A process for preparing at least one unsaturated alcohol (B) comprises the steps (I) to (III) below:

(I) reaction of at least one alkali metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal hydroxide with at least one alcohol (A) in at least one organic solvent (L) to give a mixture (G-I) comprising at least the alcohol (A), the solvent (L) and an alkoxide (AL);

(II) reaction of at least one carbonyl compound of the formula R—CO—R with at least one alkyne of the formula R"—CC—H and the mixture (G-I) obtained in step (I) to give a mixture (G-II) comprising at least the alcohol (A), the solvent (L) and an unsaturated alcohol (B);

(III) distillation of the mixture (G-II) obtained in step (II) to give the alcohol or alcohols (B) and a mixture (G-III) comprising the solvent (L) and the alcohol (A),

wherein the solvent (L) obtained in step (III) and the alcohol (A) obtained in step (III) are recycled as a mixture to step (I).