Bathed by a blue sea and with a favourable climate, Benicarló is both a modern city, with its industry and tourism, and a seafaring town with traditions. The rich fertile farmlands around Benicarló makes its agriculture very important, where the artichoke is highly remarkable, being awarded as a "Denomination of Origin" in recognition of their excellent quality and unique features.

As colourful and traditional Festivals stands out the Benicarló Artichoke Festival (January) where the visitor can taste this wonderful vegetal on the "torrada" (the roasting of artichokes); the "Fallas" (St. Joseph's Day, 19 March), an unforgettable spectacle of fire, light and colour, concluding with the "Cremà" (burning) and destruction of the "fallas" that have been constructed after a year of work and dreams. St. Bartholomew (St. Senén, St. Abdón and St. Mary of the Sea, August). The celebrations held in honour of its patron saints fill Benicarló with light and colour, and a large proportion of the population takes part. The constant activity and variety of acts make the celebrations attractive for people of all ages. The typical "Bous a la Mar" (bulls on the sea shore), where the sea acts as a refreshing refuge from the bull, although sometimes it is not enough as the bull also ends up plunging into the water.

With infrastructures that are in keeping with a small city, the important railway station with connections to all over in Europe, good road communications with the highway A-7, bus lines, and much more. Benicarló is a comfortable place with a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. Benicarló stands out for its cuisine (specially the quality of its seafood and produce from the land), its commercial activity, and the fact that it is possible to practice most sports in excellent installations and enviable surroundings.

Here you can also find campsites, villas, tourist apartments and top-quality hotels which will guarantee your comfort during your stay in this city.  

Peñíscola’s charm with its admirable inhabitants, its historical wealth, its long and beautiful beaches (7 km) together with the gentle Mediterranean climate, offer a great choice of things to do. The town also has up-to-date tourist facilities providing excellent services to the visitor. You will find happy and lively atmosphere in the variety of night-spots.

Tourism is the main source of Peñíscola’s income; but fishing plays an important part in the local economy too and the town’s fishing fleet is one of the largest and busiest in the area. The local cuisine stands out for its excellent fish and seafood straight from the water of the Mediterranean and the fruits and vegetables from the rich fertile farmlands around Peñíscola.

You can enjoy all your favourite sports in Peñíscola, specially those to do with the sea. The festivals of Peñíscola are happy, extrovert and celebrated in the streets. The city has also an important cultural life with events including, the Classical Music Season, Processions, and of course the International Comedy Film Festival, as an example.

Come and discover this unique place on the Mediterranean.

Its beaches are well worth a visit, with alternating tiny coves and large beaches flying the European "blue flag". Here you can practice nearby nearly all sports such as golf, tennis, water sports, and much more. Infrastructures that are in keeping with a small city, the important local Hospital, railway station to connections to all over in Europe, good road communications with the highway A-7, bus lines, and much more.

Here you will imagine scents such as the fruit scents of cultivated land, the saltiness of the boats in the harbour, the sweet scent of the orange and lemon blossom, the provocative scents of seafood, and much more.

You will imagine colours such as those of a plain full of greens and ambers, a sea decorated with an infinite range of blues, golden sands, a light-blue sky with a sugar tint. You will also imagine sounds of the fluttering birds, the muffled and peaceful echo of the waves lapping on the shore, the pleasant stirring of the palm trees brushed by the gentle breeze.

All this together with the main product in local cuisine, prawns, imposing buildings as the church "Nuestra Señora de la Asunción", ancestral traditions and popular festivities such as the Carnival and the "Fiesta del Langostino"(August) or the "Fira I Festes de Sant Joan I Sant Pere" (July) guarantee a wide variety of activities for visitors to enjoy.

We look forward to welcoming you on the Costa Azahar!

The "Orange Blossom Coast" and The "Maestrazgo" – Land of Valencia

With 120 kilometres of coastline washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Orange Blossom Coast (Costa Azahar), as also the inland called "El Maestrazgo" have more than enough reasons to encourage visitors and residents in the area to seek the shores and enjoy all the benefits of:

• ·         Extremely pleasant temperatures which an average in the summer of 28ºC and 18ºC in the winter.
   

• ·         Its not overcrowded beaches with its clean water, guaranteed yearly by the "blue flags" rewarded from the EU. More than 300 days of sun the year!
  
