Author: Ester LLorach

If you’re looking for things to do in Peñíscola at night, this experience will show you a completely different side of the city. Famous Peñíscola, known for its beaches and Mediterranean charm, hides a world full of history, mystery and legends once night falls.

This night tour in Peñíscola is perfect for those who want to go beyond traditional tourism and enjoy an original, immersive activity full of excitement.

🕯️ Secrets, mysteries and legends of Peñíscola

During this tour you’ll discover hidden stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. The streets of the old town become the perfect setting to talk about enigmas, historical figures and surprising tales.

If you’re interested in mystery tourism in Peñíscola, this activity is a must. Every corner has something to tell, and every stop brings you a little closer to the city’s most unknown past.

Unique places on a night visit around Peñíscola

Throughout this guided night tour in Peñíscola, you’ll visit some of the most special places:

• Hidden corners of the old town
• Streets with centuries of history
• Viewpoints with sea views at night
• Little-known spots that only reveal their magic after sunset

It’s one of the best options for night-time activities in Peñíscola, ideal for curious travellers as well as couples looking for a different experience.

🍷 Final tasting: a brew with history

To round off this experience, you’ll enjoy a tasting of an ancient brew, a tradition that adds a special touch to the night.

This moment turns the tour into more than just a walk: a complete experience within experiential tourism in Peñíscola, where history, culture and sensations come together.

An ideal plan for a romantic getaway in Peñíscola

If you’re planning a romantic getaway in Peñíscola, this night-time activity is the perfect complement. The atmosphere, the soft lighting, the stories and the setting create an intimate, different experience.

Are you looking for a fun educational excursion for your high school? The Peñíscola Castle is the perfect place! It’s not only a historical icon with impressive walls and spectacular Mediterranean views, but it also offers educational activities for high schools that bring history to life.

An Experience Students Will Remember

On our school excursions to Peñíscola Castle, students don’t just hear stories: they live them. They explore every corner of the castle, discover Templar secrets, and understand the historical importance of this medieval stronghold. The visits are designed for every student to participate, ask questions, and be amazed, turning the educational excursion into an unforgettable adventure.

Educational Activities for High Schools

We know that school groups are looking for more than a traditional guided tour. That’s why our guided tours for students include:

• Workshops and educational challenges that foster teamwork and curiosity.
• Explanations adapted to the students’ age, so everyone understands and enjoys learning.

These activities for students make the school trip to Peñíscola Castle fun, educational, and completely safe.

Why Choose Peñíscola Castle for High School Excursions

Planning a school excursion here has many advantages:

• Customized itineraries according to the group and their educational level.
• Educational experiences designed for students to connect with history in a practical way.
• Safe and accessible spaces for teachers and students to enjoy with peace of mind.
• A perfect combination of learning, culture, and fun that makes everyone want to come back.

ORGANIZE YOUR EDUCATIONAL EXCURSION TODAY!

If you want your high school to have an unforgettable educational excursion, don’t hesitate: Peñíscola Castle is the ideal destination. Contact us and discover how we can transform a school visit into an experience full of history, laughter, and discoveries.

Learning has never been so much fun!

At Vive Peñiscola we experienced one of those activities that connects directly with the essence of our land: a day dedicated to the artichoke, our most emblematic product.

The activity started in the field, surrounded by nature and tradition, where we participated in a harvest of natural and artisanal artichokes together with Miguel and Maite. It was a special moment, not only because of the setting, but because of everything we learned about the cultivation, care and value of this product so close to our hearts.

Picking artichokes directly from the earth is an experience that completely changes the way you see them afterwards: each piece tells a story of effort, dedication and love for the land.

From field to table…

After the harvest, the day continued with a highly anticipated moment: the tasting of our products.

Participants were able to discover and savor unique offerings such as artichoke liqueur and artichoke beer, two original ways to enjoy this distinctive ingredient. The surprise was universal: different, authentic flavors with lots of personality.

