If you live in Valencia or nearby, you have a good problem: plenty of beautiful coves within an hour and a half's drive and very few summer weekends to see them all. Granadella, Mascarat, Portitxol, Testos and Moraig are the five we've visited most, each on its own weekend, without rushing to fit them all in.
You don't need a multi-day trip or a complicated route to see them all at once. Any of these five can fill a full Saturday or Sunday, and each has its own charm: some are better for diving, others for relaxing without the hassle, and one we only recommend if you don't mind going down by rope.
What all five have in common, every time we've gone, is parking. In high season they fill up fast, and finding a spot for the car can be the real challenge of the day, more than any stretch of water. Still, every minute spent looking for a parking space was worth it. Here's what we've learned about each one: how to get there, how much parking costs, the capacity, when to go to keep your patience, and a few scares we picked up along the way.
Cove in the Valencian Community
Cala de la Granadella (Xàbia)
It's probably the most photographed of them all, and as soon as we arrived we understood why. Crystal-clear water, pebbles and rock instead of sand, and pine-covered cliffs enclosing it on both sides. The problem is that everyone knows it.
We went in the middle of August, and the Calle Pic Tort car park, the closest one to the cove, was already closed with a barrier. We had to leave the car much further up and take the tourist bus that runs the route down to the beach. It wasn't the plan we had in mind, but in the end it became part of the adventure. We're leaving you the location on Google Maps.
Cala Granadella, Valencian Community
Access is limited to a few cars. When it's full, it closes, no exceptions. If you can go on a weekday or outside July and August, even better. And bring water shoes, because the stones are unforgiving.
Xàbia is the main town, with everything you need just fifteen minutes away by car. On the way, you'll also find a Consum supermarket where you can pick up food and drinks before heading down to the cove.
Cala Mascarat (between Altea and Calpe)
We went in September a couple of summers ago, almost by accident, and it was one of our best decisions. There were hardly any people, we parked without drama in the dirt lot next to the Puerto de Mascarat, and we walked down the ramp and stairs without waiting in line at all. The water was noticeably cooler than in peak summer, though. We left the location on Google Maps.
It's a small cove, about 80–100 meters long, with coarse sand, gravel and some rocky areas in the water. Since it's sheltered between the two cliffs, there's barely any swell, so it's perfect for snorkeling without being pushed around by waves. In summer you can also reach it by tourist boat from Altea or Calpe if you'd rather not fight for parking.
It sits right on the border between Altea and Calpe, so either town works as a base. If you enjoy hiking, the Cañón del Mascarat is just a short walk away.
Cala Mascarat, Valencian Community
Cala Portitxol (Xàbia)
You reach it along the same road that leads to Granadella, taking the signposted turnoff for Portitxol just before you arrive. The large car park is at the end of the seafront promenade, about a fifteen-minute walk from the cove, and it also fills up quickly, so the earlier you arrive, the better. There's a bus line, the 8, that leaves from Avenida Mediterránea and drops you nearby if you'd prefer not to rely on the car.
Just like Granadella, it has an access control barrier that goes up when it's full. There are several activities you can do, such as snorkeling near the island in front of the cove: the seabed is one of the best in the area, with plenty of marine life for a cove this crowded.
Xàbia is again the nearest town, just like with Granadella.
Cala dels Testos (El Poble Nou de Benitatxell)
This one was the most unusual of the five, in a good way. To get there, you leave the car in the Cala Moraig car park and walk to the Mirador dels Testos, at the end of Carrer de la Cala. From there, a trail descends a ravine with three sections fitted with fixed ropes, almost like a small via ferrata all the way down to the shore.
We did the whole descent holding on to the ropes, with more adrenaline than we expected for a beach day, and when we reached the bottom the cove was practically empty. No sign of the crowds from the other coves. It makes sense: it's not suitable for small children, older people, or anyone who gets dizzy or is carrying lots of beach bags. If you'd rather not go down on foot, you can also get there by kayak or paddle board from Cala Moraig itself, paddling north toward Morro Falquí.
The main town is El Poble Nou de Benitatxell, very close to Moraira as well.
Cala del Moraig (El Poble Nou de Benitatxell)
It's the one we remember most of the five, and not exactly for its views. The car park is regulated from April 1 to October 15, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a fee of between €12 and €15 per day per vehicle (residents of Benitatxell don't pay). Even so, you need to arrive early because it fills up. There are also parking areas nearby, and the regulations tend to change depending on the time of year.
What makes this cove special is its cliffs, over 100 meters high, and the Cova del Moraig, an underwater cave that stretches 150 meters into the rock and is reached by swimming from the beach. Inside, there's a freshwater spring that you can feel as a cold, translucent layer over the seawater, something we'd never seen before. We went in to take photos and, out of nowhere, a wave much bigger than usual nearly pushed us against the rock. Equal parts scare and laughter, but you can see waves coming better from outside the water, so be careful with the swell if you swim into the cave. When the tide is low, you can walk into the cave.
Very close by, the Cova dels Arcs is worth a quick stop just for photos among the stone arches.
We've left links with additional information about the cove. https://elpoblenoudebenitatxell.com/en/moraig-cove-information/
💡 Tips for visiting the coves
🚗 Parking In all five coves, parking is the bottleneck, not the beach. Get there as early as you can, especially in July and August, or resign yourself to walking, waiting for the tourist bus, or paying fees of up to €15 a day.
📅 When to go If you can choose, September is the best time: fewer people, easy parking, and the water is still enjoyable, although it's starting to get cooler than in mid-August.
🥿 Footwear Almost all of these coves are rocky or pebbly, not sandy. Water shoes aren't a luxury, they're nearly essential if you don't want to spend the day complaining about your feet.
🏊 Sea and snorkeling Mascarat, Portitxol and Moraig have very good seabeds for snorkeling with a mask and snorkel. If you plan to swim toward caves like the Moraig one, keep an eye on the swell, which can be deceiving at times.
🧗 Cala dels Testos, only suitable if you wear appropriate footwear and have no problem going down by rope. It's not a cove for small children, older people, or anyone loaded down with umbrellas and coolers.
FAQ: Coves in Valencia
What are the best coves near Valencia?
There are no coves in the city itself, just sandy beaches. The real coves are in Cullera (the closest) and, above all, in Xàbia, Benissa and Benitatxell, a 1h–1h30 drive away. On this blog we share the ones we've visited.
Are there any coves near Valencia city, without leaving the city?
No. The city only has urban sandy beaches (Malvarrosa, Patacona, El Saler). Cullera, 40 minutes away, is the closest option with a cove atmosphere.
What are the best coves near Valencia for snorkeling?
Cala Granadella and Portitxol/La Barraca (Xàbia) for their rocky seabed and clear water, and Cala Racó in Calpe if you're going with children. Bring your own gear.
Can you reach the coves near Valencia without a car?
You almost always need a car. The only comfortable exception is Cala Granadella, with a tourist bus from Xàbia in high season.
Have you been to any of these coves? Which one would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments. 👇
We did the Buñol Water Route before it closed: Turche Cave, Charco Mañán and Palomas Cave, over about 6 km and 40 minutes from Valencia. We tell you about each stop, how to get there by car, train or bus, and the current status of the cave, closed until April 2027. One of the best routes in the Valencian Community.