The island of Tabarca, officially known as the island of Nova Tabarca or Plana it is located a few kilometers from the city of Alicante. This island is a very visited place and it is the largest island in the Valencian Community, which is also inhabited.
This island has become one of the tourist attractions of the people who visit Alicante. It has many natural attractions and also a small town that you can visit. Trips to the island usually last only one day, as it is quite fast.
How we got to the island of Tabarca
The island of Tabarca is located few kilometers from the Alicante coast, so it is easy to reach and does not take long. Hence, it becomes one of people's favorite excursions. If you have your own boat you can get there and spend the day on that island, which is a fascinating idea. However, the vast majority of people have to settle for paying a ticket on the boats that leave from Alicante or the port of Santa Pola. Larger boats leave from the port of Alicante in the morning to spend the day and from Santa Pola smaller boats leave which are also usually cheaper.
In this Alicante island there are already vestiges of Roman presence centuries ago, with remains of a necropolis or amphorae, although it is believed that there were no inhabitants until much later. During the thirteenth century some fortification was already established, as it was a very important crossing point in the Mediterranean Sea. The first houses on the island were completed in the XNUMXth century.
Heritage in Tabarca
This island was declared Historic-Artistic Complex in the 60s. Its heritage is one of the things that are essential when we visit it. One of the things that can be appreciated are the old walls that surrounded the perimeter of the island in a defensive way. These stone walls with ashlar masonry are still preserved in some sections, although in others they have been totally destroyed and at present there are no battlements. However, a rehabilitation process has been carried out to preserve what remains of them.
In addition, in these walls you can see three old baroque style doors. The Puerta de San Rafael or Levante is located in the port, connecting the city with the countryside. The Puerta de la Trancada or San Gabriel Gate is the one that leads to the quarry and in its surroundings Roman remains were found. The third gate is that of Alicante or San Miguel, which opens onto a small cove where the old port was located.
La church of San Pedro and San Pablo dates from the XNUMXth century. This church has Baroque elements and is built in the stone of the island. In addition to this church, you must see the Governor's House on the island, a building that was built to give a home to the governor of the island. A castle was going to be built that was never built, that is why this house was created. At present it is a restored house in which you can find one of the few hotels on the island.
Other points of interest are the San José tower which is reached by a dirt road. This place was used as a prison in the XNUMXth century. To the south of this tower there is a beautiful beach with transparent waters to be able to snorkel. Also the XNUMXth century lighthouse is another nice building. It is located a bit far from the coast, but the truth is that the island does not have much elevation and that is why it was put in that place.
Natural reserve
La Island marine reserve it was declared in the year 86 and was one of the first in the country. It is a reserve that is located around the island, in the marine area. One of the main attractions of this island is the possibility of being able to enjoy the small coves that are in the surroundings. It is an island of a few meters that can be seen easily. The only drawback is that it is full of tourists in summer, so the coves end up crowded and you cannot enjoy everything you should.
If we have the possibility of spending the night on the island, this will give us the opportunity to enjoy these coves with greater tranquility when the last boat has left. The Llop Marí cave It is a place that is under the walls and whose access can be done by boat. Legend has it that in this cave there is a monster that scares the inhabitants at night.