The city’s iconic castle will also stay open late this summer. Credit: Echiner / Shutterstock.com
As summer unfolds along the Marina Alta coastline, Denia is preparing to welcome residents and visitors alike with a series of free guided tours through its rich cultural heritage. From Tuesday 1 July 2025 the city’s Archaeology and Museums Department is launching a seasonal programme that includes extended castle opening hours and multilingual tours through its museums, historic landmarks and, for the first time, a prehistoric cave sanctuary.
A new window into the Neolithic world
The most remarkable addition to this year’s itinerary is the inclusion of the Cova de la Catxupa, a striking Levantine rock art shelter nestled in the hills overlooking the sea, the Montgó mountain, and the ancient landscape of vineyards and riuraus in the Benitzaina valley. This Neolithic cave, discovered in 1990, features 6,000-year-old wall paintings of archers, hunters, deer and goats – vivid representations that belong to the Levantine rock art tradition, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1998.
The Catxupa cave can only be visited on five special excursions this summer – 19 and 26 July, 9 and 23 August, and 6 September – all starting at 10 a.m. Each tour is limited to 25 participants and involves a challenging mountain walk, requiring good physical condition. Prior registration is required by calling 96 642 02 60 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily.
Journey through Denia’s many pasts
Beyond the cave, the city’s four main museums will also open their doors for thematic tours that bring Denia’s layered history to life.
At the Archaeological Museum, housed within the castle walls, “Dianium, Daniya, Denia. A city by the sea” takes visitors on a journey from the Roman port of Dianium to the Taifa kingdom of Daniya and beyond, featuring digital recreations and historical characters like local traders and King James II. Tours run every Thursday and Saturday at 11.30 a.m.
The Toy Museum (Museu dels Joguets), located in a former train station, offers a nostalgic look at Denia’s industrial past through toys made in the city during the 20th century. The tour, titled “A journey into the past”, is available on Wednesdays at 11.30 a.m.
The Ethnological Museum focuses on the 19th-century raisin trade that reshaped Denia’s landscape and economy. “The long journey of the raisin” explains how the region transformed into a centre of muscatel grape production for export, especially to Britain. Tours take place on Mondays at 11.30 a.m.
At the Museum of the Sea, the exhibition “Of fear and silk” explores Denia’s coastal defence system from the 16th century onwards, financed through a unique silk tax. The tour includes stories of watchtowers like the Torre del Gerro, which maintained visual contact with the castle. Guided visits are held on Tuesdays at 11.30 a.m. and Fridays at 7 p.m.
Castle under the stars
The city’s iconic castle will also stay open late this summer under the initiative Visit the Castle by Night. From 1 July to 15 September, visitors can explore the fortress until midnight, with the last entry at 11.30 p.m. The twilight tour “Discover the Castle and Interpretation Centre” – offered at 8.30 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday – invites participants to travel through five distinct historical periods: Iberian, Roman, Islamic Taifa, modern era, and the 19th century. Some of these evening tours will also be available in English.
The regular daytime version of the castle tour is offered multiple times weekly:
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays: 11.30 a.m., 7 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.
Wednesdays and Fridays: 11.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m.
In English: Tuesday to Friday at 11 a.m.
Please note that during the Música al Castell festival (23–26 July), there will be no evening tours and the monument will close early at 6 p.m. before reopening at 9 p.m. to host concertgoers at the Governor’s Palace esplanade at the summit.
With its ancient art, maritime heritage, and starlit fortresses, Denia’s summer programme offers a rare opportunity to engage with thousands of years of Mediterranean history – all within walking distance of the sea.
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