All about OLIVA - Oliva is a wonderful small, friendly town on the Costa Blanca with beautiful white-sandy beaches, mountain landscapes and charming historic centre, explore this lovely corner of the Region of Valencia.
Oliva is a municipality in the Valencian Community, it is located in the southeast of the province of Valencia , in the Safor region, bordering the province of Alicante.
Situated just 62km. from Benidorm. The best way to get from Benidorm to Oliva is obviously by car but there is a bus which takes around 3hrs and costs €8 - €12.
Oliva is divided into 3 areas, The mountains, the highest: Pla del Frares 464 m and Covatelles 365 m these are classified as a protected natural public park, Tossal Gros 293 m, Cavall Bernat 206 m and Penya de l'Àguila 170 m.
The other area of mountains are, Pla de Carrixar 249 m which at its summit has a depression that stores rainwater and on its banks plants belonging to humid areas grow such as the Carrizo Phragmites australis (hence its name Carrixar). Lloma d'Enmig 238 m, Penyalba 154 m.
The second area is the central area, between the mountains and the coast, where you will find swampy areas and marshes.
The third area is the coast, which extends for 8.8 km, with fine sandy beaches along its entire length, except at the southernmost end, where the province of Alicante begins. Part of its municipal area is integrated into the Marjal de Pego-Oliva natural park.
Things to do in Oliva
Discover the historical heritage of Oliva
Walk through streets full of mansions with rustic and elegant architecture and remains of the imposing palace of Messrs. Centelles and Riu Sech.
Walk through Vila Condal which will end in the remains of the Towers and Wal, which today is integrated into the urban fabric.
Wander through the old Moorish Raval with its narrow streets, such as La Hoz, walk to the Gerreria and Pinet area!
Head to the Tosalet del Doiz, a viewpoint where you can enjoy panoramic views.
In Oliva you will find temples of all kinds, from the Parish Church of San Roque, with a magnificent baroque chapel, to the Parish Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, which has a crypt converted into an exhibition space .
Visit the Hermitage of San Vicente Ferrer, from the 18th century and located in a place from which the saint is said to have preached, and the building known as L'Enginy, an old sugar mill.
Museu Arqueológic d'Oliva
The Archaeological Museum of Oliva is housed in a stately building originating from the 15th century, so its location alone is worth the visit. The history of Oliva and Safor is covered and everyday pieces and tools from different eras and cultures such as the Iberian or Roman, Middle Ages and the Islamic period.
Opening hours October 1st to May 31st - Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
June 1st to September 30th -Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m..
Leaving the town center of Oliva visit the Hermitage of Saints Antonio and San Pedro Apóstol, simple and charming.
Santa Ana Castle from here you can enjoy spectacular views, an Islamic fortress from the 12th century that served to reinforce coastal surveillance against attacks by Barbary pirates. Although only a couple of walls remain standing, the original floor plan of the construction and the towers can be seen. In 2002 it was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
Access is through stairs, once there, you can enjoy views of Oliva from above, seeing its entire urban layout with its buildings of incalculable value such as the churches of Santa María and San Roque with their characteristic blue domes.
For lovers of nature there is much to do in Oliva, visit the Marjal de Pego y Oliva Natural Park and admiring the landscapes created by the springs or “ullals” of clean waters, full of fauna, and perfect for a birdwatching.
Oliva beaches
Oliva is a great place to fall in love with the Mediterranean! with nearly 9km of fine sandy beaches.
Terranova-Burguera - Location: from the Piles terminus to the Club Náutico breakwater.
From Terranova you can walk along the shore from the port of Oliva to the port of Gandía.
On this beach you can find a freshwater spring called El Tou or El Clotal.
This fine sandy beach has received the blue flag of the European Community on several occasions.
Pau-Pi - Location: from the Club Náutico breakwater to the mouth of the Séquia Mare.
The most popular beach in Oliva, with a length of 1,400 meters and a width of 70 meters. The sand on Pau Pi beach in Oliva is fine and golden, and is delimited by the breakwater of the Oliva Nautical Club and the mouth of the Séquia Mare. This beach has the highest quality certificates: the Blue Flag, the Q for Quality, the Q for Qualitur and the ISO 14001.
You will find all the services you need here in high season such as a recreational play area for children and infrastructure for people with reduced mobility, showers, footbaths, toilets and a parking area, it also has a pedestrian area along Avenida del Mar, where you will find restaurants, ice cream parlours.
Aigua Blanca - A quiet beach, situated next to the mouth of the Bullent River. It is a naturist beach with pleasant, fine-grained, golden sand, with a promenade a good number of services, such as Beach bars and restaurants, and in summer kiosks are installed very close to the sea.
Rabdells - A quiet beach with fine sand and surrounded by dunes, 1 km long and 80 meters wide, beach bars are open in high season. Near the area there are campsites with direct access to the beach.
Aigua Morta - Located south of the municipality of Oliva, between the Vedat river and the San Fernando urbanization, this is a little urban beach that has a length of 2,200 meters and has fine golden sand. In the summer months this is one of the most visited beaches in the town.
Les Deveses - Located at the southern end of the municipality, where it borders Dénia.
A quiet beach 700 meters long and 100 meters wide, covered with extraordinary fine golden sand. Les Deveses has easy access on foot and by car, if you come by car, keep in mind that this beach does not have a specific parking area.
Marjal de Pego-Oliva Natural Park - This is a beautiful natural park and wetland where you can enjoy walks, take bike rides, do some birdwatching and enjoy spectacular views.
Marjal de Pego-Oliva is also an agricultural landscape, as many years of rice cultivation has shaped the appearance of the wetland.
The park comprises of a combination of wetlands and dunar systems and sits to the south of the river Serpis, a wind variety of animals call this park home, making it one of the most important areas in the Mediterranean basin.
The waters of the river Bullent-Vedat and the river Racons-Molinell and the Mostalla and Segària aquifers keep this unique system of underground springs – known as ullals – bubbling with fresh and clean water. The beautiful waters are bursting with plants such as water lilies, yellow iris, rushes and duckweed and home to invertebrates like prawns and clams as well as many fish species, such as Valencia toothcarp, amphibians, reptiles and even turtles such as the Spanish pond turtle. You could even see water snakes.
One of the greatest attractions of the park is the birdlife, which attracts birdwatchers from all four corners of the world. Here you will see a great variety of species, namely heron, black-winged stilt, coot, little grebe, moorhen and countless species of ducks, to name but a few.
The natural park is criss-crossed with a network of trails, making it a lovely place to take a stroll or even do some horse riding.
Font Salada, situated in the natural park, this is a thermal spring whose crystalline waters range between 21°c and 23°c: the perfect temperature to take a dip all year round.
Salada means 'salty' the waters are salty and boast a number of minerals that are said to have healing properties for the skin.
The closest bus station to Font Salada is C. Guillem De Castro 21 (Creu Roja, Parking Mercadona) Ida [Oliva] is 73 meters away, 1 min walk.
