Denia Castle

Denia was Dianium under Rome and became Daniya under Muslim rule, the capital of a taifa kingdom in the eleventh century that controlled a fleet and, for a period, the Balearics; the castle on the hill above the port dates from that time and was rebuilt repeatedly after. Its Portal de la Vila gate, the Torre del Consell and the ruined Governor's Palace stand within the walls, and the Renaissance-era Palau del Governador houses the town's archaeological museum. From the walls the view runs over the port, the beaches and Montgo, the massif behind the town. Denia is the main ferry port for Ibiza and Mallorca from the peninsula, and it holds a UNESCO designation as a City of Gastronomy for its red prawns and rice dishes.

What you actually see

• The Portal de la Vila - the main gate through the castle walls.
• The archaeological museum - collections in the Renaissance governor's palace.
• The taifa history - remains of the eleventh-century Muslim capital.
• The Montgo view - the massif and the coast from the ramparts.

When to go

March to June and September to November; summer brings heavy holiday traffic and heat on the exposed hill. The castle opens later in summer evenings, which is the pleasantest time to climb.

Honest expectations

The climb from the town is steep. Much of the interior is ruins and open ground rather than standing buildings. The museum is small. The town below is a busy resort and ferry port.

Nearby

Montgo natural park rises behind the town; Javea and the Cap de Sant Antoni lie south.