Denia, The City of Gastronomic Tourism

Img source: lucasfox.com

Traveling is not only a way to improve our knowledge, but to grow as human beings. By knowing that, it is pretty clear why everyone loves to travel and experience something new. Learning about different cultures, traditions, and cuisine is perhaps the best way to learn about how some people from that area lived throughout the time. 

There are many forms of tourism, but no matter if you love food, rich history, remarkable monuments or a cristal clear sea and sandy beaches, one place that has it all is Denia. Although many may not be familiar with it, it is a small city with around 40.000 residents in eastern Spain. What most people know about Spain is for sure Barcelona, Madrid, Ibiza, Majorca, depending on their preferences, but Denia, although a port city, has a vast and a history of great importance for this whole area, along with some extraordinary places, museums, and archaeological sites and museums. 

Everything else aside, what those who know about this city first mention is the food, and rightfully so. Namely, Denia is often referred to as gastronomy heaven because of numerous restaurants with a unique and traditional menu, and that is just the beginning. With that said, let’s explore Denia a little more and look at all the things that make Denia a unique and must-visit destination. But if you want to start planning your trip to Denia right away, check here for more info and find the best vehicle to get around, as it is something you will most certainly need.

Img source: spendlifetraveling.com

Contents

Why is Denia so special?

People first thought when they hear about the Denia is food, and no one can say that it is not true but, this city has much more to offer. Since it is located on the coastline of the Mediterranean sea, it should be on your bucket list to visit it and feel this lifestyle at its best. It is one of those places available for tourists during the whole year because the temperature rarely falls down under 20 degrees, so there is no need to worry that cold weather will ruin your holiday. Denia has a great connection with Ibiza and Majorca, and getting there by ferry is fast and fun at the same time. Since that marina is more than forty years old, it is a great experience to visit it and learn more about its history, no matter if you plan to travel or not, but once you are there, you will visit at least one of these two remarkable places. 

Rich History

History-wise, once you plan a trip to Denia, don’t forget to visit a castle which will show you how the buildings looked more than ten centuries ago. Besides that, it is not far from Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia, so football fans will be more than happy to create a trip by their wishes. What better way for sports lovers to combine and get it all, mesmerizing view, extraordinary and history-rich locations, along with great fun and, of course, a great football derby. Who knows, if you plan everything in advance, you may actually get lucky and attend the famous “El Classico.” game, one of the biggest and most viewed football clashes in the world. For those who love long walks in nature, Mount Montgo natural park is something worth seeing and maybe spending a day or two in it because its landscapes and many animals will take your breath away. And, in the end, no one can resist the astonishing sandy beaches and crystal clear water. At first glance, you may feel like you are in heaven on Earth, and after a while, you will be sure of that.

Img source: happyholidayhomes.net

Worldwide famous restaurants

Denia is most famous for its delicious traditional homemade specialties, which is also one of the main reasons why so many people are saying that it is a city that everyone, especially if you are a foodie, must visit. There isn’t a man or a woman in Spain who doesn’t know about Denia, but the popularity of Denia doesn’t stop here because almost every person from the culinary world dreams about visiting this gem at least once in a lifetime. The number of restaurants is so high that it is impossible to have a meal in all of them, not even if you are going to a different restaurant every day. The fact is that each of them offers extraordinary food that will simply leave you craving for more. Because of that, if someone is visiting this place for the very first time, there is no need to worry about restaurant choices. 

It is all about the food

Since it is a Mediterranean city on the sea coast, the cuisine is mostly based on seafood with many different dishes made of rice, and, of course, the paella, a traditional Spanish dish characteristic for this area, is one of them. There is something for anyone’s taste, so you can find regular dishes and those for the people who love to experiment with food. Some of them are dried octopus and crayfish prepared in many different ways. Besides the cuisine that leaves everyone speechless, those restaurants are usually near the sea, and that is the ambient that you simply cannot find anywhere else in the world. The food from Denia is usually the reason why people are extending their stay in this city, and why they are always coming back.

Img source: happycow.net

A creative city of gastronomy

Yes, you read it right. UNESCO named Denia as the creative city of gastronomy, which is not something one can get easily, and also a reason why this city needs to be on every gastronomy fan list. It all started in 2015, and in 2024 they passed the UNESCO evaluation with flying colors and won their title once more. But it’s not all solely about great food, as the plan was, and still is, to include and combine tradition, creativity, along with preserving the environment combined with, yes, you guessed right, food. The whole project included the amazing coastline but also the inland, making it all not only gastronomy but heaven for tourists overall. Many traditional meals prepared by families who lived there for centuries are now on-demand as many young chefs are attending culinary courses and learning these remarkable and tasty recipes. All in all, it is one destination in the world where one can get everything they want and need from a vacation, and it will for sure make you come back once more.