Serra Gelada, located very close to the city of Benidorm, is the first Terrestrial Marine Nature Park in the Valencian Community. It stands as a singular blend of sea and mountains, rising majestically behind the Mediterranean coastline.
This protected park covers an area of 5,564 hectares and offers routes that reveal a protected natural landscape. Visitors can explore 300 meter cliffs, reach the Albir Lighthouse, and enjoy hidden coves while encountering a wide variety of animal and plant life. The park preserves an interesting fossil dune and two microflora reserves with several endemisms.
Bird life includes storms, Audouin’s Seagull, peregrine falcon and other species such as Shag, Cory’s Shearwater, or Balearic Shearwater. Marine life features vermetids, nacre, and numerous fish, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. The area is also notable for being home to one of the few families of bottlenose dolphins that live permanently in the Valencia region.
The Serra Gelada de Benidorm hosts one of the occasional bottlenose dolphin families found in the Valencian Community.
This coastal mountain range, made of limestone and marl, is bordered by the towns of Benidorm and Altea and can be explored via three routes named blue, red, and yellow.
The Blue route through Serra Gelada begins at the Levante Beach in Benidorm and travels along coves such as Almadrava and Ximo, finishing at the Punta del Cavall viewpoint. From there, visitors can observe a vigilance tower built in the 16th century under orders of Philip II to protect the town from pirate attacks.
You can reach Faro de l’Albir from the Serra Gelada hiking trails, offering dramatic views of the coastline and the cliffs.
The Red route through Serra Gelada starts at the Albir Information Point, continues along Camí de la Cantera, and ends at an old quarry beside the lighthouse path. Along the way, it passes Phoenician mining sites, Phoenician mustard mines, and later Roman extraction works used for pigments. The route also traverses the shaded side of Boca de la Balena and Cova de Bou, with the Albir Lighthouse in sight, and a small ascent provides a beautiful overlook of the cliff.
The views from the Serra Gelada cliff tops are a true marvel and worth the hike.
Together, the Yellow route climbs medium to high difficulty. It begins in the Albir recreation area, ascends the zigzag stone stairs, and continues to the access road to the telecommunication repeater known as the Governor Sub. At the geodesic summit, visitors are treated to a majestic panorama of the cliffs and may observe yellow-legged gulls. The route passes an old coastal watchtower and a small cistern that rise and fall with the terrain, offering striking views of L’Illa Mitjana until it reaches a large cross that crowns the RACÓ de l’Oix district.
There are also three climbing sectors that do not require express authorization but do require notifying the Nature Park authorities.
Becoming a water-focused experience, Serra Gelada offers a sea expanse of 4,920 hectares. One enjoyable way to get acquainted with the area is to sail aboard a boat and explore the marine environment up close.
The waters host some of the most remarkable underwater habitats in the region, including extensive meadows of protected seagrass known locally as algues (Posidonia oceanica) and rocky seabeds such as La Llosa, contributing to the park’s biodiversity.