Incredible must-see canyons on the Costa Blanca

The Valencia Region is home to unique landscapes made up of gorges and stunning rock formations

When it comes to spectacular canyons carved over millions of years resulting in spectacular gorges and rock formations, most of us understandably cast our minds to northern Arizona, home to the famous Grand Canyon.

This incredible natural park is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1979 by UNESCO.

However, in Spain, and more specifically in the Valencia Region, there are also natural spots of this kind, albeit on a smaller scale, that are also definitely worth visiting.

The provinces of Alicante, Valencia and Castellón boast a wealth of unique landscapes, many of which are not so well known to the general public. However, now, thanks to social networks such as TikTok, these natural gems are going viral opening up new doors of discovery.

Here are three of the Costa Blanca's 'must-see' canyons truly worth a visit:

Cañón del Mascarat en Altea (Mascarat Canyon)

Altea is one of the most charming and beautfiul towns in the province of Alicante and is home to some exceptional places calling out to be explored. One of them is the Mascarat canyon or gorge (pictured above), which is a ravine that separates the municipality from Calpe.

On this 2km route you can walk between imposing but truly stunning walls that are more than 100 metres high and only one metre apart in places. The spectacular bridges built over the gorge are known as 'Barranc Salat'.

Before embarking on this route, it's advisable to check the weather forecast as the excursion runs through the interior of a ravine that collects the waters of the Bernia mountain range. The trail can therefore be potentially dangerous in the event of torrential rain or storms.

Cañones del Turia (Turia Canyons)

The interior of Valencia province hides a spectacular route that runs through the Turia canyons and the hanging bridges of Chulilla. This is a simple excursion but is not suitable for those who are afraid of heights, as you have to cross these hair-raising structures over the river.

The Salto de Chulilla is a canyon 160 metres deep, 10 metres wide and about 4km long that reaches the dam of the Loriguilla reservoir. The excursion has several ideal places to rest, as well as areas for climbing and bathing.

Cañones el Júcar (Júcar Canyons)

Also further inland in Valencia province are the canyons of the river Júcar, a breathtaking landscape just over an hour from the Malvarrosa beach. These enormous walls, over 300 metres high, are located between the Valencian municipalities of Jalance and Cofrentes.

The natural site is surrounded by numerous ravines, tunnels and Mediterranean forests. It can be visited by means of a circular route that starts in Jalance and the excursion is about 33 km long, so not considered suitable for novice hikers.

Image 1 and 2: Wikimedia

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