Callosa de Segura: Alicante Vega Baja Town Guide

Callosa de Segura is a working town of about 20,000 people on the Segura plain in the Vega Baja, in the far south of Alicante province. It sits at the foot of a bare limestone ridge, the Sierra de Callosa, and it has no beach of its own. It suits travellers who want walks, a via ferrata, a small hemp museum and a Spanish town that is not set up for tourists, with the sand about 20 to 30 minutes away by car. Do not confuse it with Callosa d’en Sarrià in the Marina Baixa, which is a different town in a different valley. Callosa de Segura is part of our Costa Blanca guide.

Quick facts

• Where: Callosa de Segura, Vega Baja del Segura, southern Alicante province, beside the Segura river and below the Sierra de Callosa.
• Residents: about 20,000 at the start of 2025.
• Beach: none. The nearest long sandy beach is at Guardamar del Segura, roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car according to local guides.
• Airports: Alicante–Elche and Murcia are each roughly half an hour by car.
• Neighbour city: Orihuela, the bigger historic city of the comarca, lies on the same plain.
• Language: Spanish is the everyday language; Valencian is co-official in the region, but you will hear mostly Spanish here.
• Tourist office: Plaza Reina Sofía 6, phone 965 310 550.
• Big weeks: Holy Week with the Passion play in March or April, and the August fiestas for the patron saint, San Roque.

Where to base yourself

Callosa de Segura is small enough that this is really a choice between the old centre, the edge of the plain and the whole comarca. Most people who stay here do so because the trip is about the mountain, or because they are visiting family or a rented house in the area.

The old town

The historic centre keeps narrow, cobbled streets with a medieval layout, and the church of San Martín stands on the site of a former mosque. It suits walkers and anyone who wants a quiet base with bars, bakeries and markets within a few minutes on foot. Streets are tight and parking inside the core is poor, so leave the car on the edge of the centre.

Near the Sierra

The streets on the northern side climb towards the ridge, the San Roque sanctuary and the start of the marked footpaths. This is the right side if you are here for the SL-CV 175 loop, the ferrata or climbing, and you want to be on the hill early before the heat.

Or base on the coast

If you want sea and evenings out, this is the wrong town to sleep in. Base on the coast, for example at Guardamar del Segura, Torrevieja or in Orihuela, and drive in for the mountain and the museums. Callosa works as a day trip or a quiet stay, not as a resort.

Things to do

The old town and the mountain are the two reasons to come. The sights are small and can be covered in half a day, with the mountain adding a morning or more.

Old town, castle and churches

The regional tourism site lists a castle dating from the year 961 on the Segura range above the old town, the Real Pósito, a grain store of Roman origin with medieval foundations, and the Sanctuary of San Roque. The hermitages of Los Dolores and El Pilar and a Franciscan chapel are also listed. The castle is a ruin, so go for the position and the view over the huerta rather than for anything standing.

Hemp museum

Hemp was the town’s craft for generations, and the Museo Etnológico Municipal del Cáñamo y Huerta shows the whole process, from seed to thread and finished goods. It is the best single stop if you want to understand why the town looks the way it does. Opening times differ between listings, so confirm with the tourist office before a special trip.

Other museums

There is also a Holy Week museum and a municipal archaeological museum with finds from prehistory to the Islamic period. Both are small. Skip them if time is short and spend it on the hemp museum and the hill.

Holy Week and the Passion play

Semana Santa is the town’s main event. The Representación de la Pasión has been staged by a local amateur theatre group since 1969, with more than 60 lead actors, 50 extras and 140 collaborators, and it is recognised as an event of tourist interest. The regional tourism site lists the Passion play for 7 to 26 March 2027 and Holy Week for 21 to 28 March 2027; confirm the dates before you plan, because programmes change each year.

Walking, climbing and the ferrata

The Sierra de Callosa and La Pilarica form a municipal natural site, declared in 2005, with picnic areas at La Pilarica and the Cueva Ahumada. Escapada Rural lists several marked routes:

• SL-CV 175, an easy circular loop of 3.6 km with 211 m of ascent, about 1 h 15 min, passing the San Roque sanctuary, remains of hemp-spinning workshops, an Arab cistern and the castle.
• PR-CV 54.3 to the Cueva Ahumada, 7.7 km one way, rated easy to medium.
• PR-CV 54, a 16 km circular rated medium to hard with 1,108 m of ascent, reaching the Cruz de En Medio at 578 m.

