Peñíscola and Sierra de Irta

Peñíscola is one of the most cinematic towns on the entire Spanish coast and, thanks to its recurring use as a filming location in international productions (including the series "Game of Thrones"), it has become one of the iconic destinations of the Levantine Mediterranean. Its silhouette is unmistakable: a complete walled old town planted on a rocky promontory surrounded by the sea on three of its four sides, with the Castle of Papa Luna commanding the whole ensemble. It is one of the very few places in Spain where a medieval citadel has preserved its walls, streets, churches and original urban profile entirely intact, free from modern encroachment.

The Castle of Peñíscola has a singular history: it was the last residence of Pope Luna (Pedro Martínez de Luna), Benedict XIII to some Catholics, antipope to others, one of the key figures of the Western Schism that divided Catholicism between 1378 and 1417. When Pope Luna was officially deposed by the Council of Constance in 1417, he took refuge here and from Peñíscola continued to claim he was the true Pope until his death in 1423. The popular Spanish expression "mantenerse en sus trece" (to stick to one's guns) derives precisely from him: from the thirteen of the papal bulls he signed until the very end, refusing to renounce his claim. The castle, austere and virtually intact, preserves the cell where Pope Luna spent his final years and is well worth visiting in its entirety (the entrance fee is modest).

But the true gem of this route is not Peñíscola itself, but the contrast with the Sierra de Irta, just south of the town. It is one of the few stretches of absolutely unspoilt coastline remaining anywhere on the Spanish Mediterranean: 12 km of shoreline between Alcossebre and Peñíscola where the mountain range drops directly into the sea, forming cliffs, hidden coves, small beaches accessible only on foot, and a landscape completely free of development. The reason for this miraculous exception is that the range was declared a Natural Park in 2002, just in time to prevent the construction tsunami that had already ruined the rest of the Valencian coast during the 1970s and 1980s.

The tracks and secondary roads of the Sierra de Irta Natural Park are ideal for a relaxed but technically engaging ride. The main access road from Alcossebre winds between cliffs with constant sea views, passing medieval watchtowers (Torre de Badum, Torre Ebrí) that recall the centuries when this coast was on permanent alert against Barbary corsair attacks. The most beautiful coves — Cala Pebret, Cala Argilaga, Cala del Pebret — are accessible only by leaving the bike in rustic car parks and walking 10–15 minutes along well-marked trails.

Practical riding notes: Peñíscola is overcrowded in July and August — best avoided. The optimal season is spring and autumn. Fill up in Vinaròs or Benicarló at the start. For dining in Peñíscola, skip the restaurants on the main street of the walled quarter (expensive and tourist-oriented) and head down to one of the terraces near the fishing port, where they serve traditional Valencian "suquet de peix" (fish and potato stew) and arroz a banda like few other places. And a detail worth noting: climbing up to the Castle of Papa Luna at night, with the artistic lighting on the walls and the sound of waves breaking against the rock, is an atmospheric experience hard to beat.