If you’re exploring Altea and want a spot that feels like a gentle invitation into the town’s soul, Portal Nou is one I always recommend. Built in 1742 as one of the historic gates into the walled old town (also called Puerta del Mar), it once provided access from the bustling fisherman’s quarter down by the sea. The gate is fairly modest in size (about 9.10 m long, 2.90 m wide) but rich in texture. You’ll notice its stone arch, the old masonry and how it frames the view down Calle Fondo. In 2013 Portal Nou was restored with care, the arch rebuilt to reflect its original form, part of Altea’s effort to reconnect with its past.

In front of the gate there’s Plaza Carmelina Sánchez Cutillas, named after a beloved local writer whose poetry is tied to Altea’s memory and identity. Walking through Portal Nou feels like stepping between eras, sea, history, community.