Hotel RH Boutique Portocristo
Why we like it: A four-star hotel 10 m from the sand of Playa Norte and next to the old town, with an adults-only pool, a wellness area and a rooftop in summer.
Duration1 night
From Castellón1 h by car
From Valencia1 h 40 by car
Budget€110–180 pp
Best timeMarch – June · September – November
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for arriving mid-morning on Saturday from Castellón (1 h) or Valencia (1 h 40) and returning on Sunday afternoon. Book Saturday's lunch at Casa Jaime first, by phone only.
Saturday
- 110:30Old town and castle
Park on the promenade and enter by the Portal de Sant Pere. Climb through the Artillery Park to Papa Luna castle: €5, card only, a good hour.
- 212:30Boat trip round the rock
Thirty minutes from the harbour with Golondrinas Clavel, €10 adults and €5 children. Call ahead on 666 114 851: departures depend on the sea.
- 314:00Rice at Casa Jaime
On the North beach promenade, 24 seats. The rice is ordered when you book.
- 417:00El Bufador and North beach
If there is an easterly, the Bufador; if not, a walk on the sand with the castle in the background as evening falls.
- 521:00Dinner in the old town
El Raconet de Ca Deu is open every night until 23:30: a soupy rice or tapas.
Sunday
- 19:00Badum tower route
By the coast road to the park entrance. The loop of Mas del Senyor, the Badum tower, the Clot de Maig and the Pebret dunes is almost 15 km: four or five hours without shade. Carry water.
- 214:30Lunch and the drive back
Back in the town, lunch at El Raconet de Ca Deu and set off around 17:00.
Peñíscola is an hour from Castellón and an hour and forty from Valencia. In a day you see the castle and the old town; with a night you also see what almost nobody sees: the Sierra de Irta, twelve kilometres of undeveloped coast south of the town, with the Badum tower above the cliff. The plan goes all on foot on Saturday and by car to the park entrance on Sunday.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Where | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| RH Boutique Portocristo | At the foot of the old town, North beach | Couples: wellness and a rooftop with views of the castle |
| Gran Hotel Peñíscola | North beach, 4 km from the old town | Families: kids' club and spa |
| Camping Ferrer | 800 m from the old town | Motorhome or cabin, tight budgets |
What changes with the season?
In spring and autumn everything fits: the castle in good light and the Irta route in good temperatures. In July and August the Irta track requires a reservation on the GVA Parcs Naturals app to drive; in exchange, Golondrinas Clavel runs a one-and-a-half-hour trip to Irta by sea (€20). In winter the castle closes at 17:30: go in on Saturday morning.
With children
Swap the Badum route for the old town's Pirate Trail (1 h 15) and a beach morning. The Gran Hotel Peñíscola has a free kids' club for ages 4 to 12 from late February to early November.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Peñíscola, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Peñíscola
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Park Below and Walk Up
You arrive by the AP-7, or by the N-340 and the CV-141 from Benicarló. The old town is pedestrian and hilly: leave the car in the car parks on the promenade or by the harbour and walk up. The car comes back into its own for getting into the Sierra de Irta.
70–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to SleepRH Boutique Portocristo, at the…
- Getting AroundFrom Castellón, one hour by…
- Where to EatEl Raconet de Ca Deu…
- ServicesTourist office on the Paseo…
Where to Sleep
- RH Boutique Portocristo, at the foot of the old town
- Gran Hotel Peñíscola, on Playa Norte, with its own paid car park
- Camping Ferrer, 800 m from the old town
Getting Around
- From Castellón, one hour by the AP-7 or the N-340
- In summer, the Irta track needs a booking on the GVA Parcs Naturals app
Where to Eat
- El Raconet de Ca Deu, in the old town, open every day
- Casa Jaime, on the promenade, booking required
Services
- Tourist office on the Paseo Marítimo
- Harbour: departure point for boat trips
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Gran Hotel Peñíscola
Why we like it: Four-star family hotel with 422 rooms with terraces on the Playa Norte front line, with spa, kids' club and parking, about 4 km from the old town.
Camping Ferrer
Why we like it: Three-star family campsite in the town, 800 m from the old town and Playa Norte: 77 shaded pitches, wooden cabins and rooms with bathroom.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Peñíscola
Casa Jaime
What to order: a seafood rice, which you order when booking, or the fishermen's stew; ask about the fish of the day from the fish market.
El Raconet de Ca Deu
What to order: the creamy rice with baby squid or the seafood paella, with some garlic prawns to start
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Book Casa Jaime when you book the hotel: they only take calls from 9:30 to 13:00.
We'd skip it
Doing the Badum route in the middle hours of a summer day: there is no shade.