Climb to the Torre de Vigia

The climb to the Torre de Vigía del Cap d’Or is the classic short walk from Moraira. From El Portet beach you follow the marked path SL-CV 51 up to a sixteenth-century watchtower some 160 to 165 metres above the sea. Allow about 3.5 to 4 kilometres there and back and 1.5 to 2 hours of walking, including time for the view.

A watchtower against pirates

The round tower was part of a chain of lookout towers along the Mediterranean coast, built to spot raids by Barbary pirates in good time. From the Cap d’Or there was a view of the coast in both directions. The tower is about 11 metres high. Down in the village stands the eighteenth-century fort born of the same defensive thinking; you can read more about that at El Castillo in Moraira.

The SL-CV 51 route

The first stretch still runs between villas; after that it becomes a mountain path through a protected piece of coastal vegetation (a so-called microreserva for flora). Along the way lie stretches of limestone that can be slippery, especially after rain. A side path leads to the Cova de la Cendra, a cave where traces of occupation have been found from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age. The cave itself is closed, but information boards outside tell the story. The last stretch to the tower is bare and lies fully in the sun.

From Calamora you are at El Portet within a few minutes by car.

Starting point: Platja del Portet, Moraira
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What you see at the top

From the summit you look out over the bay of Moraira and the coast towards Calpe. To the south-west you see the Peñón de Ifach, the Serra de Bèrnia and the Serra Gelada; on a clear day you can even make out Ibiza to the east. The finest light is early in the morning or in the last hour before sunset, but then allow for the walk back in the dusk.

Making it longer

If you have more time, you can walk on from the tower along the cliffs towards Cala Llebeig and return through the Barranc de la Viuda ravine. That turns it into a half-day outing, with considerably more climbing and descending than the route to the tower alone. For this variant, take a track or a walking app with you.

Practical tips

• Wear shoes with a good tread; sandals are a bad idea on the slippery rock sections.
• Take water, sunscreen and a cap: there is hardly any shade.
• In July and August, set out early, before the hottest hours.
• Stay on the path; the cliffs around the cape are steep.

Afterwards you can cool off straight away at El Portet beach; you will find more coves at beaches in Moraira. If you want a longer outing or other routes in the area, take a look at walking around Moraira.