You may be thinking these fountains look familiar. They featured in the TV comedy Benidorm and are also said to be the fountains for the famous (although now quite old) Timotei shampoo advert when a beautiful woman washed her long blonde hair under the waterfall.
This main emblematic waterfall is a compulsory stop for photographs. The fall is more than 15 metres high with a clear stream of pure water tumbling down through the rocks into an impressive pool. You would be hard-pressed to find a finer location for swimming, bathing and enjoying nature at her very finest.
The waterfalls cascading down the impressive grey and green rocks are spectacular. You can take a refreshing – although freezing – swim in the crystal-clear pools of water. Visitors can also enjoy a 1.5 kilometre walk through the Algar riverbed to enjoy all the waterfalls, springs and natural pools. There is also an old dam, canal and ditches, which are still in use today.
You can also find out more about the natural flora and fauna as well as visit the arboretum with typical Mediterranean trees.
The waterfalls are great to visit at any time of year, although the icy cold water is particularly refreshing on those long, hot summer days. There is also a lifeguard on duty in the summer and at Easter. You can either walk along the riverbed to see the rock pools, take a picnic and simply enjoy the views or go for a swim. The walk along the natural pools (known as tolls) is stunning as you will see five crystal-clear pools before arriving at a little oasis. The higher you climb, the colder the water in the pools so be prepared!
The natural park is a haven for water lovers and nature lovers who will come across cascades of tiny streams and springs cutting through the rocks can be seen as you climb the wooden steps and bridges to the top. It’s perfect for a day out for all the family, although you will need to take care as the rocks can be slippery. This natural park is also a photographer’s paradise with perfect scenes of waterfalls, turquoise pools, a green oasis and views of the neighbouring mountains. Alongside the path to the entrance is a canal and 100-year-old irrigation ditches which are still being used today.
There is an exhibition of native aromatic plants and herbs such as lavender, thyme and rosemary as well as the local nispero fruit. You can buy a gift as a souvenir of your visit as well. Stalls are set up selling local vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, oranges, lemons and nispero by the entrance to the waterfalls.Callosa d’en Sarris is the best place to buy succulent nispero (loquat). The natural conditions of this mountainous region are ideal for growing nispero because of the mild weather and excellent quality of the water. It is now the main producer of nisperos in Spain, which is indigenous to south-east China. Alongside the roads around Callosa you will see massive sheets of netting in the fields protecting the nispero trees. The fruit is picked in April and May.
There are five restaurants here so you can sample local cuisine from the Alicante region,including many rice dishes such as paella or fresh fish from the bay. Being between the mountain and the sea, Callosa picks the best dishes from both areas. As well as rice dishes, you can try Minxos, which are baked fish and vegetables; putxero amb pilotes, which is a meatball and vegetable stew; arros amb costra with rice and egg; sweet pastries and nispero, of course.
A picnic site has been set up near one of the entrances, so you can bring your own food. About 500 metres up the hill from the Algar waterfalls is a campsite and barbecue area, if you want to extend your stay to explore this beautiful mountainous area of Alicante.Dogs are allowed on leads except during high season, although they cannot go in the water. They are not allowed in the waterfalls at all from mid-June to mid-September.
The Algar waterfalls are about 15 minutes from Benidorm on the CV-715 road to Callosa d’en Sarria. Entrance is €4 for adults, €3 for seniors and students, €2 for children aged 4 to 10, and free to children under 10.
From the Algar waterfalls, you can also enjoy a walk to the Bernia Fort, where you will discover a cave and a cattle corral. Information panels line the route to explain the sights along the pathway. Walkers will enjoy fabulous views of the coast stretching from Alicante in the south to Calpe as well as mountain views.You will also go past the Bardalet Cave
The Bernia Fort was built in 1562 and is a magnificent example of Renaissance architecture. It was built to help the area stand firm against threatening invasions from the sea. However, it was demolished in 1612 because it was useless, being so far from the coast. You can still see the wall, well and a few arches.The 5.5-kilometre walk will take about 2 hours 30 minutes and is fairly easy, although you’ll need to take plenty of water if you are walking in the summer months,
Time permitting, a visit to Callosa d’en Sarria is highly recommended. It started life as an Arab farm which was taken over by Admiral Bernat de Sarria in 1290 after the Christian Reconquest when the Moors were overthrown. You can see the Arab influence in the terraced farmland as you drive through the countryside to the town. Callosa has a beautifully-preserved historic quarter where you can visit the St John the Baptist church, the Calvary or Stations of the Cross, the public washhouse and an archaeological museum to find out more about the region. In the old town, you can pass through one of its medieval gateways, El Portal.
Also worth visiting,is the Cactus d’Algar botanical garden, which is about 1km from the waterfall.The landscaped area is home to more than 500 different species of cactus and other Mediterranean plants.
