Introducing Peñiscola
The old town of Peñiscola is one of the best known and prettiest locations in the region. You may have never heard of it, but you have definitely seen it. Since it starred in Game of Thrones as the city of Meereen. The city that was liberated from slavery by Daenerys in the 4th season.
In reality, modern day Peñiscola is a small town with just over 7000 inhabitants. Pictures of the town are often used to promote Spanish tourism abroad. Despite this, most of the tourists in the region are Spaniards. And they mostly arrive in the summer. Especially the month of August is busy, when the amount of tourists visiting swells to over 200.000 people. During the rest of the year its not that overcrowded. During the winter you can actually say its quiet. Even during the weekends, when local Spanish people come to visit the picturesque town.
Peñiscola is situated on a small peninsula. Being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, this lovely city is also known as the ‘City in the Sea’ and the ‘Gibraltar of Valencia’. The oldest parts that can still be seen nowadays stem from the 13th century. Although the history of the town itself dates back to at least several centuries before Christ.
Basically the entire town looks and feels like a monument. Taking a walk through the narrow medieval streets, lined with whitewashed houses, will never get you bored. Around the town you will find many great spots for pictures to fill your Instagram or Facebook feed. If you want to enter the castle you will need to buy a ticket. There is paid parking near the harbor and castle from 1 march until 31 october. During the rest of the year parking is free. Also worth mentioning is the beach. It’s sandy and spacious, perfect for the whole family. Best thing is that the beach slopes very slowly, so you can walk far into the sea. The combination with the crystal clear water and views on the castle make going to the beach here amazing.
We totally fell in love with the place and are certain that everyone else that visits it will too. More stories about Peñiscola, its history and what to do in and around it will come soon.