The southeastern slope also has a via ferrata, described as the longest in the Valencian Community, with a family-friendly K3 section and a harder K5 section. A helmet, harness and energy absorber are required, and the guides recommend at least two litres of water per person. Climbing on the Rabosero wall is restricted for part of the year to protect nesting raptors, so check the current rules before you go.

Be honest about the conditions: the ground is dry with little shade, and summer is a poor time to be on the hill. Park with nothing visible in the car at the trailheads.

Beaches and places nearby

Callosa de Segura has no coast, so the beach is a drive. Guardamar del Segura is the closest long sandy beach, backed by dunes and pine woods, and Torrevieja and Pilar de la Horadada follow along the southern coast. Blue Flag status changes each season, so check the current list before picking a beach for its flag.

Inland, Orihuela is the obvious pairing, with its cathedral, Holy Week and the Miguel Hernández house-museum, and Murcia is the closest big city. Alicante is the airport city. Towns on the same ridge, such as Redován and Cox, are linked by the long circular footpath PR-CV 441.

Other town guides nearby: Elche (Elx) (about 23 km in a straight line), Santa Pola (about 29 km in a straight line), Novelda (about 31 km in a straight line).

On CostaMap near Callosa de Segura: El Hondo Natural Park (11 km).

Food and drink

The local table is the huerta cooking of the Vega Baja. The regional tourism site lists arroz con costra, rice baked under an egg crust, bacalao meneao, a salt cod purée, gachas con arrope, a porridge sweetened with grape syrup, and pumpkin cakes with honey. Arroz con costra is claimed by several towns on the plain, so do not treat it as unique to Callosa. Lunch is the main meal, and bars in the old town serve tapas at lunchtime and in the evening. We do not name restaurants that we have not checked.

Markets and fresh vegetables are the reason to shop here rather than on the coast, because the plain around the town is farmed. If you want a long evening with a sea view, this is not the place.

Where to stay

Accommodation is limited and mostly small: a few guesthouses and rural-style rooms, and holiday houses let by the week. Prices are lower than on the coast, though we do not quote rates because they change with the season. During Holy Week and the San Roque fiestas in August, rooms in the town and nearby Orihuela fill early, so book first. For a classic hotel stay with a pool and a beach, choose the coast and visit Callosa for the day. A car makes everything easier.

Getting there and around

Callosa de Segura is on the A-7 motorway at junction 79, and on the AP-7 toll motorway at junction 733. Alicante–Elche and Murcia airports are each roughly half an hour away by car, and a hire car is the simplest way to combine the town, the hill and the coast. Check Renfe and the coach operators for current train and coach options, as times change and we do not quote timetables.

Inside the town you can walk between the centre, the hemp museum and the foot of the Sierra. Parking is easier at the edge of the centre than in the narrow streets of the old town. Accessibility is limited in parts, because of cobbles and slopes, which also matters if you travel with a pushchair.

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for the footpaths and the ferrata. Summer is hot inland and the ridge has little shade, so walk early or not at all, and check the forecast on AEMET. Winter is mild, which suits the museums and the old town. Plan around Holy Week and the Passion play in March or April, and the August fiestas in honour of San Roque. Also note that the Rabosero climbing wall has seasonal closures for nesting birds.

FAQ

Is Callosa de Segura worth visiting?

Yes, if you like walking, a small hemp museum and an ordinary Spanish town. If you want a beach resort or nightlife, base on the coast and make it a half-day trip.

Does Callosa de Segura have a beach?

No. It is an inland town. The closest long beach is at Guardamar del Segura, roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car.

Is it the same as Callosa d’en Sarrià?

No. Callosa d’en Sarrià is in the Marina Baixa, in the north of the province. Callosa de Segura is in the Vega Baja in the south.

Can I do the via ferrata without experience?

The first section is described as family-friendly (K3), but the second (K5) is demanding and exposed. You need your own helmet, harness and energy absorber, and plenty of water.

When is Holy Week in Callosa de Segura?

It follows the Easter calendar. The regional tourism site lists 21 to 28 March 2027, with the Passion play from 7 to 26 March 2027. Confirm before you book.

Sources and freshness

Last checked: October 2026. Sources: Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, Callosa de Segura; Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, La Pasión; Tourist Info Callosa de Segura; Museo Etnológico Municipal del Cáñamo y Huerta; Escapada Rural, routes in the Sierra de Callosa; Renfe; the coach operators; AEMET.

Main photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.