over the town below and out to sea, and Casa Cervantes, a 16th-century manor house that often hosts exhibitions and cultural events. Outside the city, hikers can explore the winding trails of the Sierra de Bernia mountains. The crystal-clear pools of Algar Waterfalls are a tranquil contrast to bustling Altea — perfect for a picnic and a swim. What our readers say of Altea Martin George: ‘Altea is an absolute jewel… but don’t tell everyone.’ Katy Mitchell: ‘Went last year, it’s exactly how I referred to it, it’s beautiful.’ Emily Leadbetter: ‘It is lovely there. The walk up the hill in the heat to get there is fun!’ For food, Altea and the surrounding region is famous for rice dishes, which include traditional paella as well as arròs amb fessols (rice with beans) and arròs amb ceba (rice with onions). Visitors can also try cocas a la llumà, a dish specific to Altea, which is made from dough typically covered with sausages and vegetables. This little-known Spanish destination is quietly popular on social media. One traveller said: ‘Beautiful Altea. My fave place to visit’ and another added, ‘Absolutely love this place. So quaint’. Another person who had already visited added: ‘Been there, such a beautiful and relaxing place’. Overtourism in Spain Santorini isn’t the only holiday spot struggling with overtourism — Spain has its own problems to contend with. Recent summers have seen protests in Mallorca and travellers squirted with water by locals in Barcelona as part of backlash to overcrowding and spiralling living costs. More recently, Malaga introduced a three-year law preventing the registration of any new holiday rentals, a move which has been incorrectly dubbed as a ‘tourist ban’ by some. How to get to Altea, Spain Altea doesn’t have an airport — the closest one is Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, which is roughly 70km away. Four days in North Korea: no jeans, 'fake restaurants' and a lot of Celine Dion Barcelona fan mistakenly travels 366 miles to the wrong football stadium I just discovered London's Supermarket of Dreams — food shopping will never be the same Travellers who touchdown in Alicante can reach Altea in around 45 minutes by car. Budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet run flights to Alicante from airports across the UK, with prices starting from less than £30 for a round trip in April. Metro found £28 return fares for flights departing from London Luton on Sunday, April 12, and returning from Alicante on Saturday, April 18. Altea is just a 20-minute drive from the popular holiday resort of Benidorm, or 13 minutes on the tram, perfect for a day trip. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk. Arrow MORE: Four days in North Korea: no jeans, ‘fake restaurants’ and a lot of Celine Dion Arrow MORE: Barcelona fan mistakenly travels 366 miles to the wrong St James Park stadium Arrow MORE: I just discovered London’s Supermarket of Dreams — food shopping will never be the same Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source The Getaway Expert Your exclusive seven-day guide to travelling with confidence from Metro's resident travel expert, Alice Murphy.

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