Dénia is a culturally diverse city on the Costa Blanca, situated on the northern edge of the Alicante province. It is halfway between Valencia and Alicante, and one of the oldest and most representative locations of the “Bous a la Mar” week-long festival (or “fiesta”) in July.
Iberian ruins at Mt. Montgo represent evidence of prehistoric inhabitants in Dénia. In the 4th century, the town was a Greek colony of Marseille named “Hemeroscopion”, and allied with the Roman Empire during the Punic Wars. General Quintus Sertorius established a Roman naval base by the 1st century B.C.E. when the town was absorbed into the Roman Empire as “Dianum”. Once the Caliphate of Cordoba dissolved, after the Umayyad conquest of Hispania, Dénia became a Muslim kingdom known as the “Dénia Taifa”, created by a freed slave named Mujahid al-Siqlabi. The Muslim Arabs erected the castle fortress, which would later be rebuilt by the French in the 19th century during the Peninsular War.
Dénia was captured by Christians in 1244 A.D., and the Muslim population was exiled. The town was declining, and eventually returned under the Crown of Aragon by 1455. Dénia continued to decline once the Expulsion of the Moriscos was ordered by King Philip III of Spain in 1609. The city fell to the French during the War of Spanish Succession, but once the Treaty of Utrecht declared Philip, Duke on Anjou as King of Spain in 1713, Dénia was returned to Spain. By 1803, Dénia was established as a trading port under the Spanish crown, and it began flourishing with its raisin exports.
Dénia is known to be home to the iconic castle overlooking the city, which is now an archaeological museum with guided tours that guests love to visit. Since the 1960’s, the fishing and tourism market has made this port a thriving attraction, offering rich history, and other outdoor activities. Tourists can visit Macizo del Montgo Natural Park, Playa de las Marinas, and of course, visit the castle.
