Paddleboarding in Peñíscola, the castle seen from the board.

Playa Norte ends against the rock, and from the water the Papa Luna castle can be seen whole, with the wall running down to the rocks. On a paddleboard you get there in a short while, standing up and without noise.

What the guided outing is

Paddleboarding is done standing on a wide board, with a long paddle. On calm water it is learned in minutes: first you kneel on the board, then stand up and paddle looking ahead. The Paddle Surf Peñíscola school, on Playa Norte, has a one-hour guided outing with an instructor that includes that explanation and a route along the coast to the castle. No experience is needed. It costs €30 per person and includes the board, paddle and a photo report.

From the board you see the old town from below: the white houses on the rock, the Renaissance wall and the Templar castle on top, which was the last seat of Benedict XIII. It is the same view the tour boat from the port gives, but at your own pace and at water level.

Three ways to get on a board

• Beginner lesson, €25 per person: an hour with an instructor to learn to paddle, with board, paddle and photos.
• Guided outing to the castle, €30 per person: an hour with an instructor and the route to the rock.
• Free hire, €15 an hour: board, paddle and life jacket; wetsuit €5 more. For those who have already paddled.

On the other side of the rock, on the Playa Sur, Nautic Riders also hires out paddleboards at €15 an hour, next to the port. The Playa Sur is sheltered by a breakwater and usually has stiller water; from there there is no guided outing, only hire.

When to go and at what time

The Playa Norte school works in high season, from June to September, every day from 10:00 to 21:00. Outside those months it publishes no schedule: write beforehand by WhatsApp. The best times are first thing and late afternoon: there are fewer people on the water and the low light gilds the castle's stone. With a levante or swell, the outing makes no sense; the school decides the day.

With children and teenagers

The school says it adapts lessons to any age and fitness, but does not publish a minimum age or whether children can go on an adult's board: ask when you book. For teenagers who can swim it works well: an hour, €30 and a photo with the castle behind. For the youngest, the half-hour trip on the boat around the rock gives the same view without getting wet.

Before and after

Playa Norte is the beach you see from the board; it has showers and facilities (see our Playa Norte listing). After the water, climb to the Papa Luna castle: in summer it opens from 9:30 to 21:30. For lunch on the same promenade, Casa Jaime has been a seafood eatery since 1967, with the rice ordered when you book. If you sleep in the village, the RH Boutique Portocristo is at the foot of the old town, a few steps from the sand.