Penya-Segats de la Marina

The Penya-segats de la Marina are one of the most ecologically and scenically valuable natural areas on the Marina Alta coastline. This extensive corridor of Mediterranean cliffs stretches along the coast of Xàbia, El Poble Nou de Benitatxell and Teulada-Moraira, protecting an extraordinary landscape of rocky walls, ravines, sea caves, coves and underwater habitats.

The entire coastline of El Poble Nou de Benitatxell forms part of this protected area, which is included in the Natura 2000 Network and designated as both a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA).

A spectacular landscape of cliffs

The Penya-segats de la Marina form one of the most spectacular landscapes on the Alicante coast. Towering limestone cliffs plunge directly into the Mediterranean, interrupted by ravines and small coves such as Moraig, Testos and Llebeig.

The complex geology of this coastline has also led to the formation of numerous caves, cavities and rock shelters, both above and below sea level. The combined effects of rock fracturing, limestone dissolution and marine erosion continue to shape a landscape that is constantly evolving.

Exceptional plant life

The challenging conditions of the cliffs —limited soil, wind, exposure to the sun and the direct influence of the sea— have encouraged the development of highly specialised vegetation capable of surviving in cracks and on small rocky ledges.

Among the habitats of greatest interest are Mediterranean sea cliffs with endemic Limonium species and calcareous rocky slopes.

The area is also of exceptional botanical importance. It is home to the only population of Diplotaxis ibicensis on the Iberian Peninsula, a species characteristic of the Pityusic Islands, as well as one of the finest populations of Silene hifacensis, known as the Silene of Ifach and considered one of the most distinctive and threatened plants of the Valencian coastline.

Several flora micro-reserves are located within the protected area, including Cala de Llebeig, helping to preserve some of the most valuable and distinctive plant communities found along this coastline.

A refuge for wildlife

The towering cliffs, natural cavities and inaccessibility of many areas along the coast make the Penya-segats de la Marina an important refuge for wildlife.

Its caves provide habitats for bat species of conservation interest, while the cliffs and surrounding marine environment are important habitats for a variety of birds.

This coastline also has historical importance for the conservation of the osprey, as it is the location of the last recorded natural breeding of the species in the Valencian Community, dating from the late 1980s.

A valuable landscape beneath the sea

The natural richness of the Penya-segats de la Marina extends far beyond the shoreline. Beneath the water are submerged sea caves, rocky seabeds and extensive underwater meadows of considerable ecological value.

Particularly important are the meadows of Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa, which provide shelter, food and breeding grounds for numerous marine species and play a fundamental role in preserving biodiversity and maintaining the quality of Mediterranean waters.

Discovering the Penya-segats

El Poble Nou de Benitatxell offers several routes that allow visitors to explore this extraordinary landscape and discover the relationship between the cliffs, traditional ways of life and the Mediterranean.

The Ruta dels Penya-segats 1 – Moraig-Llebeig follows one of the most emblematic stretches of the coastline, passing traditional shelters once used by fishermen and farmers before reaching Cala Llebeig.

The Ruta dels Penya-segats 2 – Moraig-Morro Falquí-Roabit explores another section of the cliffs and offers some of the most spectacular panoramic views along the coast.

The Penya-segats de la Marina form an exceptional landscape where geology, biodiversity, sea and history are closely intertwined. This protected area preserves some of the most distinctive terrestrial and marine habitats on the Marina Alta coastline.