If you wander up through Altea’s old town, there’s this moment when you reach Plaça de l’Església. It’s the kind of square locals go to when they want to slow down, soak in view, sip a coffee and pretend time moves a little more gently. At the centre sits the Church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, with its twin blue-and-white glazed domes, the sort of landmark you can see from far away and then get closer to, up the winding cobbled streets. From the plaza you can gaze out across the white houses cascading down the hill, the sea shimmering ahead, even get a trace of Sierra Helada on the horizon when the air is clear.

Around the edges of the plaza there are cafés, artisanal shops, little jewellery stalls and at dusk soft lights, sometimes live music drifting from a bar. It’s peaceful yet alive. If you go near sunset, everything feels more golden, the atmosphere just right. Quiet enough to breathe, beautiful enough to hold your attention.