The steep and rough coast located between Denia and Calp provides travellers with a number of options and the opportunity to live the Mediterranean experience. Cliffs, islands and marine reserves, lookout caves, mills, fishermen's routes, mountains looking over the sea and vegetable gardens connect the modern day region of the Marina Alta with its past, whose climate and resources attracted Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Moors, Christians and Berber pirates many centuries ago.
The route starts with a trip around Denia, the Roman Dianium and the Muslim Daniya, which was at its most glorious in the 11th century, when it became the capital of the kingdom of Taifa and had a population of 30,000 inhabitants. From the castle, the Archaeological Museum and the neighbourhood of Les Roques, an example of popular Mediterranean architecture, you can head south to the port, from where the ferries to the Balearic Islands depart. The yacht club, with its sporting and leisure facilities, the sailing neighbourhood known as Baix La Mar, the Bay of Almadrava, Les Deveses beach and Les Rotes beach are all part of the visitor's busy itinerary of things to do and see. The kayaking routes enable you to visit a number of unique places, such as the mythical cova tallada, measuring 200 metres, which can be accessed by the sea and where visitors can admire the work of the medieval quarry workers who extracted the rock to build the castle of Denia and the church of Javea.
Located between the Natural Park of Montgó (753 m), el Puig de la Llorença and el Cabo de la Nao, the bay of Jávea is shaped like a half-moon and is limited by the capes of San Antonio and San Martín. The town of Javea is built on this magnificent natural amphitheatre and is currently a cultural and tourist referent.
There used to be an important fishing factory located in Punta del Arenal, where the Romans used to make their precious Garum, a type of salted fish paste used for feeding their crew. Today, this area is made up of a sandy beach, a seafront promenade and a national parador.
Continuing down the coast, we eventually get to Cap Prim and Cala Blanca, which close the inlet, as well as the Island of Portichol and Cap Negre, which is covered in vegetation and was known as the Tenebrium cape by the Romans. Surrounding this piece of land which penetrates the sea is the Cabo de la Nao, the most eastern geodesic point of the Iberian Peninsula, at 120 metres above sea level. Then we come across the Cabo Ambolo, slightly more withdrawn but equally impressive, which has a solitary and rocky bay and a watchtower built to protect the fishermen from Berber attacks. The Island of the Descubridor, impressive but inaccessible, is located nearby and is where dozens of species, such as cormorants, seagulls and the European storm petrel, build their nests. The island's name is in honour of the Javea-born sailor who accompanied Columbus on his trip to the Indies.
Hidden between these impressive cliffs is Granadella cove, a fairytale-like cove which is reminiscent of Ibiza and offers an oasis of pine trees and crystal clear waters. It has won the award for the best beach in Spain in a number of television competitions. Passing by capes, pine tree forests, residential houses and the remains of castles in ruins, we get to Les Planes, plains with steep ravines which connect with another great colossus: the Puig de la Llorença. Fishermen know these drops to the sea like the back of their hand. Hanging from a piece of rope and straw gangways, they risk their lives in the hope of getting an uncertain catch in order to complement their meagre Christmas earnings. These used to be known as the peixqueres, a system of environment adaptation and a fight for survival when the natural circumstances were not good – a combination between fishing, climbing and adventure. You can still see these hanging fishing boats, where the fishermen used to spend entire nights sitting under the moonlight. Teulada – Moraira is another port located on this route. It is also watched over by the Cap d'Or tower and the castle which, together with its moat and raised bridge, constituted the defensive coastal system in periods of uncertainty, in which the Berber pirates were a threat to these coasts. Now it is quite the contrary, where both the hidden and remote coves, such as Tiestos i el Lleveig, and La Ampolla beach provide visitors with peace and tranquillity next to the most humane sea: the Mediterranean.
Next, Benissa offers beautiful coves where visitors can enjoy crystal clear waters, such as La Fustera, while Calpe has one of the coast's most unusual natural landmarks: the Peñón de Ifach. This beautiful geological accident is 332 metres high and extends over one kilometre into the sea. It was declared a Natural Park in 1987 and it divides Calpe's coast into two, which has no shortage of sandy beaches, such as La Fossa, Arenal-Bol and Cantal Roig, or Roman archaeological sites, such as the Baños de la Reina.
The Marina Alta's natural and marine environment is linked to the gastronomic delights offered by its magnificent bars and restaurants, such as Quique Dacosta, ranked with three Michelin stars, and Bonamb, in Jávea, and Casa Pepa, in Ondara, both ranked with one Michelin. Indisputable products, such as Denia's red prawn, and the tradition which originated in the neighbouring islands offer visitors a vast list of dishes to choose from, including llandetes al caldero (a white fish stew made in a cauldron), figatelles (small hamburgers) and dozens of rice dishes.
In contrast to the Marina Alta's Mediterranean coast, the region's inner valleys offer an incredible variety of trips and leisure activities. We suggest starting at La Rectoría valley, crossing the river Girona and passing through five villages with a lasting Moorish past. Continue through La Vall de Laguar, visiting the spectacular Barranc de l'Infern and the king of all hiking trails, comprised of 6,500 dry stone steps made by the Moors. Then head towards La Vall d'Ebo for a spectacular mountain range itinerary, where you can visit magical spots such as the Vall de Pop, taste the sweet wines made in Xaló, enter the Rull cave or climb the Cavall Verd, where a castle represents the last bastion of the Moorish resistance before being expelled from the region.
From Adsubia, where the majestic Forna castle is located, you can access another two hidden valleys, where a number of natural and historical treasures are waiting to be discovered. These are the Vall de Gallinera, which has seven small charming villages dotted along its winding road, and La Vall d'Alcalà, comprised of another two valleys, Alacalà de la Jovada and Beniaia. The former offers you with the opportunity to appreciate the magic of its cherry blossom and to climb the Foradà (854 m) to experience its legendary solar alignment on 4th October, the day of San Francisco de Asís, while the latter includes the deserted Moorish towns of Atzuvieta and Queirola, allowing you to travel back in time and re-live the agricultural past of the old Moorish farmhouses.