Just ten kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea and the tourist resort of Benidorm, the Alicante town of Polop de la Marina stands out as one of the most charming enclaves of the Costa Blanca. Its picturesque old town, perched on a hill that was once dominated by a castle, as well as its magnificent natural setting, presided over by the Mount PonotxGabriel Miro’s “Sleeping Lion”, make this town an essential stop for any traveler eager to discover the most authentic places in the province of Alicante.
Whether to enjoy its fantastic hiking trails or just stroll through its streets and squares and enjoy its gastronomy… Will you join me to know Polop de la Marina? Here we go!
1. Old town and castle of Polop
Polop grew up on the hill that was once guarded by an important castle. Today little remains of the fortress (although recovery work is being carried out), but just for the fantastic views we will enjoy it is worth the climb. Above, at the top, awaits the old cemetery, today converted into a literary cemetery dedicated to the memory of Gabriel Miró and his alter ego Sigüenza.
On the way to the castle, strolling through the streets of Polop is a delight for the senses. We can begin this walk in its traditional Plaza de los Chorros, where a fantastic fountain formed by 221 spouts shows what was one of the greatest treasures of Polop: its water wealth. Not in vain, its sources were the ones that made possible the development of Benidorm.
On the way to the castle you will pass by the Parish Church of San Pedro Apostol or the Plaza de la Purisima.
If you want to know in depth the history of Polop, I highly recommend you to book this free tour in which you decide how much you want to pay.
2. Gabriel Miró’s House Museum
Clemencia, one of Gabriel Miró’s daughters, suffered from a rare disease from which she never recovered. Looking for a place of rest and tranquility, and following the advice of his friend, the Alicante composer Óscar Esplá, Gabriel Miró decided to rent a villa in Polop de la Marina. There he would spend the summers from 1921 to 1928 in the company of his family (this is explained in detail in this article).
Very soon, the famous writer fell in love with this beautiful town and its mountainous environment, leaving evidence of this in his best known work,“Years and Leagues“, through Sigüenza, a character who was but an alter ego of Miró.
In 2015, the town council inaugurated the Gabriel Miró House Museum, in honor of one of its most beloved neighbors. The location chosen for the museum, “Villa Pepita”, although it was never inhabited by the writer and his family, has managed to materialize in an elegant and emotional way the memory of Gabriel Miró and life in Polop in the early twentieth century. Admission is free and it is worth the visit with enough time to enjoy all the little details.
If you are interested in the history of Gabriel Miró in Polop, as well as how the writer immortalized different places of La Marina in his works, I encourage you to watch this nostalgic documentary on RTVE Play.
3. Hiking Routes in Polop
If we talk about hiking trails in Polop, there is a route that stands out above the rest: the ascent to Monte Ponotx. A great limestone mass of vertical walls that rises up to 1183 meters high. It is a route of high difficulty, due to the positive difference in altitude of more than one thousand meters, being a route reserved for people in very good physical condition and used to this type of mountain routes.
A much simpler route is the one that connects the hamlet of Xirles with the small hamlet of Gines, both in the lower part of the Guadalest Valley. It is a route of about 13 km and 300 meters of elevation gain. We can be guided by this track.
4. Where to eat in Polop
There are many and varied restaurants in Polop. But if you want to live an unforgettable gastronomic experience, you have to make a reservation at Ca l’Àngels Restaurant. A family and cozy establishment like few others in Alicante. Vicenta and Paco Teuler, along with other members of the family, run this restaurant where traditional cuisine, with local products (even from their own garden), is the protagonist. An innovative wine list and homemade desserts are the finishing touch to its excellent offer.
And if you want to eat in one of the restaurants with Michelin Star in Alicante, in La Nucia you can book in one of the restaurants with this prestigious award in Alicante:
El Xato
.
5. Staying in a charming rural cottage
Ravalet 21 is a charming rural house in Polop. The house dates from the 18th century and is located in the old part of the town. Each of its 3 floors is a fully equipped and independent house, although they can be combined to accommodate large families or groups of friends.
If you like peace and quiet, good food and the mountains, but without giving up the fantastic beaches of Altea and Benidorm just a step away, then I recommend you
book now at Ravalet 21
and enjoy an unforgettable stay in Polop.
6. More plans near Polop
This area of the province of Alicante is one of the richest in the province in terms of water resources. Proof of this is Les Fonts d’Algar, a natural space where water is the absolute protagonist, with a succession of waterfalls, tolls (pools) and backwaters of great beauty. They are located in Callosa d’en Sarrià, a neighboring town very close to Polop. I explain all the details about his visit in my article dedicated to this outstanding spring.
The visit to the Fuentes del Algar can be combined with another classic of the area: the village of El Castell de Guadalest, which is among the most beautiful in Spain. Right there you can go hiking on the circular route of its turquoise water reservoir, nicknamed “the emerald jewel”.
Also very close to Polop is the beautiful and charming Altea, “the Dome of the Mediterranean”, as well as some of the best coves of the Costa Blanca.
7. Criticism of Polop
Unfortunately, not everything is beautiful in Polop. And is that the ferocious and predatory urbanism that punishes the Costa Blanca and especially its coastline, is committing what I consider an ecological attack on the slopes of Mount Ponotx, a true natural sanctuary and refuge for wildlife.
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