Peníscola

Peñíscola

Member of Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España

Joined to the mainland by a narrow neck of land, a rocky headland carries Peníscola's walled old town, crowned by the castle the Knights Templar built between 1294 and 1307. The schismatic pope Benedict XIII, Papa Luna, lived out his last years here, and the castle later stood in for Valencia in the film El Cid. Long beaches run north and south, with the wild Serra d'Irta beyond.

Highlights

The Castell del Papa Luna, with terrace views over town and coast
El Bufador, a cavern where the sea escapes in clouds of spray
Casa de las Conchas, its façades entirely covered in seashells
Hiking and cycling in the Serra d'Irta natural park and marine reserve
Summer festivals of early and baroque music, and of jazz

Summary based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.

Population: 8,774

Things to see

Badum Tower (ES)
Marjal de Peníscola (ES)
Church of Santa Maria, Peniscola (ES)
Museu de la Mar (Peníscola) (ES)
Peniscola lighthouse (ES)
Peniscola port (ES)
church of Our Lady of the Ermitana (ES)
hermitage of Saint Anthony the Great (ES)

Travel guide (Wikivoyage)

Peñíscola is a town of 7,500 people (2018) in the province of Castellón on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. The town with its 5 km of beaches is one of the most heavily visited tourist destinations in Spain, popular with Spanish and foreign visitors; in summers the population of this small town explodes to more than 150,000 people.

Text from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA

Events through the year

Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot Religious · 17 JanuaryPatronal feast of the town
Carnival Seasonal · A weekend in February
Romería to the Saint Anthony hermitage Religious · Sunday after Easter Sunday
Feast of Saint Peter Religious · Late JuneOpen-air dances and release of young cows
Festival de Teatro Clásico Castillo de Peñíscola Music and arts · July and August
Festival Internacional de Jazz de Peñíscola Music and arts · All of JulyInternational jazz concerts, held since 2003
Festival Internacional de Música Antigua y Barroca Music and arts · AugustOpens in early August with a pyromusical show
Ciclo de Conciertos de Música Clásica Music and arts · SeptemberClassical concerts in the castle's Gothic hall and the auditorium
Fiestas de la Virgen de la Ermitana Religious · From 7 September; main days 8 and 9Les Danses, human towers, fireworks, then Moors and Christians parades
Medieval market Fairs and markets · End of the yearHeld inside the walled old town