Things to Do in Moraira: 10 Local Tips You Shouldn’t Miss

Our favourite activities and places to visit in Moraira

What is there to do in Moraira? More than you might expect. Moraira is a relatively small Mediterranean town, but that is part of its charm. Beaches, coastal walks, excellent restaurants, watersports, local markets and the historic centre are all close together, while the surrounding Costa Blanca offers plenty of opportunities for day trips.
One day you might do little more than swim, enjoy a long lunch beside the sea and relax on a terrace. The next, you could walk to Cap d’Or, visit a local winery or explore the coastline by boat. Because we live and work in Moraira and know the area well, we have put together 10 of our favourite things to do in and around Moraira.

Last updated: September 2026

1. Discover Moraira’s beaches and coves

A holiday in Moraira without spending time beside the Mediterranean is almost impossible. The coastline is surprisingly varied, ranging from sandy family beaches to small rocky coves with wonderfully clear water.

El Portet

El Portet is probably Moraira’s most famous bay. This beautiful sheltered beach lies beneath Cap d’Or and is particularly popular for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding. Several restaurants sit directly beside the bay, making it easy to combine a morning at the beach with lunch overlooking the Mediterranean. We particularly like El Portet early in the morning, before the beach becomes busier.

L’Ampolla

L’Ampolla is Moraira’s main sandy beach and sits immediately beside the town centre and castle. Its central location makes it particularly convenient for families. You can spend a few hours at the beach, walk into Moraira for lunch and return to the water afterwards without needing the car.

Les Platgetes

Les Platgetes consists of two smaller beach areas connected by a promenade. It is a good alternative if you want to stay close to Moraira but prefer somewhere smaller than L’Ampolla. And just outside Moraira, along the Benissa Costa, you will find attractive coves such as Cala Baladrar and Cala Advocat.

👉🏻 Discover the best beaches and coves around Moraira

2. Enjoy Moraira’s food and restaurant scene

Food is a big part of life in Moraira. For such a relatively small town, the choice of restaurants is exceptional. You will find everything from informal tapas and paella to modern Mediterranean cooking and fine dining. Our advice? Do not save eating out only for the evening. A long lunch on a sunny terrace is every bit as much part of the Spanish lifestyle. Try:

paella or another local rice dish
fideuà
fresh Mediterranean fish
tapas to share
local Moscatel wine
a café cortado after lunch

Restaurants change more quickly than beaches and walking routes, so we keep our latest favourites on a separate restaurant page.

👉🏻 Discover our favourite restaurants in Moraira

3. Walk to the Torre del Cap d’Or

If you would like to see Moraira from above, the walk to Cap d’Or is one of our favourite short routes. The 16th-century watchtower stands high above El Portet and was once part of the coastal warning system used to protect the area against attacks from the sea. The official SL-CV 51 route is approximately 1.5 kilometres there and back and takes around one hour. The distance is short, but the final section is rocky and climbs quite steeply, so proper footwear is recommended. From the top you are rewarded with views across:

El Portet
Moraira
the Mediterranean
the surrounding Costa Blanca coastline

In summer, go early in the morning or later in the afternoon. We would avoid making the climb during the hottest part of the day.

👉🏻 Walking at Cap d’Or and El Portet

4. Visit Moraira’s Friday market

Every Friday morning, Moraira hosts its weekly market at Parking Les Sorts. The market runs from 09:00 until 14:00. You will find stalls selling:

fresh fruit and vegetables
olives and nuts
cheese and other food products
clothing
bags
household products
plants and flowers

We prefer going fairly early. Between 09:00 and 11:00 it is generally more pleasant to walk around than towards the end of the morning. Remember that Parking Les Sorts cannot be used normally for parking while the market is taking place.

👉🏻 Markets in Moraira and the surrounding area

5. Explore Moraira Castle, marina and town centre

Moraira is compact enough to explore without a detailed plan. Start beside Castillo de Moraira, overlooking L’Ampolla beach. The castle dates from the 18th century and was built as part of the coastal defences against pirate and corsair attacks. Today it is one of Moraira’s most recognisable landmarks. From the castle, walk along the waterfront towards the marina before heading into the town centre. You will find:

small shops and boutiques
bakeries
cafés
restaurants
terraces
pedestrian streets and small squares

You do not need to schedule half a day for this. Part of Moraira’s appeal is simply walking around, stopping for coffee and seeing where the day takes you.

6. Taste local Moscatel around Teulada

Just a few kilometres inland from Moraira, the scenery begins to change. Around Teulada, Benissa, Llíber and the Vall de Pop, you will find vineyards and old agricultural terraces where the Moscatel grape has been grown for generations. Local wineries produce both wine and traditional sweet Moscatel products. A winery visit is a great way to see another side of the Marina Alta beyond the beaches. You can easily combine a tasting with a walk through the historic centre of Teulada. Our tip: book your winery visit in advance, particularly during busy holiday periods.

