Guadalest from Benidorm

Take Llorente Bus line 016, the one direct bus a day. It is the inland half-day option in our day trips from Benidorm guide.

On 12 October 2026 the 016 left Av. Mariners de la Vila 16 in Cala Finestrat at 09:45. It then picked up through Benidorm at Pérez Devesa, Jaime I, Av. Mediterráneo, the Rincón de Loix and Severo Ochoa, and continued via La Nucía and Polop to the Guadalest car park. The return left the car park at 13:30.

The operator does not give times at individual Benidorm stops, so be at yours early. The journey time is not published, but the drive takes about 35–40 minutes.

The bus gives you a morning in Guadalest, not a full day. Plan to see the castle first, while it is cooler and quieter, then choose one or two museums.

If you want lunch in the village or a slower visit, consider an organised coach tour or a taxi for one leg. The Benidorm open-top bus tour also sells tourist cards that cover the line 16 excursion as well as its sightseeing routes.

Guadalest and the Algar waterfalls are both inland, but their buses leave Benidorm ten minutes apart and do not link up, so pick one per day by bus.

The castle is the reason most people come, and it holds the best view of the turquoise reservoir below. The town council's history page dates it to the 11th century and records damage from an earthquake in 1644 and a blast in 1708.

Check at the tourist office when you arrive.

The path up is steep in places. Take water, and allow time to stop at the top for photos of the valley and the reservoir.

Guadalest has eight museums for a village of its size, according to the official list. Most are small and quick to see, so you can fit two or three into a morning.

Museum prices are not listed on the council's page, so take some cash and ask at each door. Those figures date from around 2012–13 and are likely to have risen.

If you are travelling as a family, choosing one paid museum plus the castle keeps the cost down. The microminiature and salt-and-pepper collections usually suit children best, as they are quick and visual.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable times to visit. In summer, arrive before 11:00 and avoid the middle of the day in July and August, when the village is busiest and average highs on the coast reach 30–31°C.

Conveniently, the 016's early start suits that advice. October and November are good months for a cooler walk up to the castle; see Benidorm weather in October for typical conditions.

The Guadalest Tourist Info office is at Avda. de Alicante s/n, tel. 965 885 298, and is the place to confirm castle hours and museum prices on the day.