“A place where the rugged drylands, carob trees, olive trees, abandoned fields, and wind-swept pines reach all the way to the sea” (J. M. Almerich)
In these days of pandemic, confinement, and necessary reinvention, the need has come to the forefront to finally apply in concrete terms concepts that until now were merely theoretical, such as sustainability, destination carrying capacity, and beach capacity limits. In short, a return to the past…
Can you imagine what that Mediterranean was like just a few decades ago?
We invite you to a place that exudes the smell of salt, painted in ochre and green tones, but above all blue, and where the sea breeze cradles us with the hollow sway of the waves.
In the far north, between Peñíscola and Alcossebre, in the historic and diverse region of Maestrat, we find a coastal paradise that, especially in this context, emerges as any traveler’s dream: The Serra d’Irta.
Irta is a natural and cultural jewel, and its conservation, a true miracle despite the advance of urbanization.
A Natural Park, marine reserve included, where the clock stopped long ago, a refuge of splendid panoramas, where mountain and sea merge in an embrace, as it jealously preserves about 13 km of virgin coastline, with a succession of coves with crystal-clear waters.
An unusual occurrence in today’s overcrowded Spanish Mediterranean, constituting a unique space between the French border and all the way to Cabo de Gata.
In this vast natural oasis near the unmistakable bastion of Peñíscola, along delightful trails, we can explore two Islamic castles (Xivert and Polpís), hermitages, abandoned Moorish settlements, Iberian villages, and several watchtowers (Badum, Ebrí, Torre Nova) that evoke the proverbial sentinel function of this strategic coastal mountain range.
Irta was essential for the survival of our ancestors… it served as winter grazing land for transhumant livestock, a supply area for firewood and collection of “multi-use” plants, such as dwarf fan palm (chamaerops humilis), a place for charcoal-making and lime production, a coastal shore exploited by fishermen, and an area of sustainable cultivation following the spectacular terracing and clearing of its uneven and inhospitable lands.
Until a few decades ago, these arid dry-stone terraces were home to carob trees, vineyards, and olive trees, and today they offer silent testimony, facing the solitude of the blue Mediterranean, to the centuries-old struggle for survival.
One of the most fascinating aspects of our Sierra is its geological richness,
especially surprising along the coastline itself, formed by beautiful coves and cliffs, where we find various “ullals”, underground freshwater springs (which some studies estimate at a staggering 500 hm3 annually) that emerge to immediately merge with the sea waves, and which gave rise to evocative legends. Can you imagine finding fresh water in the sand itself?
In short, a place in the world to lose yourself and to find yourself.
For many reasons it is worth exploring the last Virgin Sierra of the Spanish Mediterranean.
And with it, to reconnect with the most authentic and wild Mediterranean, the one that today, more than ever, we must all protect like the crown jewels.
We invite you to enjoy the sunset in this paradise every Thursday at 7:00 PM on a route that combines sea and mountain with breathtaking landscapes.
