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Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The combined mountain park and marine reserve offers good opportunities for hiking and mountain biking, and has several sights of historic and architectural interest. The park can also be accessed from Alcossebre, with many trail heads beginning in the south. The Peñiscola tourist office has an online list of hiking trails with trail descriptions in English; an official trail map (in Spanish) can be downloaded here.
Serra d'Irta Natural Park is a natural park in Valencian Community), Southern Spain. It contains 7,744 hectares of land, as well as a shoreline of marine nature reserve of the adjacent Mediterranean Sea. It was declared a protected area in 2002.
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Torre Almadun / Badum Tower
A seaside watchtower, believed to be Muslim in origin.
Castillo de Polpis / Polpis Castle
Also of Muslim origin, the fortress was built between the 11th and 12th centuries and conquered by the Knights Templar in 1233, who heavily modified the structure. It was abandoned in the 16th century.
Playa Sur
This smaller beach, with great views of the castle, also has a promenade as well as full lifeguard and first aid stations, showers, and water sport facilities.
Iglesia de Santa María / Church of Santa Maria
Built in 1234 atop the remains of an earlier Moorish mosque, the parish church was renovated in the Gothic style in the 15th century and expanded in the 18th century. It houses several valuable objects owned by Papa Luna and his successor Clement VIII, including a cross and chalice, and reliquary.
Museo de la Mar / Museum of the Sea
This small museum showcases archaeological and ethnological artifacts from the area, as well as model ships and maps. It also has three aquariums devoted to Mediterranean marine life.
Castell del Papa Luna / Peñiscola Castle
Built on the remains of an older Arab fortification, most of the castle's construction was completed between 1294 and 1307 by the Order of the Knights Templar. The castle served as the residence of Pope Benedict XVIII (aka 'Papa Luna') from 1411 until 1423, and in the late 16th century a series of bastions and gates were added to the complex. The terrace overlooking the castle affords great panoramic views of the town to the north as well as to the Irta mountains to the south.