A long day trip from Valencia, but worth the effort. Why it is such an effort is anyone’s guess, but this is not straightforward.
The trains run at slightly odd hours, and when you get to the nearest stop (Benicarlo) there’s no information or even a bus. It leaves instead from a stop a good 15-minute walk away in the town. By the time the bus gets within view of this medieval walled city that juts out into the crystal blue Mediterranean, however, you’ll forget all that hassle.
Take as much time as you can to wander through its narrow cobbled streets, take in the views from the castle, eat lunch in one of its many restaurants, have a swim or a sunbathe. Just leave enough time to do the bus/walk/train back to the city.
Getting there: 3-4 trains per day from Valencia to Benicarlo or Vinaroz, followed by a bus to Peniscola.
Especially if there are several of you to share the cost, it's much more convenient to rent a car and drive up there. The castle was the palace of the 15th-century anti-Pope (in those days there were two rival popes) Pedro de Luna. I find it strange that a pope lived in that relatively modest building, but Pedro came from the area and it does have a breathtaking view. For a modest lunch I like the terrace of the Cafeteria Bufador on the south side of the castle hill.
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