Are you planning a day at the beach with your dog? The good news is that several beaches along the Costa Blanca allow dogs, including designated areas in Dénia, Calpe, Altea, Villajoyosa, El Campello, Alicante, Santa Pola, Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa.
However, don’t simply head to your nearest beach with your dog. Each town has its own rules, and some beaches only allow dogs during certain months. Many of the Costa Blanca’s regular bathing beaches also prohibit dogs during the summer.
Here are the main dog-friendly beaches to know about.
Denia: Escollera Norte
Denia has a dedicated dog beach at Escollera Norte, behind Marina El Portet.
This is the place to go during the summer because Denia has strict seasonal rules for its other beaches.
From 1 June to 31 October, dogs cannot use the municipality’s other beaches or coves. Assistance and rescue dogs are the main exceptions.
Escollera Norte remains available for dogs throughout the year. Denia Tourism confirmed that it is the only beach area authorised for dogs during the summer.
The rules become more relaxed outside the main season. From November to February, dogs can access more beaches, although further restrictions apply during spring because of nesting birds and protected wildlife.
Denia Tourism’s current rules for dogs on beaches.
Calpe: Cala Les Urques
Cala Les Urques is Calpe’s official dog beach. It sits south of the town, close to Puerto Blanco.
The small natural cove stretches for around 100 metres and has mainly pebbles rather than sand. The water is generally calm, and Posidonia grows in the surrounding area.
The council has permanently designated Les Urques as Calpe’s dog beach. It is also the only authorised dog beach in the municipality.
Owners can face fines for taking dogs onto other Calpe beaches. Dogs must also remain on a lead along the seafront promenades.
The beach is located at Partida Maryvilla 9.
Altea: Mar y Montaña
Mar y Montaña, near the L’Olla area of Altea, is widely recognised as the town’s dog-friendly beach.
It is a natural coastal area rather than a large sandy resort beach, so visitors should expect pebbles and a more basic setting.
Villajoyosa: Playa del Xarco
Villajoyosa has a designated dog area at Playa del Xarco, south of the town.
The town’s municipal regulations specifically identify the section on the right-hand side of the beach when facing the sea as the authorised dog area.
The designated section measures around 45 metres.
Xarco is a pebble beach, so it has a very different feel from Villajoyosa’s larger sandy beaches.
El Campello: Punta del Riu and Barranc d’Aigües
El Campello gives dog owners two official options.
Punta del Riu sits at the mouth of the Río Seco, close to the southern end of Carrer la Mar. Barranc d’Aigües lies further north along the coast.
The council confirmed in November 2025 that these remain the municipality’s two authorised dog beaches.
Don’t assume that dogs can use El Campello’s other beaches outside the summer season. The council prohibits dogs from those beaches throughout the year.
Police have also increased patrols following complaints, and fines for taking dogs onto unauthorised beaches can reach €100.
Alicante: Agua Amarga
Agua Amarga is one of the best-known dog beaches on the Costa Blanca.
The beach sits between Alicante and Urbanova, and Alicante Tourism identifies it as the city’s official beach for dogs.
It also has facilities aimed specifically at visitors with dogs during the summer season.
For dog owners looking for a proper beach day rather than a small rocky cove, Agua Amarga is one of the most appealing choices.
Santa Pola: Caleta dels Gossets
Caleta dels Gossets is Santa Pola’s official dog beach. It sits at Cabo de Santa Pola within the natural Calas del Cuartel bathing area.
The beach offers more facilities than many of the Costa Blanca’s natural dog-friendly coves. Visitors can use the car park, fenced area, pedestrian access, public toilets and kiosk with terrace. The site also has an emergency warning system, bins and lifeguard cover during the high season.
Santa Pola monitors the bathing water here between March and September.
Visitors may also notice Posidonia on the shore. The town removes rubbish manually each day but limits mechanical removal of Posidonia because it can contribute to beach erosion.
Torrevieja: Cala Rocío
Torrevieja’s designated dog beach is Cala Rocío, in the Rocío del Mar area towards the southern end of the municipality.
The council designated the beach for dogs in 2020. It remains listed among the official dog beaches in Alicante province.
Cala Rocío is mainly rocky, so sturdy footwear can be useful if you’re planning to spend time exploring the shoreline.
Orihuela Costa: Cabo Peñas
Cabo Peñas, also known as Cala Mosca II, is the official dog beach on Orihuela Costa.
It sits just north of Cala Mosca in Playa Flamenca and gives dog owners another option in the southern Costa Blanca.
The beach combines sandy and rocky areas. It is relatively small and has limited facilities, although Playa Flamenca is nearby for parking, cafés, bars and other services.
Cabo Peñas operates as a year-round dog beach, making it particularly useful for local residents and visitors outside the main summer season.
More information about Cabo Peñas dog beach.
What are the rules on Costa Blanca dog beaches?
A designated dog beach does not mean that owners can ignore the usual rules.
Requirements vary between towns, so check the signs when you arrive. In general, owners must keep their dogs under control and clean up after them.
Some municipalities also have specific rules about leads.
For example, Denia requires owners to keep dogs under control and on a lead under its beach regulations. Calpe also requires dogs to remain on leads along its seafront promenades.
It is worth checking the latest local rules before travelling because councils can change beach access and seasonal restrictions.
Which Costa Blanca dog beach is best?
The answer depends on what you want from your day at the coast.
For facilities: Caleta dels Gossets in Santa Pola and Agua Amarga in Alicante offer more services for visitors.
For a natural setting: Cala Les Urques in Calpe and Playa del Xarco in Villajoyosa provide smaller, more rugged surroundings.
For the northern Costa Blanca: Escollera Norte in Denia is the key summer option.
For the southern Costa Blanca: Cabo Peñas in Orihuela Costa and Cala Rocío in Torrevieja give dog owners two options.
For more choice: El Campello has two designated areas, at Punta del Riu and Barranc d’Aigües.
Sandy beach or rocky cove?
It is worth checking the type of beach before setting off because Costa Blanca dog beaches vary considerably.
If you are expecting a huge stretch of soft sand, some of the options may surprise you. Cala Les Urques in Calpe is a small pebble cove, while Playa del Xarco in Villajoyosa is also predominantly pebbly.
Cabo Peñas combines sand and rocks. Cala Rocío is mainly rocky, while Agua Amarga provides a more conventional beach setting.
Caleta dels Gossets in Santa Pola is another good choice if facilities are important, particularly during the high season.
