La Nucia: Nature, Culture and Hotels

La Nucia combines nature trails with historic sites, sporting activities and an events calendar spread throughout the year. The different trail lengths, cultural sites and recurring festivals offer practical starting points for planning your trip: you can consider which themes you want to shape your stay and plan around event dates.

Hiking and Nature in La Nucia

The hiking trail network includes four marked trails covering a total of 21 kilometres. The network includes rest and picnic areas, viewpoints, birdwatching hides, observation towers, recreation areas and an accessible route. The Senda Local is 14.13 kilometres long and passes natural, historic and cultural sights in La Nucia.

The Senda Adaptada El Captivador is considerably shorter, at 520 metres. Its features include a birdwatching hide, a rest and picnic area, a wooden bridge and a display of native plant species. If you would like to compare distances first when planning, you can weigh a 520-metre trail against the Senda Local’s 14.13 kilometres.

At the CEM El Captivador, educational, tourism and sociocultural programmes introduce visitors to nature and Mediterranean and local history. The CEM Arboretum is a botanical garden dedicated to conserving, studying and showcasing plant diversity. At Font de la Favara, a five-metre-high waterfall, a garden of native species, a picnic area and swings add to the experience; the site offers panoramic views of La Nucia and the comarca. The CEM programme may vary.

History and Cultural Sites

The Ermita de Sant Vicent del Captivador was built in 1804. Its annual festival in honour of San Vicente Ferrer takes place on the Monday after Easter. People from La Nucia, Altea and Alfaz del Pi take part; the exact programme and dates vary from year to year.

The Llavador de la Favara was built in the early 20th century so that some residents could collect water and wash clothes. This was before homes in La Nucia were connected to the water supply in the 1960s. In 2023, the Llavador was restored and enhanced as a tourist and cultural attraction. The Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción, dating from the 18th century, stands in Plaça Major. Its stone staircase reflects the former importance of the stonemasons’ guild in La Nucia.

The Museo Etnológico José Soler has a permanent exhibition across three rooms and an outdoor area. Topics range from traditional culture and customs to traditional occupations and crafts in the comarca, as well as agriculture and livestock farming. The Auditori de la Nucia hosts ballet, dance, music and theatre performances, including those by international artists. Its programme changes seasonally.

Sport and Recurring Events

There are four mountain biking circuits of varying difficulty. They start at a trailhead with a bicycle repair station, route maps and information boards, and run through the Bike Park. This woodland park has five downhill runs and wooden features designed for different skill levels. Trail conditions may change temporarily due to construction work.

The Ciudad Deportiva Camilo Cano is the main site of La Nucía Ciudad del Deporte, with a wide range of sporting activities and facilities in a natural setting. Individual facilities have different access arrangements and opening times; take these into account when planning your visit.

The main August festival days take place from 14 to 18 August in honour of the Virgen de la Asunción and San Roque. The programme includes processions, concerts, a fancy-dress parade and Mascletaes, among other events; tourists can also take part. Since 2005, the Mercado Medieval has been held on the weekend closest to 9 July. As dates shift each year and the festival programme may vary, check the specific dates for your travel year. A large flea market selling second-hand goods takes place every Sunday on Avenida Porvilla; check the date and whether it is going ahead before your trip.

Getting There and Getting Around

You can reach La Nucia by car via the A-7 Mediterranean Motorway, exit 65. The N-332 connects the area with Alicante and Valencia. The nearest bus stations are in Benidorm, 8.6 kilometres away, and Alicante, 51.8 kilometres away. Recheck distances and bus station services when planning your specific trip.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Horizonte, Abdet, Benissa, Orito, Los Arenales Del Sol, La Vall De Gallinera, Orxeta, Xinorlet.

Return to the main travel overview: Alicante.