This type of experience allows us to show that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand, creating new ways to enjoy what we’ve always known.

Much more than an activity…

At Vive Peñiscola we believe in this type of initiative because it goes beyond a simple activity: it’s a way to connect with our roots, to support local products and to share real moments among people.

Today we didn’t just harvest artichokes, we shared knowledge, laughter and a way of understanding our surroundings.

And this… is just the beginning.

Peñíscola is a name in History, present in it since the most ancient civilizations. A fortress that, thanks to its extraordinary natural conditions, has been a coveted place for all Mediterranean sailors. The two key factors are its strategic location on a rocky promontory, a castle naturally protected almost entirely by the sea except for a sandy spit, together with its providential abundance of freshwater springs. These two natural conditions will make it a place in History.

There are abundant archaeological remains found near the tombolo, at sites in the nearby mountains, confirming the settlement of these lands by an Iberian people (Ilercavones), as well as the relationship between them and the Phoenician merchants who arrived by sea (7th–6th centuries BC). In Peñíscola, Phoenicians from Tyre probably settled, and shortly afterwards Greeks from Zacynthus. Later, other peoples would arrive by sea, such as Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, and Arabs.

The oldest written accounts are found in references by Hecataeus (6th century BC), Strabo (1st century BC), and Rufus Festus Avienus (4th century), who in their descriptions of the coast mention the city of Chersonesos. A name the Greeks gave the city, and whose translation means peninsula. It would also be the Romans who, when translating the Greek name of the city into Latin (according to renowned philologists, in the vulgar form pene+iscola, “almost an island”), gave rise to today’s place name, Peñíscola.

From the year 718, when Tariq completed the conquest, until 1233, the city of Peñíscola lived under Muslim rule. Arab geographers refer to Peñíscola (which they would call Banáskula) as an impregnable castle by the sea, with farmsteads, crops, an abundance of fresh water, and important salt pans.

From the fortress over the sea, which would become a frontier with Christendom, the Moors raided the coastline and carried out incursions into the Kingdom of Aragon. Peñíscola would be the birthplace of illustrious figures such as the famous Wolf King, Mohamed ben San, Aben Mardanish (1124), who managed to maintain an independent Islamic kingdom in the southeast of the peninsula against African invaders.

Although he had already tried in 1225, besieging it for two months and failing in his attempt, it would not be until 1233 that King James I, with Catalan and Aragonese soldiers, would take possession of Peñíscola Castle, also regaining control of the sea. It would be a peaceful conquest. After the fall of Burriana, which left the northern Arab castles isolated, the city would accept surrender under certain agreements that respected Saracen laws and customs.

On January 28, 1251, however, King James I would grant the city a charter of settlement under the laws of Valencia, by virtue of which he would dispossess the Moors of all their goods and properties, which he would hand over to the new Christian settlers.

As a result of this climate of tension, and in order to protect the territories recently conquered by the Christians, in 1294 it was decided to undertake the great construction of the Castle on the foundations of the old Arab alcazaba built centuries earlier. Those in charge of carrying out such an ambitious project would be the Templar Monk-Knights, the most famous military religious order of the Middle Ages. Its construction would come to an abrupt end in December 1307, just 13 years after it began, due to the start of the persecution they were subjected to, which would precipitate the definitive end of the Templars, and with them the epilogue of a fascinating chapter of the Middle Ages.

Few places deserve a guided tour more than Peñíscola… On our guided tours, we’ll interpret the traces the Templars left in their last great construction: Peñíscola Castle.

The award was presented by the President of the Valencian Government, Carlos Mazón, and the Regional Minister for Tourism, Nuria Montes, on Thursday 25 January at IFEMA MADRID.

The Benicarló-based company, specialising in creating tourism experiences, has been recognised in the second edition of the CreaTurisme Awards promoted by the Valencian Tourism Agency.

Explora Maestrat becomes the Best Natural Mediterranean Experience in the second edition of the CreaTurisme Awards of the Valencian Tourism Agency.

