Nature

At the Costa Blanca youl find steep cliffs, many beaches, mountains and salt flats, among other things. Due to the variety of nature it has a number of natural parks worth visiting:

Fulla Roja

Paraje Hoya Roja or Fulla Roja is a nature reserve near Santa Pola where large Eucalyptus and pine trees grow. This area is great for hiking or cycling. You will see remnants of old stone walls and characteristic red earth, all in all a nice area to relax.

You can find the hiking trail and other routes here.

La Sierra y el Cabo

La Sierra y el Cabo is a steep rock formation rising to 144 metres above sea level. At its highest point an old lighthouse called Atalayola. The sierra is of great environmental importance being one of the few fossil reefs on the Mediterranean coast and home to vegetation and fauna. Cape Santa Pola is unique in Europe. It consists of a fossil coral reef made up of stromatolites and halimede algae.

From the 20th century the old police barracks (known as the Torre d'en Mig) where based here. Their mission was to guard the coasts and borders. It was erected to stop smuggling and prevent any attacks.

It is currently occupied by the Marine Research Centre (CIMAR).

More information on this walking route can be found at this link.

Parc Natural de las Salinas de Santa Pola

The Natural Park de las Salinas de Santa Pola is located in the coastal area and covers an area of 2,470 hectares. This park is included is a protected natural area of international importance. It is an area very important for birds. You can see large flocks of flamingos frolicking through the water here.

Parc Natural de las Salinas de Santa Pola.

Palmeral de Elche

One of the largest palm tree gardens in the world is in Elche. Over 300,000 palm trees was created by the city's founders (the Moors). Besides palm trees, you will also find other Mediterranean trees such as fig and orange trees. The Palm Grove has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

The Palmeral Imperial (Imperial Palm Tree) resembles a candelabra. According to history, Empress Sissi fell in love with Elche in 1894. The Palmeral Imperial is named after and is a tribute to the empress.

For information on the Palm Tree Forest, click here.

Find more hiking trails via this link.