If you don’t know where to travel this year, then you might like our suggestion and visit the Orange Blossom Coast in Spain. These are not shrewd or cheeky names that have been recognized internationally. Spain has more than 3,000 miles of coastline. The Spanish have many more beaches, which you may not have heard of, and which they have kept (for most of the time) private. At least, not yet.
Costa del Azahar, also known as the coast of orange blossoms, is one of the most visited beaches in Spain.
What do the majority of Spanish Costa del Azahar visitors do with their time?
Enjoy blissful beach bouncing
You can walk along the Orange Blossom Coast from Castellon to Vinaròs (50 miles north). Are you looking for a crowd in Benicassim? Just head north towards Oropesa. Are you ready to pack in Benicarlo? Peniscola is a short drive away.
Peniscola is the ideal choice for families, with the water so shallow that even the youngest adults won’t be below the surface until they are at least 20 meters from the beach. You will find sandcastles here, and families playing ball and bats along the Playa Norte sand. Playa Sur is a quieter place, but it is not the best place to cool down.
Playa del Pebret is a great place to escape. Enjoy a relaxing time among the dunes while admiring the sea lilies that dance in the sand.
Vinaròs is quieter, and the best place to enjoy a beer with toes set into golden grains. There are several bars on the waterfront. It is not uncommon for bars to be separated by sand roads in this area of the coast.
You must visit Playa de las Fuentes, Alcossebre.
Spain’s best seafood
Vinaròs is a well-respected restaurant that claims to have the best langoustines anywhere in Spain. It seems bold until you have lunch at Restaurante Bergantin. Here, plump, juicy crawfish are served whole, grilled (a la Plancha), with lemon slices and any number of paella-style rice options. You should try the rossejat with espardenyes. This dish comes with a Mediterranean sea cucumber, which melts in rice. Don’t forget to pose next to the giant langouste in the square behind the bullring.
Casa Jaime in Peniscola offers more creative seafood dishes. Lunch on the terrace with views of Peniscola’s castle and the beach is accompanied by Casa Jaime’s Casa Jaime menu. This chef is a former fisherman so he understands the process. He prepares a galley (mantis shrimp) with croquettes and red shrimp carpaccio using three types of local olive oil.
Benicarlo offers lower prices with a slight decrease in quality. There, juicy squid and grilled clams, and fideoa (a paella made from noodles) are all served on the left-hand terrace.
Sand Castles
Forts and castles are often noble places. But the Peniscola one offers a more stunning view: down through the sandy neck connecting the old town with the coast.
It provides shade from the heat of summer with its solid stone walls that separate the church from the great hall and stables from the courtyard. Continue climbing up to the roof. The smooth marble extends to the bright blue sky or sea in all directions.
Look out over the ocean to see if there are any volcanic islands in Columbretes. These islets are about 30 miles off the coast. You will be able to tell why this coastline is so beautiful if you walk through the castle gardens on your return to the beach.
