The Peñón de Ifach Natural Park rises majestically and presides over one of the most iconic views of Calpe. It is a formidable rock of around 50,000 m2 and 332 m high that is linked to the coast by a narrow isthmus of land.

It is one of the natural attractions of Calpe that offers one of the most impressive routes in the area. From its top it allows those who visit it to see a formidable landscape surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and wild nature. It is an ideal place for hiking, both for adults and children. This great calcareous massif supports relevant botanical species, highlighting the silene de Ifach, the thyme, the scabious rock or the Valencian horseshoe.

The Peñón de Ifach is undoubtedly one of the most unique and beautiful geographical features on the entire Mediterranean coast.

History

A rock that keeps a fascinating history and whose name comes from the Phoenician times, who gave it the nickname Rock of the North to differentiate it from Gibraltar, the rock of the south, since they were the only peninsulas of this magnitude that they found in the displacements that they did for its Mediterranean Sea.

Today the Peñón de Ifach is a natural reserve that protects a plant reserve of more than 300 species and a rich fauna of seabirds that nest in all its nooks and crannies.

El Peñón de Ifach Location

It is easy to locate the magnitude of the rock from any point of the thing of Calpe. The best way to get to the Peñón de Ifach if we want to start the route to its top is on Isla de Formentera street. At the end of this, we will find places to leave our vehicle and the beginning of the path to the slopes of the rock.

El Peñón, in the background, from the Mirador de Toix.

Reserva tu visita

In order to preserve the beauty of this place and its natural wealth, access to the rock and the route to its summit has been limited to 300 walkers a day. It is important that you book your appointment or access if you plan to visit it. For this you can fill out an online application here.

Instructions for your application

After reading all the information, you must click on the option “process electronically”. Once inside, section A has three drop-downs:

Scope, where will we choose the option “Parcs naturals de la Comunitat Valenciana”
Subscope: selecting Parc Natural del Penyal d’Ifac
Service: where there is only one option, Red Route.

Then enter your personal data in section B. Once validated, enter the number of tickets, which can only be 1, and the day or range of dates on which you would come. The next step is to select the appointment from among those available. There is no time slot, so you only select a specific day. Once confirmed, with the option “Print”, a pdf with the appointment will be downloaded.

Recommendations for your route

  • Being a route with complicated sections, it is necessary to wear mountain shoes or similar.
  • Bring water, as there is no fountain on the route.
  • From the tunnel, it is not recommended to continue for those under 18 years of age, due to the danger of the path.
  • Dogs must be on a leash at all times.
  • In rain or fog, it is not recommended to continue from the tunnel.

Download here the map of the Peñón de Ifach Natural Park for your trip