If you're looking for a romantic getaway on the Costa Blanca, Calpe for couples delivers in ways that bigger resorts simply can't. After ten years of living here, I still find myself stopping mid-walk to think — this place is genuinely special. The Peñón de Ifach rising out of a turquoise sea, the smell of grilled prawns drifting from the harbour, a glass of cold white wine as the sun melts into the Mediterranean — Calpe has all the ingredients for a proper couple's escape.
September is, without question, the best month to come here with a partner. The crowds thin out dramatically after the Spanish summer holidays, the sea is still warm (around 26°C), the light is golden rather than harsh, and you can actually get a table at the best restaurants without planning three days in advance. It feels like the town exhales.
Here's how to make the most of it.
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Find rentals →Start the Morning at Las Salinas — Before Anyone Else Arrives
The salt lakes at Las Salinas de Calpe are about a ten-minute walk from the town centre, and in September they turn a deep, otherworldly pink thanks to the algae and brine shrimp. Go early — I mean 7:30am early — and you'll have the place almost to yourselves. Flamingos wade in the shallows, the Peñón sits in the background, and the light is extraordinary. Bring your camera but also just stand there for a moment without it. It's one of those genuinely rare travel experiences that doesn't require money, a reservation, or a plan.
Hire a Kayak or Paddleboard and Find Your Own Cala
Calpe's coastline north of the Peñón is dotted with small coves — Cala del Racó, Cala de la Manzanera, Cala Lanuza — that you simply cannot reach on foot. Hire a double kayak from one of the rental outfits on Playa de la Fossa (they set up early September) and paddle north together. Pack a small cooler with cold drinks and something to eat, find a cala that's empty, and anchor there for two hours. It's as private and beautiful as anything I've found in the Mediterranean.
If kayaking isn't your thing, most hire places also rent stand-up paddleboards, and the water in September is calm enough to make it genuinely enjoyable even for beginners.
Lunch at the Lonja — The Fish Market Restaurant
Calpe's fishing harbour (Puerto Pesquero) has a small restaurant right at the fish market (the Lonja) that locals have been going to for decades. It's nothing fancy — plastic chairs, paper tablecloths, fluorescent lighting — but the gambas rojas de Calpe (the local red prawns) are among the best things you'll eat in Spain. Order a plate between you, a jug of cold white wine, and some calamar a la plancha. Total bill for two: around €35–45. This is not a tourist experience. This is how people who live here actually eat.
The red prawns of Calpe have a protected designation of origin — they're fished locally in the deep waters off the cape and are notably sweeter and firmer than the imported versions you'll find at resort restaurants. September is a great month because the boats are still going out daily.
Afternoon: Walk the Peñón Together (Go Late)
Most visitors hike the Peñón de Ifach at 9am, which means queuing at the entrance in the heat with half of Europe. Do it differently — go at 4:30pm in September. The heat is manageable, the light on the rock face is stunning, and by the time you reach the summit (it's about 45 minutes up), you'll be there for golden hour. The view from the top — Benidorm to the south, Moraira to the north, the salt lakes below, the harbour — is breathtaking, and you'll feel it even more watching it as the colour changes. Free to enter, but biosphère reserve rules mean you need to register at the kiosk at the base.
Dinner at El Bodegón or La Peña de l'Àguila
For a proper romantic dinner in Calpe, I'd point you to two places depending on your mood.
El Bodegón (Calle Delfín, just back from the old town) is a traditional Spanish restaurant that's been here for years. The dining room is candlelit in the evenings, the wine list is serious, and the arroz a banda (a dry rice cooked in fish stock, a signature dish of this stretch of coast) is the best version I've had locally. Book ahead — they fill up even in September.
La Peña de l'Àguila is higher up, with a terrace overlooking the Peñón and the bay. The food is modern Mediterranean, the service is attentive without being formal, and the terrace table at sunset is — genuinely — one of the most romantic spots I know on the Costa Blanca. Reserve a terrace table specifically and mention it's a special occasion. They'll look after you.
An Evening Stroll Along the Paseo Marítimo
After dinner, walk the promenade along Playa de la Fossa. In September the evenings are warm (around 24–25°C), the sea breeze is soft, and there are still enough people around to give it atmosphere without being oppressively busy. The bars along the promenade are still open, and a clara (beer mixed with lemon) or a tinto de verano (red wine with lemon soda) while sitting at a table facing the Peñón floodlit at night is a perfect way to end the evening.
Wine Tasting Inland: Bodegas Xaló
If you have a car, a half-day trip to the Jalón Valley — about 25 minutes inland from Calpe — is one of the best things couples can do here. The valley produces the local moscatel grape wine and a dry white called vino de la Marina that you won't easily find outside the region. Bodegas Xaló is the cooperative winery in Jalón village, and they offer tastings for a few euros per person. Pair it with a stop at one of the village almond cake bakeries, and you've had a genuinely local afternoon away from the coast.
Where to Stay: Book Direct and Save
For a couple's trip to Calpe, a private apartment or villa with a terrace and sea view transforms the experience. Waking up with the Peñón in your view, having breakfast on your own terrace with no one around — it changes the whole rhythm of the trip.
Browse our Calpe holiday rentals and search available properties for your dates. Booking direct with JV Properties saves you up to 18% compared to Airbnb — that's a nice dinner for two, paid for before you even arrive.
Practical Tips for Couples Visiting Calpe in September
- Sea temperature: Around 26°C — perfect for swimming without a wetsuit
- Average air temperature: 28°C days, 21°C evenings — comfortable for evening walks
- Crowds: Noticeably quieter than July/August — restaurants more accessible, beaches less packed
- Restaurant booking: Still advisable at better places — do it 2–3 days ahead
- Driving: Having a car opens up the inland valleys, though the town centre itself is walkable
- Budget: Calpe is genuinely good value — a beautiful dinner for two with wine is €50–80 at most places
Calpe in September with someone you want to impress — or simply someone you want to spend unhurried time with — is one of the best things I can recommend on this stretch of coast. Come before October and you'll have caught it at its absolute best.
