Peñíscola

A view of the Castle and Old Town from the North Beach on a sunny February morning

Peniscola - El Cids town in the sea
on the beautiful Costa Azahar...

About half way between Salou and Valencia, along the Orange Blossom Coast, lies the small fishing village of Peniscola, it is not necessarily one of the best known resorts along the Costa del Azahar but none the less a jewel in the crown of the of the beautiful coast of eastern Spain.

The town of Peñíscola is characterised by its medieval castle which juts out into the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and remains enclosed by both the ancient town walls and the Sea on almost all sides. In fact Peniscola is often referred to as the city in the sea as it is connected to the mainland only by a narrow strip of land.

Peniscola is a mix of the old and the new, the old quarter is a place of great aesthetic beauty and the quaint white-walled houses line a maze of narrow winding streets and alleyways, forming the area known as the `old town`, Peniscola old town comes to life at night and is well worth visiting. Many visitors will recognise Peniscola as featuring in the epic 1960`s film `El Cid` as it was the setting for the final scenes of the film with Peniscola playing the part of Valencia. It is a ramshackle collection of old residential, commercial and civic buildings; a must see for any visiting Peniscola for the first time.

Peñiscola today is becoming a more popular tourist destination and its main beach is some 5km long and around 44 metres wide, with areas of sand and rocks, the beach is lapped by the calm, warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea. To the south, the tiny beaches are bounded by rocky cliffs and coves and are a popular area for snorkelling and scuba diving. The attraction to this small town is so obvious, it is a place of aesthetic beauty set in a dramatic location and offers many kilometres of pristine sandy beaches and a multitude of facilities.

Although tourism is by far Peniscola`s main source of income at present, fishing is still very much a part of everyday life here. Close to the port are a good selection of bars and restaurants and is a great place to try out some of the local fish dishes for which the area is famous.

Getting to Peniscola is easy either via Valencia airport in the south, Reus near Salou which is the most common option or Barcelona Airport north although it is set to get easier with a new international airport opening in the Spring of 2010 which will be situated just 20km away.

Peniscola enjoys a superb all year round climate with plenty of sunshine and very low rainfall. Peniscola enjoys a generally dry climate with long hot summers and mild winters.

Peniscola is great place to spend your holidays, alive with atmosphere and tradition and aside from a picturesque historic town centre Peniscola boasts a long blue flag rated sandy beachfront. It is a favourite destination as it offers a taste of real Spain. If you are looking to holiday in the "Real" Spain you can find fantastic selection of accommodation on offer, some of the best deals around can be found here Peñíscola hotels. Good luck and enjoy your trip.