Hi , my name is Star and I have been lucky enough to call Gran Alacant my home for over 9 years now. My 7 year old daughter Ashlee and I are often “Out & About” enjoying the local attractions and culture in this part of Spain. Over the next few months I will be sharing some of our experiences with you to encourage you to go “Out & About” yourselves and maybe learn a little bit about this beautiful place we call home.

This month we want to share our experiences on our first trip to the famous Les Fonts d’Algar (Algar Waterfalls). After the recent intense heat wave the call of the cool waters was too tempting to ignore, so early one Saturday morning we packed up some food, towels and water shoes and set off with some friends. Located approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes away, the drive, especially as you head inland, is stunning.

Les Fonts d’Algar has been declared as a Wetland and is protected by the Valencian Government. This is one of the reasons why you aren’t allowed to take food inside.

After parking and leaving your picnic in the free picnic area, you arrive at the entrance to the Waterfalls which is a very discreet small path that runs alongside a house. You are greeted by a couple of photographers who take pictures of your group that are available for purchase when you leave. The surrounding mountains, flora and fauna are truly stunning. After paying the small entrance fee you are free to walk around and in the delightful pools of cold clear water that flows down the hill.

We decided to go up the walkways to the top and work our way back down. There are plenty of places to stop and admire the scenery or set up your towels, especially if you arrive early. We stopped numerous times to admire the views and take refreshing walks through the water which was approximately 18 degrees.

 

By the time we turned to make our way back down the falls to the larger and deeper pools and waterfalls at the bottom, a lot more people had arrived, so extra care was needed on some of the walkways and over the rocks. It was nice to see strangers lending each other helping hands, as everyone manoeuvres around the pools, rocks and walkways.

Once you get over the initial shock of plunging into the pools, your body soon becomes accustomed to and enjoys, the coolness of the flowing water, especially in the August temperatures or when there is a heat wave!!! Swimming under the main waterfall at the entrance is a must.

We hope our pictures show how truly stunning this place is. Ashlee and I have decided that this is going to become a regular Summer day trip in the future. We, our friends and their visiting family thoroughly enjoyed our day here. Even though it was busy, if you move up or down the falls and pools there is always somewhere to throw down a towel and wade or swim in, the pools.

 

Random Facts – These waterfalls were featured in an episode of the popular TV series “Benidorm” where Madge falls into the water from her scooter and one of the famous scenes from the Timotei advertisement, where the model flicks her wet hair back, many years ago.

OUR ADVICE: Get there early before the surge of people so that you can fully appreciate the scenery. Don’t park at the first car park, if you continue up the hill you will find others that are closer. Definitely take water shoes or an old pair of trainers as the riverbeds are rocky and the walkways can get slippery, there is a shop that sells them there but they are cheaper elsewhere. Food is not allowed inside the waterfalls and bags can be checked, however there is a picnic area next to the entrance where you can leave your food and cool bags for free. A restaurant is located inside the falls and there are little shops and fruit stalls outside, as well as 4 other restaurants nearby. If you have a water camera (like we do) it makes it a lot easier to take pictures of the waterfalls from the pools. Some of the pools are deep so young kids or those not confident should take swimming aids.