   

• ·         Very good trade connections. Because of its central situation on the Spanish Mediterranean Sea. The highway A-7 crosses the province from north to south. Also remarkable is the railway line which offers with the railway stations of Benicarló/Peñíscola and Vinaròs connections to all over Europe. And of course the international airports of Valencia, Reus and Barcelona which are easily attainable. Very soon in Castellón de la Plana there will be a new airport available, situated between Benlloch and Villanova d’Alcolea and only about 40 km from Benicarló.
   

• ·         The friendliness of the inhabitants of the Costa Azahar and the Maestrazgo towards visitors and new fellow citizens. The people in this region are cheerful and helpful with an open and honest character.
   

• ·         Extensive sea sports line-up and maritime links, very nice golf courses, and much more.
   

• ·         Stimulating ambience thanks to the wonderful unspoiled landscape, on the coast and in the inland, with its numerous orange, almond and olive tree orchards, nature reserves, fascinating mountains, picturesque villages and historical sites. Remarkable in the Mediterranean Sea are the "Islas Columbretes" - a unique nature reserve and a paradise for diver and sail-sport.
   

• ·         Tourists searching for beach life at its best, and fun in the sun, they will find a wide variety off attractions and landscapes capable of satisfying all tastes, from the prosaic to the exotic.
   

• ·         It’s Gastronomy – you will taste the best Mediterranean Cuisine with wonderful traditional courses.
   

• ·         "Fiestas" and traditions. Here you will live typical and colourful Mediterranean festivals. An unforgettable experience for all visitors.

Where to go? The inland "El Maestrazgo" offers some very attractive destinations like:

Ulldecona reservoir – Tinença de Benifessà (at 50 km aprox from Benicarló). The reservoir is set in a natural area of great beauty, which is ideal for hill walking, and from where it is possible to observe the large colony of wild goats and Griffon vultures living there. Cave paintings in the "Polvorí" cave, next to the reservoir's dam. The Monastery of St. Mary in Benifassà, Cistercian (XIII century). In the surrounding area, almost uninhabited Medieval settlements (such as Fredes, el Boixar and Bellestar) can be found.

Traiguera ( at 24 km), famous for its pottery workshops.

Sant Mateu (at 26 km). The ancient capital city of the "Maestrazgo" considered to be of historical-monumental interest, a classical example of civil Gothic architecture.

Ares del Maestre (at 80 km). This ancient settlement situated 1.200m high, is very picturesque. Places of interest include the Gothic town hall, Neo-Classical parish church, remains of the "Muela castle", and cava paintings ("Remigia cave").

Villafranca (at 90 km). Gotic town hall ( XIV century), altarpiece on panels (1455) by Valentin Montoliu, renaissance parish church (1567-1575), etc. .

Benassal (at 75 km). The spa "Font d'en Segures" is famous for the high quality of its waters. Also the parish church (XVII century) and noblemen's houses.

Morella (at 75 km). This Medieval city par excellence is in the inland, reference point as Peñíscola is on the coast. It is the capital city of the region of "El Ports", and is of a great historical-artistic interest. The castle, city walls, access gates and towers form the boundary are one of the best-kept Medieval centres.

Also very remarkable are:

Delta del Ebro (at 40 km). This is the big nature reserve of the Ebro Delta, which enables us to learn more about this ecosystem of great beauty. It is exceptionally rich in flora and fauna. You can observe this nature for example by boat trips on the river Ebro, also you can visit the thematic museums.

Vall d'Uixo (at 100 km). Here are the caverns of St. Joseph, it can be found in the "Espadan" mountain range. Inside the caverns, who can be visit by boat trips, are examples of the most spectacular whims of the nature that have been created by water and the passing of time. From here you should not miss the visit to Sagunto, with its famous Roman monuments, and of course Valencia, where you can discover its monuments like the cathedral, "el Miguelete", "la Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados", the historical city centre "el Barrio del Carmen", as examples, the famous shopping street "Calle Colón" or enjoy the traditional Cuisine and the intense cultural life (Valencia is situated at 130 km from Benicarló).

Islas Columbretes: the greatest treasure of these volcanic isles can be found on their seabed. Protected as a natural reserve, these isles maintain a restricted visiting system, as they can only be visited during the summer on trips organised by authorised boats.

Plenty of things to discover – we look forward to welcoming you on the

Costa Azahar

–

"The Orange Blossom Coast"!