Peniscola

Peniscola occupies a rock about sixty-seven metres high joined to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, which for most of its history made it effectively an island fortress. The Knights Templar built the castle between 1294 and 1307 on Muslim foundations, and it became the residence of Pedro de Luna, Benedict XIII, the Avignon claimant to the papacy who withdrew here after the Council of Constance deposed him in 1417 and continued to insist he was pope until his death in 1423. The old town below the castle is a compact grid of whitewashed lanes inside sixteenth-century walls, with beaches on both sides of the isthmus. It has been used as a film location, including for El Cid and Game of Thrones.

The main sights

• The Templar castle - a fortress on the rock with the papal chambers.
• The walled old town - whitewashed lanes inside sixteenth-century walls.
• The isthmus beaches - sand on both sides of the connecting bar.
• The sea walls - fortifications dropping straight to the water.

When to go

April to June and September to October for the town without peak crowds; July and August fill it completely with Spanish holidaymakers. Winter is quiet with many businesses closed.

Practical notes

Summer crowding is heavy and the old town's narrow lanes become slow-moving. Parking is outside the walls and expensive in season. The modern resort development along the beach is extensive and unattractive.

Nearby

Morella lies inland in the mountains; the Ebro delta is north across the provincial border.

Key facts