Serra Gelada: what is there to see in this Costa Blanca natural park?

Serra Gelada is a maritime-terrestrial natural park stretched along the coast between Benidorm and Altea, protecting a chain of cliffs that drop straight into the Mediterranean. Declared by the Generalitat Valenciana in 2005, it was the first park of its category (both land and sea) in the Comunitat Valenciana, and it covers 5,653.92 hectares across three municipalities: Benidorm, l'Alfàs del Pi and Altea (source: parquesnaturales.gva.es).

What exactly is the Serra Gelada Natural Park?

This is a maritime-terrestrial natural park, not an urban park. Do not expect landscaped paths like a city garden: what you get instead is a coastal mountain of cliffs and the waters that border it. It was declared by the Generalitat Valenciana in 2005, the first park of this category (both land and sea) in the Comunitat Valenciana (source: parquesnaturales.gva.es, cross-checked with El Español Alicante and LinkAlicante).

The total area comes to 5,653.92 hectares, split between 4,908.95 hectares at sea and 744.97 hectares on land. In other words, the park is primarily a marine space with a spectacular rocky ridge sitting on top of it. That ridge is the Serra Gelada mountain range itself, with its steep cliffs, and the park also takes in the waters of two bays: Benidorm bay to the south and Altea bay to the north. According to the official Generalitat portal (parquesnaturales.gva.es), it is one of the most visited natural parks in Alicante province and the Costa Blanca, which is hardly surprising given that it directly touches one of the coast's busiest tourist areas.

Where is it, and what can you see from up there?

The park runs along the coast between Benidorm and Altea, with l'Alfàs del Pi (and its Albir resort area) sitting in the centre. From the ridge and the cliff-top trails you look out over the whole Albir coastline and, on a clear day, as far as the Peñón de Ifach in Calpe (source: LinkAlicante, El Mirador de Benidorm, cross-checked with parquesnaturales.gva.es).

What gives Serra Gelada its character is the combination of cliffs plunging into very blue sea, discreet coves you can only reach on foot, viewpoints over both bays, and traces of past human activity such as an old ochre mine. It is a genuine hiking destination, one of the finest coastal walking areas in a region already rich in mountain and seaside trails.

What is the featured hike here?

The star route is the Ruta del Faro de l'Albir (the Albir Lighthouse trail): a 5km there-and-back walk of low difficulty, taking about 3 hours (source: Valencia Bonita, LinkAlicante and El Mirador de Benidorm, cross-checked with parquesnaturales.gva.es). It starts at the Albir lighthouse car park, the starting point of the "Ruta Roja" (Red Route), and follows the cliffs facing the Mediterranean all the way to the lighthouse.

Along the way you pass through a tunnel, take in several viewpoints, walk past an old ochre mine, and can drop down to coves such as Cala del Metge. It is a wide, family-friendly path with no major technical difficulty. Aim for early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat, since shade is scarce along the route.

Can you actually visit the Albir lighthouse?

Yes. The lighthouse is still operational, and it houses the Albir Lighthouse Interpretation Centre (CIFA), with free entry (source: parquesnaturales.gva.es). It opens Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 13:30, so plan your hike around these hours if you want to look inside: it closes early and stays shut on Mondays. It makes a good stop to learn about the site's history and take a break before heading back.

Is Serra Gelada well known beyond the Costa Blanca?

It is, and not only among local hikers. In 2023, Benidorm's Serra Gelada featured among Spain's ten most-searched-for natural parks online, according to an El Español Alicante article dated 24 May 2023. Take that as a popularity indicator at that date rather than an official visitor ranking: what it really confirms is that the park has a reputation that reaches well beyond the Costa Blanca.

Frequently asked questions

Which municipalities does the park span?

Three: Benidorm, l'Alfàs del Pi and Altea (source: parquesnaturales.gva.es).

Is the Albir lighthouse hike difficult?

No. It is a low-difficulty walk, 5km round trip, taking about 3 hours, and it is family-friendly (source: Valencia Bonita, LinkAlicante, El Mirador de Benidorm).

Can you visit the Albir lighthouse?

Yes. It houses the Interpretation Centre (CIFA), free entry, open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 13:30 (source: parquesnaturales.gva.es).

Since when has Serra Gelada been a natural park?

Since 2005: it was the first maritime-terrestrial park declared by the Generalitat Valenciana in the Comunitat Valenciana (source: parquesnaturales.gva.es, El Español Alicante, LinkAlicante).

Sources

Generalitat Valenciana, natural parks portal (parquesnaturales.gva.es), consulted 30 July 2026; El Español Alicante, 24 May 2023 article on Spain's most-searched natural parks; LinkAlicante (park and hiking guides); Valencia Bonita and El Mirador de Benidorm (Ruta del Faro de l'Albir), cross-checked 30 July 2026.

Information verified in July 2026. The Daily Costa Blanca is an AI-assisted publication with human editorial review and responsibility.