Hiking to the Peñon de Ifach in Calp
When I went on a citytrip to Valencia, I didn’t think I would be hiking to one of the best views I ever had! It was never the plan to go to Calpe (of Calp for the locals), but after some research and seeing this view on pictures, I just had to see it with my own eyes! So, if you want to combine culture with adventure, it is possible!
As the information on the internet was a bit confusing and also mostly not in English, I want to make sure to include everything in this guide to make sure you don’t end up as confused as I was!
You might also like: Ultimate guide for visiting Valencia
For your information, all these pictures were taken in January 2023.
Table of Contents
Summary
Length
5 kilometers
Duration
3 hours
Height difference
+ 300 meters
Difficulty
Difficult
What is the Peñon de Ifach?
The Peñon de Ifach is a well known symbol of the Costa Blanca and a must visit if you’re going on a citytrip to Valencia and want some adventure. Rock of Ifach is in fact a massive limestone of 332 meters high and a kilometer long. The known tunnel of 30 meters was excavated into the rock in 1918.
This place is part of Penyal d’Ifac Natural Park which is home to a diverse range of rare plants, like the Iberian flora and over 300 different species of animals. including a lot of gulls. Additionally, Peñon de Ifach is a nesting site for many birds between April and June. It officially became a Natural Park in 1987 when it became the property of the Generalitat Valencia.
There is also a bit of history involved in this place as it was a great place to have a defense system from attacks by the sea in the Middle Ages. You can still see the evidence on your walk as you will pass by the “Pobla Medieval d’Ifac” from the 13th century. There was also evidence that there was an Iberian settlement, but this was abandoned during the Roman era.
How to get to the Peñon de Ifach?
The easiest way to get here would be with a rental car as it’s pretty far away with public transport from Valencia or Alicante. As we were here when it was low season, we had no problem finding a parking lot on the street. I can imagine that it would be pretty busy in the summer months. We couldn’t park the car at the information center, as there was a barrier blocking the way. It’s best to just park your car at the entrance of the park or anywhere in Calp like Carr. del Peñon. Just make sure you check if you need to pay to park at the street.
A good thing to know is that there is a public toilet available at the parking, for free. But know that it closes after 14h30.
By car: You can park your car at the start of the trail. Don’t forget to check if you need to pay for a parking ticket.
With public transport: There is a bus that goes all the way from Alicante or Valencia to Calp. If you depart from Alicante, it takes between 1 or 2 hours and if you depart from Valencia, it takes between 3 or 4 hours, depending on which bus you takes, to complete the trip. Find more information about the bus trips here.
When is the best time to visit the Peñon de Ifach?
Spain is a year round destination, so you won’t do wrong with any time. But I still would recommend to go when the days are getting warmer. Just make sure you don’t do a climb like this in the middle of the summer (or start very early) as it will be too hot and you will rather be at the beach.
We were there in January and it was pretty cold. But what did we expect? It’s in the middle of the winter. However, the day we did this hike, the sun was shining and it was rather pleasant to not have to hike in warm temperatures.
But to answer the question, the best time to hike the the Peñon de Ifach is between March to May (Spring) or September to November (Fall). These months, the weahter is the most pleasant, the crowds are less and it’s less expensive.
Must known information about the Peñon de Ifach
It is important to know that you need to make a reservation before starting this hike and that there are only 300 daily visitors allowed to do this hike. After you make the reservation, it’s on your name and they are not transferable. It’s perfectly fine to make one on the day itself, but be aware that it can be fully booked. Also, the booking is for one person, so if you are with more people, you need to make more than one reservation.
You can do this on their website, but that’s a mess to be honest. It’s so unnecessary hard to figure out how to make one, especially since you can’t translate this site to another language. They made a guide to help you figure it out in English, but it’s still not that easy. So, it’s better to make one when you’re at home and can figure everything out comfortable.
To be very honest, no one was checking on us whether we had registered or not. But, the probable reason for this is that it was low season and there weren’t many tourists. I read somewhere online that a fine can cost you between €600 and €6000. I don’t know if that is true or not, but it’s better not to risk it and just make a reservation on time.
