Les Fonts d’Algar or Fuentes del Algar is a natural site located in the province of Alicante, about 15 km from Benidorm and 3 km from the town of Callosa d’en Sarrià. It is a set of springs, waterfalls and “tolls”, through which cold and crystalline waters flow from an important aquifer that collects rain in the nearby mountain ranges of Bèrnia and El Ferrer, a mountain range declared a protected landscape.
This natural area has been conditioned as a tourist attraction of the Marina Baixa region, with a circuit that can be visited on foot, enjoying different natural pools scattered throughout the space. The site is very well preserved and has a great biological diversity and historical-cultural value.
If you want to know more about this wonderful place, join us until the end of the article.
What are the Fuentes del Algar
Las Fuentes del Algar is a natural fluvial spot of exceptional beauty, located at the headwaters of the Algar river, at the foot of the Bèrnia and Ferrer mountain ranges.
The characteristics of the environment are unique and very attractive to all visitors. Especially surprising is the abundance of water in an area traditionally considered “dry” as is the Costa Blanca.
People who decide to visit Les Fonts d’Algar, will be able to walk a circuit of about 1.5 km long along the Algar riverbed.
There you can enjoy a unique natural landscape that includes waterfalls , water channels, pools, natural pools and small reservoirs, as well as a very rich and abundant Mediterranean vegetation.
We remind you that bathing is allowed in the different crystal clear water pools in Les Fonts d’Algar.
Facilities and Services
As for the different areas, services and establishments that visitors will find in Les Fonts d’Algar, we have:
- Tourist Information Office (during high season)
- Parking areas
- Picnic area (only eating is allowed in this area)
- Camping Fonts d’Algar
- Arboretum
- 5 restaurants
- Toilet areas
- First aid
- Information panels
- Other services
Practical Information
Visiting hours depend on the season, but are usually in the morning and afternoon(see complete schedule).
Tickets can be purchased in advance on the official website or on the day at the venue’s box office. Currently the price for adults is 5€ in high season and 4€ in low season. Children from 4 to 10 years old pay 2€. Here you can download the complete rates.
Remember that the capacity is limited by the current Covid-19 pandemic times and it is necessary to maintain a social distance of at least 2 meters, in addition to the mandatory use of masks.
In the surroundings you can also enjoy several restaurants, where you will taste the typical gastronomy of the area, with the Níspero de Callosa as standard bearer. We also recommend a visit to the artisan cheese factory in Callosa d’en Sarrià.
For all that Les Fonts d’Algar has to offer, this place should undoubtedly be considered a must for tourists visiting this area.
For more information, you can call 96 588 01 53 or send an email to: info@lasfuentesdelalgar.com
Very close to Les Fonts d’Algar is the Dino Park Algar, a theme park based on dinosaurs, undoubtedly ideal to visit with children.
How to get to the Fuentes del Algar
If you are staying in Alicante city, Benidorm or Albir, you can hire these guided tours to Guadalest and Fuentes del Algar and just let yourself go:
History of Les Fonts d’Algar
The Algar is a short river that rises in the nearby Sierra del Ferrer, just above the picturesque town of Tàrbena, flowing into the Mediterranean Sea in Altea, after traveling about 12 kilometers, entirely in Alicante.
As it passes through the foothills of the Sierra de Bèrnia, the Algar river flows through a narrow and deep gorge, the Estret de Sacos, giving rise to a series of pools, waterfalls and artificial dams, in a place where several springs gush forth. Les Fonts d’Algar, is a toponym of Muslim heritage that means “cave”.
As in other areas of the province of Alicante, water has been a scarce and precious commodity since time immemorial, hence along the visitable route of Las Fuentes del Algar we find ancient infrastructures dedicated to its use: dams, irrigation ditches, floodgates, water dividers… The water of the Algar was formerly used to irrigate the orchards of Callosa d’en Sarrià and nearby towns, where the cultivation of the Callosa loquat has achieved international fame and has a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).
Today, however, much of the crystalline waters of the Algar are used for human consumption, supplying the Guadalest and Amadorio reservoirs, to which the water arrives through a complex system of pumping and piping.
The site of Les Fonts d’Algar was destined to the preservation of the natural resources present there and the creation of a tourist resource where visitors can enjoy a tour with different areas and observe all the benefits offered by this natural monument of Callosa d’en Sarrià.
It should be noted that Les Fonts d’Algar was declared a Protected Wetland Area by agreement of the Valencian government (September 10, 2002).
In our humble opinion, the place has been too much exploited from a tourist point of view, with the creation of many restaurants (many of them with swimming pools) in the area. Some of them still preserve the memory of past times that were kinder and more respectful of the environment and you can taste a good traditional cuisine.
Our advice is that, during your visit, you should try to abstract yourselves a little from the tourist hype and admire the natural site for what it is: a wonder of nature, the result of the karst modeling of the limestone rock by the action of water over millions of years. In this sense, visiting it in spring or autumn is a good idea to find tranquility and admire its beauty to the fullest.
More natural pools in the CV
If you like natural places like the Fuentes del Algar, be sure to read our article on natural pools of freshwater and saltwater in the Comunitat Valenciana:
