Vía Verde del Mar (Greenway of the Sea): Benicassim - Oropesa del Mar

Take the train from Valencia (Estació del Nord) to Benicàssim. You can purchase the tickets online here, via the Renfe App or at the station (there's no real need to purchase tickets in advance). I'd recommend purchasing the Regional Express train that departs at 8.05am (check times online as it may differ depending on the season) and typically costs 8.10€, otherwise you can get the later train called Talgo for around 18.70€. Once you have arrived at Benicàssim you'll need to walk to the start of the trail. You have two options: walk the short route or take the scenic route along the beach promenade. The start of the route is located beside Hotel Voramar on Calle Termalismo.

At the start of the trail you'll be met with the first engineering marvel, a passage cut into the rock with a series of tunnels. Once you have passed under all these tunnels the trail becomes rather monotone because you need to pass through an urban area where people have their villas by the sea. But fear not, up ahead you'll soon be rewarded with spectacular views of the rugged coastline of the Mediterranean Sea on the right and views of the mountains on the left.

In the distance you'll spot an old coastal watchtower called Torre de la Colomera (Colomera Tower). This watchtower was built in 1553 to protect the coast from Barbary pirate invasions such as the infamous Ottoman pirate known as Barbarroja (Red Beard) who was feared across the Mediterranean. These pirates were known to take captives and sell them in the slave markets of Algiers. The watchtower is located on Roca del Gigante (The Giant's Rock) which is a micro-reserve designated as a Site of Community Importance.

There is another rock-cut passage between the Roca del Gigante and the hillside which leads to a viewpoint where you can contemplate the glistening sea and climb the rock to reach the tower.

Next, you'll need to go through yet another rock-cut passage which will lead you to an area known as La Renegà where there are a series of unspoilt rocky beaches.

You can take one of the trails that run off from the main trail to reach these beaches. This is the perfect place to have a picnic (bring food, there are no restaurants or bars in the area) and have a dip in the sea. The trail that I took down (see map) goes past an abandoned building with some unsavoury graffiti and lots of rubbish around (people really are pigs) but once you get to the coastline you'll thank me later.

Once you have finished eating and/or bathing in the sea you need to return to the main trail. Up ahead, you'll come across another coastal watchtower known as Torre de la Cordà (Tower of the Rope Ladder) which was also built in 1553 to protect the coast from pirates. The tower used to be accessed via a rope ladder to reach the door located 6 metres from the ground but nowadays there is a metal spiral staircase which you can use when the tower is open to the public. During the summer it is opened more often but if you really want to access it you can get into contact with the Oropesa Tourism Office to arrange a visit. Phone 964 31 23 20 or email oropesadelmar@touristinfo.net On clear days you can sometimes see a set of uninhabited volcanic islands known as Islas Columbretes in the distance.

After visiting the tower you will be coming close to the end of his greenway but first you'll need to go through the 600m long tunnel that cuts through the Bolavar Mountain. The tunnel is equipped with automated lights so you needn't worry about bring a flashlight. If you'd rather not go through the tunnel there are two optional detours: 1) Ascend to the Mirador de Oropesa (Oropesa Viewpoint) with breathtaking views, 2) go around the tunnel straddling the coast instead of going through the tunnel. Both of these detours take time and require much more of an effort. It's up to you; we just made things simple and went through the tunnel.

Once you emerge from the tunnel there are only a few more metres until you come to the end of the Vía Verde del Mar. This is the end of the official route. At this point, you can make your way to Oropesa del Mar and explore the area before making your way to the train station to come back to Valencia.