Although it’s not forbidden to bring children under 18 years old on this hike, it is not recommended that they continue after the tunnel as the path gets more difficult. And if you want to take your dog with you, it’s possible but they need to be kept on a leash at all times.
How to reach the Peñon de Ifach?
After you parked your car, it’s time to start the climb! You need to hike past the barrier which prevents you to park your car at the visitor’s center. This is relatively easy as it’s just an asphalted road that just goes uphill. This goed all the way until you reach the visitor’s center, where you would normally park your car (if the barrier ever opens again).
When you passed the visitor’s center, this is where the hike really starts. An important note, don’t forget that his is the only time you still have a toilet. The first part of the hike is particular easy as it’s a paved path with flat stones. There is nothing hard about this, only that it goes uphill. The first and the most easy part of the hike is done when you reach the tunnel. Since it was built, an enormous people have passed this tunnel, which made the stones very worn and slippery. But don’t fear, there are chains to hold onto. After the tunnel, here is where the hike gets tricky.
The rocks can be slippery as they are worn off and you will need to clamber over rocks while using your hands or chains for stability, but it’s all worth it in the end. I didn’t take many pictures of that part of the hike as I wanted to concentrate on the hike itself. Just know that the path is pretty well marked the whole time with road signs or with red dots so you know which way to go.
Some tips for hiking the Peñon de Ifach
Even though I thought this hike was very fun, that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t difficult. It’s pretty easy until you reach the tunnel. After that, you need to be more careful. On this hike, you will use your hands and chains for stability. Like I said before, the hike is more challenging than a normal hike, but if you do it slowly, you will manage. Just make sure you know you don’t have a fear of heights. Otherwise, it will be a lot more dangerous. Also, if you are a total beginner, don’t do this hike alone and make sure you have company that knows what they are doing.
This tip speaks for itself, but bring enough water and wear good walking shoes. I did this hike in just sneakers, because we planned it last minute. It was manageable, but it would’ve been easier in good shoes as the path can get slippery, because some rocks are polished from the many footsteps. You can also try to bring food, but the seagulls will try to steal that out of your hand.
Don’t do irresponsible things for a hike or a picture. If you feel like you can’t go anymore, just turn back. The view before the tunnel is already really nice! Just look at the pictures and you will agree!
Some tips to photograph the Peñon de Ifach
There is not many photography tips I can give to you, but I can tell you one thing. Make sure you follow the right path and that you don’t end up at the wrong side. You need to follow the signs that says Peñon de Ifach and not Mirador de Carabiners, otherwise you will end up somewhere completely different.
When you reach the top at Peñon de Ifach, just go to the stone pillar and there you will be rewarded with the best view over the city of Calp!
Personal experience hiking Peñon de Ifach
In my opinion, this hike was so much fun! I love hikes that are a bit more challenging and where you need to climb a bit. Undoubtedly, this makes it more amusing. It was a bit risky with the slippery rocks and wearing sneakers instead of walking shoes (and yes, I read online that you need to have them, but I didn’t bring them as it was a last minute decision). But if you are careful and make sure you take your time, it is possible to get to the top. Just know how good of a hiker you are and if you did something like this before, and you will be good to go!
Other things to do near the Peñon de Ifach
Don’t forget to explore the rest of Calp as it is quite the cute city. I enjoyed walking around here, but as it was off-season, there weren’t a lot of things to do there. In the summer months, you will have so much more to do here.
Furthermore, if you want to stay a night in Calp, make sure it is at La Muralla Roja. Squid Game inspired their series of this hotel and it looks like a photographers dream to stay here! We didn’t get the change to sleep here, but I really want to go back just for this place!
You probably will combine this day trip with a citytrip to Valencia. As I wrote a blog post about it, read about my Valencia itinerary. In addition to this, you can also enjoy a day trip to Benidorm. We stopped here for half a day and it was quite enjoyable. I can see the appeal to go here in the summer months when it is booming with all the tourists.
Here are a few other blog posts about Spain:
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Hello, I’m Ellen and welcome to this blog! I’m in love with exploring the world and hopefully I get to inspire you with these blog posts and pictures to feel the same. You will find detailed itineraries, hidden gems, tips and so much more!
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