Dénia

Dénia's origins are Roman — the city of Dianium stood north of the modern centre, near the old port, and classical texts record that Sertorius used it as a naval base. The town later gained full municipal status during the early Empire, and in the Visigoth period it served as a suffragan episcopal seat under Toledo.

The expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609 was devastating: around 25,000 people left through Dénia's port for North Africa, stripping the marquisate of population and economic life. A century later, during the War of Succession, Dénia was the first city to declare for Archduke Charles. Bourbon forces took it in November 1708, and the castle suffered serious damage in the Peninsular War that followed.

Recovery came slowly. Dénia was reincorporated into the Crown in 1804, and the raisin trade in the later 19th century transformed the city, attracting foreign companies and growing the population from around 6,500 to over 12,000 between 1860 and 1900. In 2015, UNESCO designated it a Creative City of Gastronomy.

Dénia sits in a natural bay at the foot of the Montgó massif. Its older quarters reflect different layers of history: the Baix la Mar district was the fishermen's neighbourhood, Les Roques sits alongside the castle, and the streets descending from the castle retain the layout of the Arab town. The lower city shows the modernista architecture that came with the raisin trade's prosperity.

The Moorish castle, built on a hill over earlier structures, has been municipal property since 1952, is open year-round, and houses the Archaeological Museum. Several sections of the old walls survive in good condition. Watch towers on the coast include the Torre del Gerro, a conical lookout tower bearing the arms of Charles I, and the Torre de la Almadraba.

Other buildings worth noting: the neoclassical Town Hall with its six rounded arches; the Augustinian Convent; the baroque Iglesia de la Asunción; and the Convent of Our Lady of Loreto, founded by Augustinian nuns in 1604. Roman and Iberian archaeological sites on the Montgó add further depth for those interested in the pre-medieval layers of the area.

Dénia sits roughly equidistant between Alicante and Valencia airports, each about 60 minutes away via the A7/E15 motorway, with good international connections and competitive fares. Local buses are run by DeniBus (denibus.es) across five routes, four departing from the Esplanade Cervantes; a single fare is €1.50, paid to the driver on boarding. Route maps and timetables are on the DeniBus website.

The city is a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and is especially known for the gamba roja, a deep-sea red prawn fetching upwards of €100/kg at market, along with arrós a banda and suquet de peix. One restaurant holds three Michelin stars.