What to do when it rains on the Costa Blanca: caves, museums, aquarium

Yes, it sometimes rains on the Costa Blanca. Rarely — but when it does, it means it, and it’s always on the day you’d planned for the beach. The good news: the area has plenty to do indoors, and some of it is worth seeing even in glorious sunshine. Here are our favourite plan Bs, tested and approved by families who woke up slightly disappointed.

1. The Canelobre caves (Busot)

Our absolute favourite. At 700 metres up on the slopes of the Cabeçó d’Or, the Canelobre caves boast one of the highest cave vaults in Spain: 70 metres. Stalactites, stalagmites and giant columns — including one over 25 metres tall nicknamed ‘the Sagrada Familia’ — all beautifully lit. You enter through a 45-metre tunnel, and visits are guided only, in groups leaving every 40 minutes.

Colour-lit formations inside the Canelobre caves — The illuminated interior of the caves, and the entrance tunnel cut into the mountain. chisloup · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commonschisloup · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The rock-cut entrance to the Canelobre caves, with a gate — The illuminated interior of the caves, and the entrance tunnel cut into the mountain. chisloup · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commonschisloup · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

2. The MARQ, Alicante’s archaeology museum

The MARQ is one of Spain’s liveliest archaeology museums: immersive displays, projections and spectacular temporary exhibitions. From the Iberians to the Romans, you travel through millennia of local history without a dull moment.

Iberian stone sculpture of a bull’s head on display at the MARQ in Alicante — An Iberian bull's head, one of the MARQ's treasures. Dorieo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Opening hours (winter): Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 7pm, Sundays and holidays 10am – 2pm, closed Mondays. Tickets from the official ticket office.

3. The Valor chocolate museum (Villajoyosa)

Free, delicious and perfect for kids: a 45-minute guided tour with a tasting at the end. Note that it’s closed on Sundays. Full details in our article on Villajoyosa.

4. The Oceanogràfic and the science museum (Valencia)

If you’re near Valencia, this is THE rainy-day plan: hours under cover among sharks, belugas and hands-on experiments. See the Oceanogràfic and the City of Arts and Sciences.

5. Guadalest’s quirky museums

Eight museums in a village of 280 people, including one devoted to microminiatures: a rainy day becomes a treasure hunt with a magnifying glass. See our guide to Guadalest.

6. The covered markets

Valencia’s or Alicante’s Mercado Central can be explored in the dry, and you’ll come out with everything for an indoor picnic. See Costa Blanca markets.

And with kids?

To plan your whole week around the weather, ages and energy levels, see our guide to family days out on the Costa Blanca.