Nature
Nature
Javea has a varied landscape and rugged terrain, which has been
shaped over centuries by the influence of sea and wind. Few cities
can boast such a rich natural heritage that confers its variety of
landscapes. There are several areas protected as Natural
Parks, a Marine Reserve and six vegetation micro reserves. One
can enjoy the many options via different hiking trails and
viewpoints.
Montgo Natural Park
The Montgo massif rises above the plains of Javea, Denia and
Ondara and reaches a maximum height of 753 m. The
peculiar topography of this area, with huge walls and ravines, as
well as its strong contrast between the two sides, form a series of
habitats where you can find a variety of natural wealth. The
bio-geographical position and current weather conditions have
allowed the Montgó to be home to many plant species, and its plant
diversity is one of the largest in the Western Mediterranean with
over 800 species. As a result, the Valencian Government declared
this area in May 1987, the Montgo Natural Park, which includes Cape
San Antonio and the plain of Las Planas, which serves as a union
between the coast and massif itself.
History of the Montgo
Traces of the earliest human presence in this area date back
30,000 years, from the upper Paleolithic. They were small nomadic
groups which occupied the Foradada cave and ravines facing the sea
at Cap de la Nau. These were hunter/gatherer communities.
Around 5000 BC the first agriculture and livestock communities
developed with the appearance of pottery and polished stone.
Arrowheads, fragments of various vessels, carved stone and bone, as
well as remains of human burials from this period have been found
in the caves of Montgó and Barranc de Migdia where schematic
paintings are also found. Metal utensils dating from the Bronze Age
(3000 BC) have also been found in these caves. The villages were
situated on small hills, like the one where Javea's chapel of Santa
Llúcia is located.
The indigenous Iberian culture began to develop in the 8th
century BC. At the top of Benimàquia, (western-most tip of the
Montgó) is an Iberian settlement of seventh century BC. Here
Phoenician amphorae have been found. Findings of pottery, coins,
ornaments in the area of the Coll de Pous (Western end of
the Montgó) and the Penya de l'Àguila with its defensive
walls, (on top of the ridge) confirm the presence of the Iberians
until 1st Century BC. The Romans continued to use the Montgó as a
place for observation and surveillance to protect the increasingly
important trading port of Dianum (Dénia), which was already a
sizeable town in the first century AD. Remains from excavations can
be seen in the Javea's archaeological museum.
The park, besides its archaeological importance has flora which
includes a large number of Iberian endemic plants. The Moorish
Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman III who, at the beginning of the
10th century, made a special journey from Córdoba to collect over a
hundred medicinal herbs from the slopes of Montgó.
Marine Reserve Cap De Sant Antoni
Cap de Sant Antoni is situated in the transition zone between low
and sandy shores of the Gulf of Valencia and the rocky cliffs
typical of the north of Alicante. These cliffs form a
beautiful coastal landscape - impressive vertical walls alternating
with small coves and cliffs. On the other side, the Cap de
Sant Antoni is subject to strong hydrodynamics, since by its N-NE
direction is exposed to winds from the first and second quadrant,
predominant in the area. These characteristics mean that in a
relatively small stretch of coast we find a varied underwater
topography with different types of substrates. The wide
variety of environments present in the Cap de Sant Antoni allows
the appearance of a large number of benthic communities, some of
them of great ecological interest and standards of protection under
the European Council. For these reasons, the Valencian
Government in November 1993 established a marine reserve area in
the vicinity of Cap de Sant Antoni. The maintenance and upkeep
of the Reserve require a series of precautions and attention by all
visitors.
Portitxol Bay
Portitxol Bay is limited to the Cap Prim in the north and in the
south the Cap Negre, which protect it from the winds of the first
and second quadrant. The stretch of coastline covered by the
bay, along with nearby Portitxol Island is one of the places of
greatest ecological and landscape of Javea. The
geological composition of the bay determines its particular
physiognomy. Its northern part is composed mostly of marl and
clay, which contrast sharply with the rest of the coast of Javea,
composed mainly of limestone. The characteristics of these
materials and easily eroded cliffs make the Bay Portitxol not reach
any great height. At its base you will find a large accumulation of
detached boulders along the shoreline. The colourful cliffs,
gray and yellow, contrasting with the blue sea, result in
landscapes of great beauty. Given the importance of vegetation
in this area, the Valencian Government established in May 1999
flora micro-reserves in the Cap Prim and Portitixol or Barraca
beach. At the southern end of the bay, the landscape changes
again due to the limestone composition Cap Negre, featuring
towering vertical walls reaching out from the sea and where you
will also find numerous underwater caves and crevices. From
main coast, a few hundred metres is the island of
Portitxil. From the beach of boulders and pebbles is possible
to observe marine communities of great ecological interest, such as
formed by the brown alga Cystoseira.
Forest Park Granadella
The south coast of Javea is an impressive green area of about 700
hectares which represents Granadella today, dominated by low
shrubs and fenalares. We find two very different types of
bushes as bedrock on which they live and they give an uneven colour
to the area. In the limestone areas the lavender bushes grow
teeth in which the predominant colour is blue. We are able find
plenty of endemism iberolevantino, known locally as centaurs and
orchids, most of which are quite rare. The wildlife highlight
is the presence of a unique insect called Granadella Amaladera
longipenis, a beetle that lives in the walls falling out into the
sea.