Explore the ruins of Denia Castle in Costa Blanca and enjoy the panoramic views of the city, the Port of Denia and Montgo National Park.
Situated on a 60-meter (196-foot) hill, in the heart of the city, this castle once fighting off the pirates, is now a symbol of the city.
Location
The port city of Denia is located in Spain, on the Costa Blanca coast, between Valencia and Alicante.
Nearby towns and cities you might know: Javea, Xativa, Calpe, Gandia, Altea.
How to get there
From Alicante via AP-7 it takes 1 hour (this is a toll-free motorway/highway). When staying in Benidorm, count with about a 50-minute drive (via AP-7).
You could also add this fortress to your itinerary if staying more than 24 hours in Valencia. It is an easy drive south on the above-mentioned motorway.
The journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, so you can visit it in half a day and combine it with other interesting sights on the way.
There are some hidden gems in the area worth visiting. I have created a list of easy day trips from Valencia that you might find helpful when planning your trip.
A bit of history
The castle was originally built by Muslims, and they used it as their rule’s residence between the 11-12th century. However, its grounds show remains of Roman constructions which date back before that.
Throughout the centuries the place witnessed pirate attacks and various rulers and owners each of them making their own mark on the castle.
In the 19th century the castle was passed on to a private owner and was turned into an agricultural finca. Their main focus was growing vines for the production of raisins.
Opening hours
The hours change from season to season. For that reason, it is best to check this with Denia tourist office either at Plaza del Consell (right at the entrance to the tunnel that leads you to the castle entrance) or Plaça de Oculista Buigues, 9 (located in the port).
Either way, it is always open from 10 am every day, no matter what the season.
Its closing time varies from month to month, and it can range from 6 pm to 8.30 pm.
Top tip
In summer, they often do night visits so look for Visiting Denia Castle at Night. You might be lucky able to check it out until midnight.
During 2 weeks in summer, the castle hosts a variety of music concerts. The entrance to the grounds is free of charge but you have to pay for the concert ticket. Its price can vary, depending on the artists. These concerts usually start around 10-11 pm.
Admission fee
- Adults: 3 euros
- Kids: 1 euro (8-16 years of age)
- Residents: Free
Tip – Payment option:
Last time we visited they only accepted credit cards. Not sure if this is still the case but keep this in mind before you climb up the hill.
FAQs
In summer, it is best to visit either early morning or late afternoon. I don’t recommend doing so between 12 pm–3 pm. This is the hottest part of the day.
Be like the Spaniards and take siesta instead! It is one of the things Spain is known for after all!
If visiting during fall or spring, choose any time slot that suits you the best.
Several towers, gates, walls that you can walk on, cannons, some artifacts from excavation works, remains of the palace and an archeological museum.
Count with 1-2 hours, depending on your pace. If you are stuck for time but wondering if you still could pull it off, I say YES. You can easily do it in 1 hour.
Where is the entrance to Denia castle
It is a bit hidden, on the Carrer Sant Francesc street.
If you start at Placa del Consell, you take the Tunel del Castell – a tunnel that brings you to “C/ Santisimma Trinitat” street (on your left after the little car park).
Take the first left (stairs) and once you climb the stairs, you will see 2 streets. Take the first left onto Carrer del Salt and follow this street until the end.
There you turn left again. At this stage you will already be on the “Carrer Sant Francesc” street that will bring you to a gate which is the entrance to the castle.
Or, skip the tunnel and find C/del Loreto. Take first right onto C/de l’Olivera until you reach the stairs. Climb those. You will get onto the Carrer Sant Francesc street which will bring you to the castle. This route takes literally 4 minutes.
Cons:
I would not recommend visiting Denia castle to those with walking difficulties. It is not a wheelchair friendly nor push-chair-friendly place.
The castle is accessible from the town center by foot only. There are no cars allowed to drive up to the entrance.
The access is poorly signposted, and its entrance can be a challenge to find without Google Maps.
What we think
We visited a lot of fortresses and castles in Spain as well as other European cities. While this one is quite bare, it still makes a nice day trip from Javea, Valencia or any other nearby town.
Its admission fee is reasonable for what you get to see. The negatives I have already mentioned above and it is up to you to decide whether it is one of the places to visit in Spain or simply skip.
Also make sure you get a chance to explore the little archaeological museum and I am positive you will enjoy the visit. We really liked it.
Yes, the place could be in a better state and offer at least a basic leaflet in English, seeing that Denia does have quite a good number of foreign tourists and yes, the grounds could be more accessible to the youngest kids but let’s hope this will change in the future.
More tips
- Ibiza, a popular party island in the Mediterranean Sea can be reached from this port in 2 hours and 15 minutes by ferry.
- On a clear sky-day you can even see this island from the castle.
- The castle tunnel was built to serve as a bomb shelter during the Spanish War.
- Google Maps shows street names in Valencian language. This can be confusing. Carrer=Calle=Street. Sometimes they shorten it to C/ which also means carrer/street.
- Keep in mind that tourist offices close for siesta during the hottest time of the day!