Specifically, this recognition was awarded for the agrotourism experience “DOP Benicarló Artichoke Tour: from field to table”, an immersive experience that combines cultural, natural and gastronomic elements around Benicarló’s star product.

The award was presented by the President of the Valencian Government, Carlos Mazón, and the Regional Minister for Tourism, Nuria Montes at the main Valencian Community stand at FITUR MADRID, within Europe’s most important tourism fair. The award ceremony was one of the highlights of Thursday 25 January, chosen as the “Valencian Community Day” at FITUR.

The award marks a turning point in the professional journey of Explora Maestrat, a leading company in creating tourism experiences in the area, as well as greater visibility for cultural and nature tourism in the province of Castellón and the Maestrat region.

In the magical town of Peñíscola, the Christmas lighting, La Luz de Navidad, has already been switched on. This year, the Plaza de Bous was the main venue, where a unique drone show known as “Drone Light Show” took place. This event captivated spectators with a choreography of lights in the night sky that marked the official start of the Christmas season.

The Drone Light Show is an innovative art form that combines drone technology with visual creativity. More than 130 drones, precisely synchronized, painted the sky with dazzling light patterns, creating a visual spectacle that symbolizes the joy and magic of Christmas.

After this dazzling start, attendees will have the opportunity to explore and enjoy the charming illuminated spaces of Peñíscola’s picturesque old town. From December 1st until after Epiphany, these spaces will remain bathed in festive light, with nearly 2 million micro-LEDs, creating a welcoming atmosphere that invites you to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit.

The tradition will continue with the daily switching on of the Christmas lights at 5:00 PM, coinciding with nightfall, providing a magical experience for those strolling through the cobblestone streets of the old town.

The switching on of the Christmas lighting in Peñíscola not only marks the start of the festivities, but also creates a festive atmosphere that lasts throughout the season.

Without a doubt, one more incentive to discover a completely different and magical Peñíscola in winter, and an excellent finishing touch to our guided tours in Peñíscola.

With the arrival of the first cold spells, the citrus season begins in our land.
A powerful source of vitamin C, it has traditionally been considered the orange’s “poor sister” due to
its lower vitamin content, but it also provides other micronutrients and vitamins that
make it one of the most beneficial fruits for your health.

It is also a fascinating fruit because of its rich history. Every mandarin that reaches our table is a history lesson in itself…
For example, did you know that its name, mandarin, is actually due to the color of the robes
worn by the rulers of ancient China? And by the way, the first citrus fruits to reach our table are mandarins… or are they clementines? What’s the difference?

They say that at the end of the 19th century, the French priest Clément Rodier was doing social work for orphans in Algeria. Around 1900, this plant enthusiast had the great idea of collecting some pollen from the flowers of a bitter orange tree and using it to fertilize the flowers of another tree, the mandarin. These flowers bore fruit and Brother Clément collected the seeds, planted them, and waited patiently.
As a result, trees of a completely new species grew, and two years later they bore
their first fruit. These fruits were completely new: they were seedless, their skin was very thin, and
they had a low acid content. Since then, they have been cultivated in Mediterranean areas, and in 1929 clementines were named in honor of Father Clément.
Later, in 1953, a clementine tree in Nules underwent a spontaneous mutation…
By chance, the clemenules were born, considered the best mandarin variety in the world
to date, as they are larger and better adapted to the land than the original clementines.
Undoubtedly, a gift for those of us who can enjoy them fresh and newly picked from the tree, or
as an ingredient in countless preparations. Let’s enjoy this pleasure now.

For this reason, we have created various themed gastronomic experiences featuring
our beloved and often unknown citrus fruits. Guided by local producers specialized in the Maestrat region and with our feet on the ground that nourishes these plantations, we will discover their origin, curiosities, varieties, and their extraordinary gastronomic applications.

If we’ve whetted your appetite… follow us on social media or find out about our next citrus
experience!