Montgó and Cabo de San Antonio

The area of Montgó is an unspoiled section of coastline and hinterland that offers a view of how the coastline of the Costa Blanca appeared before the advent of tourism in the area.

Montgó is located in the Marina Alta region in the north of the province of Alicante, Spain and is easily accessible from the main holiday resorts situated to its north and south. Situated just to the north of Jávea (Xábia), Montgó is a large massif covering more than 2000 hectares and that rises to 753 meters (2470 feet). It is renowned for its rock formations, cliffs, caves and natural harbors and acts as a natural divide between the aforementioned town of Jávea and the large provincial port of Denia.

Montgó was designated a natural park in 1987 because of its immense wealth of flora, fauna and ecosystems, it has more than 600 species of wild flowers, many of them unique indigenous sub-species, and it is for this main reason that the title of ‘natural park’ was bestowed upon this area.

Although the mountain of Montgó governs the skyline the park also features the promontory of planes known as ‘les Planes’ that run down to the Cabo de San Antonio named after Saint Anthony, the patron saint to which a 14th century hermitage was dedicated to, its ruins can still be visited on the cape today.

The park is home to many breeds of marine birds including the yellow footed gull, sandwich tern, Audouin’s gull and Patiamarilla gull, but also a large number of birds of prey can be found including four owl species; Eagle Owl, European Scops Owl, Tawny Owl and Little Owl and four hawk species; Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel and Sparrow-hawk all of which have been documented as breeding in the park.
Perdicera Eagles, Short-toed eagles, Buzzards and Eleanora’s Falcon can also be found in the park but it is not known for definite if they breed here, but it is common belief that they do.

It is not until you begin to hike through this area that you truly appreciate its splendor, the clean air is scented with lavender and wild rosemary and flowers of purple, yellow, pink and white border every track. For the adventurous, the four hour accent to the peak is awarded with magnificent views up and down the coastline and on a clear day one can see Ibiza far out in the Mediteranean, however, the summit can often be shrouded in cloud even when the skies are completely clear elsewhere, so it is advisable to have a waterproof jacket packed as precipitation is commonplace near the summit due to the humid ocean air rising and condensing.

If trekking up the 753 meters is a bit too energetic for you there are several lower level routes one of which takes you down a cypress lined track to Los Molinos which are a line of old windmills, last used in 1911, that look down upon the scenic town of Jávea.

So if you are visiting the region, be it taking a beach holiday or a business trip and want to see the natural beauty of Spain as it was before the hotels and the over development then there is no better place to visit than the Montgó nature park.