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Peniscola is a Spanish resort which blends history and culture with stunning beaches and a superb choice of leisure facilities and quality tourist services. Situated at the northern end of the Costa del Azahar north of Valencia and growing Castellon, the medieval fortifications, old town and castle at Peniscola give this resort a unique historical edge.
Visitors to Peniscola can access the sublime Sierra de Irta Nature Reserve running for 15km parallel to the Peniscola coastal stretch. Both mountain biking and hiking are popular in this protected area which is home to the hermitages of Saint Antoni Abad and Saint Lucia, dating from the 17th century. The choice of outdoor leisure activities here on the Costa del Azahar is excellent (sailing is particularly popular here), with both spectacular natural park and coastal territory close to hand. Peniscola also benefits from a good choice of family holiday attractions including a mini waterpark, tourist train and more, plus plenty of restaurants bars and shops lining its long and wide beach promenade. Peniscola's central location between Valencia and Tarragona and the Costa Dorada means you've easy access to attractions in both including Valencia's huge aquarium within the City of Arts and Sciences complex and the Waterparks and tourist attractions around Salou and indeed south in the Costa Blanca.
Peniscola's strategic location combined with its natural raised rocky outcrop perfect for a defensive fortress has long made the town an important one for settlers. Peniscola's old town houses historic buildings built across different periods. The fortifications to the south and east faces of the castle date from the 13th and 15th centuries respectively. Built originally in by the Knights Templar and completed by the Montesianos in the 14th century, Pope Luna later modified Peniscola's castle further. Peniscola Castle is particularly famous for being the home of Pope Benedicte XIII, Pedro de Luna from 1411 to 1423 and is a fine example of military architecture dating from the early Middle Ages. Much remains of interest and a visit inside is highly recommended. Old service quarters, an old cistern, stable, rectangular hall and the main interior plaza are all intact inside. See also the palace of Benedict XIII to the right of the patio and the old study of Pedro de Luna with his coat of arms above the door. Within the castle site sits the castle chapel, and look down over the edge of the walls to see the remains of the steep stairway leading down to the sea. You can just make out the natural pier.
Getting to Peniscola is easy either via Valencia airport south (most common or Barcelona Airport north. Car Hire in Peniscola is highly recommended to move around the region. The A7 main Mediterranean motorway runs close to Peniscola, for easy access in and out. Local buses are reasonable, running to nearby Castellon and just to the north of Peniscola to Benicarlo and beyond Vainaros. Benicarlo has a railway station from which Renfe trains run daily up to Tortosa, Salou, Tarragona and Barcelona and south to Castellon and Valencia. Plans are currently afoot for an airport near Castellon which should see the Costa del Azahar area boom further in the near future!
Peniscola's excellent tourist webguide (right) provides a detailed leaflet to download on the Irta Mountains and nature reserve as well as maps of marked paths for both mountain bikes and hiking. There's also a detailed guide on Peniscola's 6km of beaches, offering everything from sailing and water skiing to a choice of boat trips! Benicassim's big waterpark - Aquarama is to the south of Peniscola (see weblink right). The Castellon area is renowned for its heritage of ceramics production, and nowhere is this history better explored than at Castellon's central Museo de Bellas Arts where you'll find around 1000 pieces of ceramics on display. The painting section here offers further delights with the likes of Ribera, Sorolla and Zurbaran on display. Museo de Bellas Arts, Avenida Hermanos Bou, 28-12003 Castellon de la Planta. Tel. (0034) 964727500.
Peniscola Tourist information, Ayuntamiento de Peniscola, Plaza de la Constitucion, 1 - 12598 Peniscola Castellon. Tel. 964480050.
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