Not everything in Benidorm is sun, beach and / or nightlife. There are also natural places with great wealth, both landscape and ecological. Either in the vicinity of Benidorm or in its surroundings, we can find corners where you can walk or relax like these. That is why we are going to talk about the Natural Park of 'Serra Gelada' or 'Sierra Helada' .

 

Geologically speaking, the 'Sierra Helada' constitutes a small mountainous alignment of Northeast - Southwest orientation that separates the bays of Benidorm and Altea. It is characterized by its asymmetrical profile along its 6 km length . Its southeast flank forms an impressive rugged coastline, while the northwest flank shows a much smoother slope, strongly dissected by the drainage network. The highest point is the 'Alto del Gobernador' where radio antennas are located with 430 meters of altitude.

 

The area of ​​'Serra Gelada' has been considered a Natural Park of the Valencian Community since 2005 (being the first maritime park in the Community). It is formed by an impressive relief that rises abruptly from the plain between Benidorm and Alfaz del Pi. In the mountains, steep cliffs can be formed up to more than 300 meters high and contains vegetation of exceptional value, such as the interesting hanging fossil dune and the peculiar vegetation that colonizes it.

In addition, the mountain range shares several unique species with the neighboring Peñón de Ifach, a natural park in neighboring Calpe, having two micro-reserves of flora.

 

The cliff creates a unique landscape , with its fractures, among which the fallas of Punta de la Escaleta and Punta del Albir stand out. The presence of eolianites and fossil dunes, the caves, in particular the Boca de la Balena, and the paleontological deposits and fossil traces distributed by the Cretaceous column of the mountain range. Also of interest are the caves of karst origin that open along the mountain range, among which it is worth highlighting the cave of Faro del Albir, recently explored and notable for the presence of stalactites and stalagmites inside. There is also the Torre de les Caletes, located at Punta de les Caletes in Benidorm, which has been of great importance for many years and is currently pending rehabilitation.