The Serra d'Irta coves are the other side of Alcossebre: instead of a seafront promenade, a dirt track among pines and dwarf palms; instead of fine sand, smooth pebbles and crystal-clear water. The southern boundary of the park is at Cala Mundina, where the Malentivet ravine reaches the sea, and the northern one at Cala del Volante, in Peñíscola.
Before you go: important warnings
- There are no lifeguards or facilities (no showers, toilets or beach bars). Bring water, shade and shoes for the pebbles.
- Car access in summer by booking only. In high season you can only drive onto the park's coast with a parking space booked in the GVA Parcs Naturals app. The dates change every year: check them in the official regulation of the coastal track.
- Difficult access. The Alcossebre tourism website describes access to Cala Blanca, Cala Mundina and Cala Ribamar as difficult: scrambles down over rock, often with no steps.
- Marine reserve. Spearfishing, shellfish gathering and motorised water sports are prohibited in the park's waters.
The coves from south to north
| # | Cove or beach | Municipality | What it's like | Regulated parking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cala Blanca | Alcossebre | Fine sand and pebbles, about 30 × 10 m, by the lighthouse | — |
| 2 | Cala Mundina | Alcossebre | Fine sand and pebbles; southern edge of the park | — |
| 3 | Serradal beach (Irta) | Alcossebre | A bank of smooth pebbles beside the path | — |
| 4 | Cala Cubanita (Font de la Parra) | Alcalà-Peñíscola boundary | Small cove at the mouth of the ravine | 14 spaces |
| 5 | Cala Argilaga | Peñíscola | Rocky seabed; plant micro-reserve | 13 spaces |
| 6 | Platja de la Basseta | Peñíscola | — | 8 spaces |
| 7 | Platja d'Irta | Peñíscola | — | 7 spaces |
| 8 | Cala Petxina | Peñíscola | — | 6 spaces |
| 9 | Platja del Pebret | Peñíscola | The range's only sizeable sandy beach, with a dune | 17 spaces |
| 10 | Platja del Russo | Peñíscola | With freshwater springs | 12 spaces |
| 11 | Torre Badum | Peñíscola | Cliff and viewpoint | 3 spaces (+5 at the viewpoint) |
| 12 | Cala del Volante | Peñíscola | About 30 m of pebbles and fine sand; northern edge of the park | — |
Between Cala Mundina and Cala Cubanita you'll also find Cala Ribamar, of fine sand and pebbles, and the area by the Prestige apartments, with 6 regulated parking spaces. Beyond Font de la Parra, the coast enters the municipality of Peñíscola.
Cala Blanca and Cala Mundina, Alcossebre's coves
Cala Blanca is right by the Alcossebre lighthouse and is the park's kilometre zero: route 2, the red route and the cycling routes start here. It's small, about 30 by 10 metres, with sand and pebbles.
Cala Mundina is one of the most popular coves in the Serra d'Irta. It marks the southern edge of the park and forms a small inlet of sand and pebbles between rocks, with the pine woods and hills behind. You reach it on foot from Cala Blanca along the coastal path.
El Pebret and Torre Badum, the Peñíscola side
Further north, Platja del Pebret is the only sizeable sandy beach in the whole range. It has a dune with sea daffodils protected as a plant micro-reserve, so stick to the paths. Close by, Torre Badum looks out from the second-highest cliff in the Valencia region, and the blue route (2.7 km circular) links the two.
Irta coves with children?
No official source recommends specific coves for children, and they're unsupervised. For swimming with little ones, the safest option is Alcossebre's town beaches with lifeguards. If you're travelling as a family, our sister site has a guide to Serra d'Irta coves and walks with kids with the easiest routes and the beaches with a children's area.
How to get to the coves
From Alcossebre you enter via the Ribamar track, by the lighthouse. Outside the summer you can drive in and park in the designated areas; in summer, only with a booking. On foot or by bike, the Ruta del Cranc and route 2 cover this whole coast. More details in how to get to the Serra d'Irta and in the park's routes.