👉🏻 Wine tasting around Moraira

7. Explore Moraira by bike or e-bike

The countryside around Moraira is excellent for cycling. One warning though: it is definitely not flat. That is why an e-bike can make exploring the surrounding area much more enjoyable for recreational cyclists. Possible routes include:

along the coast towards Benissa Costa and Calpe
inland towards Benissa
through Teulada towards the Vall de Pop
between the many viewpoints and villages in the surrounding hills

Serious road cyclists already know the northern Costa Blanca well. Professional cycling teams regularly use the roads around Calpe and the inland mountains for winter training. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, choose an e-bike and enjoy the scenery instead.

👉🏻 Cycling and bike hire in Moraira

8. See Moraira from the water

Moraira looks completely different from the Mediterranean. There are several ways to explore the coastline from the water, including:

hiring a boat
booking a boat with a skipper
kayaking
paddleboarding
snorkelling
diving
joining a sunset cruise

El Portet is particularly suitable for kayaking and paddleboarding because of its sheltered position. A boat gives you another advantage: you can reach sections of coastline and small bays that are much more difficult to access from land. For us, seeing Moraira from the sea is one of the nicest ways to appreciate how beautiful this stretch of the Costa Blanca actually is.

👉🏻 Boat hire in Moraira

9. Experience a local festival

If your holiday coincides with one of Moraira’s local festivals, make time for it. The best known is Moros y Cristianos, which takes place in June. For several days, Moraira fills with music, parades, costumes and celebrations. Other annual events include:

Noche de San Juan
summer festivities
patron-saint celebrations
music evenings
artisan markets
local cultural events

Exact dates change from year to year, so always check the current events calendar before or during your stay. Even if you did not specifically travel to Moraira for a festival, it can easily become one of the most memorable evenings of your holiday.

👉🏻 Festivals and events in Moraira

10. Take a day trip from Moraira

One of Moraira’s advantages is its location. You can happily spend an entire holiday here, but several very different Costa Blanca destinations are within easy reach.

Calpe
Best known for the spectacular Peñón de Ifach, as well as its beaches, marina and seafront promenades.

Jávea
Combine the historic old town with the port, Arenal beach or some of the beautiful coves along the coast.

Dénia
A lively port town with a castle, shopping streets, restaurants and ferry connections to the Balearic Islands.

Altea
Particularly attractive for its historic hilltop centre, whitewashed houses, narrow streets and famous blue-domed church.

Guadalest
A completely different landscape.

This small mountain village lies inland and is known for its spectacular position and views across the surrounding mountains and reservoir. If you are staying for two or three weeks, Moraira makes an excellent base from which to discover more of the Costa Blanca.

👉🏻 Calpe | Jávea | Dénia | Altea | Guadalest

Things to do in Moraira with children

Moraira is also a good destination for families. Activities we would consider with children include:

swimming at L’Ampolla or El Portet
paddleboarding
kayaking
snorkelling
a short boat trip
ice cream in the town centre
visiting the Friday market
a day trip to Calpe or Jávea

For younger children, L’Ampolla and El Portet are generally more practical than the rockier coves along the coastline. Always choose watersports according to age, swimming ability and current sea conditions.

Things to do in Moraira outside summer

Moraira is not only a summer destination. Spring, autumn and winter can actually be better for activities such as:

walking
cycling
golf
sightseeing
exploring inland villages

Temperatures are generally much more comfortable for active days than during July and August. Many restaurants, shops and cafés also remain open outside the main summer season. Moraira becomes quieter, but it certainly does not disappear once September ends. That makes the area attractive for:

spring holidays
autumn breaks
longer winter stay

👉🏻 Winter stays in Moraira

What should you not miss in Moraira?

That depends entirely on what you enjoy. But if friends were visiting Moraira for the first time and only had a few days, our shortlist would probably be:

El Portet · Moraira Castle and the town centre · a long Mediterranean lunch · Cap d’Or · Friday market · seeing Moraira from the water.

That gives you a very good impression of what makes Moraira different. But do not make the mistake of planning every hour. An afternoon when lunch unexpectedly lasts three hours because nobody wants to leave the terrace is just as much part of a holiday in Moraira.

Planning a holiday in Moraira?

Moraira Holiday Homes has specialised in holiday accommodation in Moraira since 2004. Our collection ranges from apartments and penthouses in the town centre to private villas with swimming pools, panoramic sea views or locations close to the beach. Because we live locally and know our properties personally, we can help you choose accommodation that suits the way you actually want to experience Moraira.

👉🏻 Explore our holiday homes in Moraira