The Sierra Helada Natural Park (Serra Gelada) and its coastal environment is located within the Marina Baixa region between the bays of Benidorm and Alfàs-Alteao.

Sierra Helada Natural Park

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  • Region: Valencian Community
  • Province: Alicante
  • Declared a Natural Park: 2005
  • Park surface area: 5,655 hectares (almost 90% marine environment)
  • Towns and villages: Benidorm, l`Alfás del Pí and Altea

Points of interest

The Sierra Helada Natural Park (Serra Gelada) and its coastal environment is located within the Marina Baixa region between the bays of Benidorm and Alfàs-Alteao. It was the first combined land and maritime park to be declared in the Valencian Community as a singular example of a coastal mountainous ecosystem formed by an impressive relief that rises abruptly on its coastline with cliffs of over 300 metres.

The famous “hanging dunes” are rock formations eroded by the sea that were once sand dunes that are now fossilized.

Tthere are also many beautiful coves and bays which are virtually inaccessible by foot and need to be accessed by boat or kayak

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Flora

The Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) makes up the woodland areas and oak woodlands are rare so “maquis” scrubland occupies most of the surface area with the most frequent species being Pistacia (Pistacia lentiscus), juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), white and broom heather (Erica arborea and E. scoparia), Cistus such as (Cistus monspeliensis, C. salviifolius, C. albidus), and gorse (Calicotome spinosa).

In the higher more humid areas there are a number of endemic plants such as Hippocrepis Valentina and the Valencian rock violet, as well as the Mediterranean fan palm (Chaemorops humilis), the only palm species to grow wild in Europe. Plants such as Silene hifacensis, Asperula paui subsp. dianensis, Biscutella montana, Teucrium hifacense and Limonium parvibracteatum occuby the cliffside habitat.

In the marine environment, the Posidonia and Cymodocea meadows are worth highlighting along with submerged caves, marine reefs (such as la Losa) and other coastal habitats.

Micro reserves in the Sierra Helada natural Park

Micro-reserve of flora Serra Gelada – Sud

This micro-reservoir is located on the fossil dunes themselves hanging from the Sierra Helada. Look out for Corema album, Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa and Juniperetum macrocarpae

Micro-reserve of Flora Illa Mintjana

This protected area covers the entire surface area of ​​the Illa Mitjana located in front of the Sierra Helada cliff. The priority species are Salsola oppositifolia and Silene hifacensis, Limonium spp. and Helichrysetum decumbentis.

Fauna

Among terrestrial fauna, seabirds are well represented and the area can be considered the second most important for this group of birds in the Valencian Community after the Columbretes archipelago. The nesting species of greatest interest are European storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) and shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), although raptors such as the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) are also present in good numbers. Other non-nesting species of interest that can be observed in the marine environment of the Natural Park are grey shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), Audouin’s gull (Larus audouinii) and Mediterranean shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus).

In the Marine environment fish such as sea bream (Diplodus sargus), common dentex (Dentex dentex), brown meagre or corb (Sciaena umbra), conger eel (Conger conger), moray eel (Muraena helena), pearly razorfish (Xyrichtys novacula), as well as species such as the Mediterranean lobster (Palinurus elephas), white gorgonian coral (Eunicella singularis) and red thorny oyster (Spondylus gaederopus),

In addition, the waters of the park are home to one of the few families of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that live permanently in the Valencian territory.

Information / Visitors Centers

Faro de l’Albir Interpretation Center

The Faro de l’Albir Interpretation Center is located in the old lighthouse and currently houses two exhibition rooms that reflect both the environmental aspects of the natural park and the history of the lighthouse. (Follow the signs to the lighthouse and free car park and then walk along the well kept path)

The official website for the Sierra Helada Natural Park can be found here: https://parquesnaturales.gva.es/es/web/pn-serra-gelada

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