Serra Grossa in Alicante - urban mountain - hike from playa de la Albufereta - Sierra de San Julián

Just north-east of the castle of Santa Barbara in Alicante lies a small mountain that looks like a large mound when seen from the castle, but which is a low, elongated coastal mountain ridge. From the sea, it looks as if nature is growing out of the city, and when you are up there, it feels like you are in another world. The ascent can be tiring, but the reward is great in the form of a unique view of the coast, the city, the harbor and the surrounding mountains.

Serra Grossa (Valencian name), Sierra Gorda (Castilian name) or Sierra de San Julián as it is also called, consists of two parts: the small Sierra de Santa Ana which is closest to the castle of Santa Barbara and the larger Sierra Gorda (meaning the thick mountain). The route described in this post goes from the beach Playa de la Albufereta to the summit of Sierra Gorda. The first part of the route is visible in the picture above where a road has been built supported by a high wall in a zigzag pattern up the cliff.

The first part of the route runs on a road flanked by a high wall

After a short time you rise up from the city and gradually get finer views of the surrounding areas

Serra Grossa has an interesting history. On the north side, remains have been found of a settlement from the Bronze Age approx. 1800 BC. It has not been properly excavated and is difficult to find, but shows that people have lived here for a very long time. The steep cliff face towards the sea is partly the result of stone quarrying. The quarries at Serra Grossa have had a major impact on the town's development. Calcarenite from the mountain, known as piedra juliana or Pedra de Sant Julià, was used in several historic buildings in Alicante such as the Basilica of Santa María and the Monastery of Santa Faz.

Inside and under the cliff is also interesting. At the foot of the mountain there was an oil refinery - La Británica - which was established in the latter part of the 19th century. The company created an extensive industrial area with large storage tanks and a network of passages and rooms blasted or dug into the rock. The facility was long important as a fuel storage facility, particularly during the Spanish Civil War when fuel was a strategic resource. The refinery was in operation until 1966.

The so-called "golden mountain" Cabecó d'Or seen from the ascent of Serra Grossa

After approx. 1 km the road turns into a path. The last couple of hundred meters you walk on a rocky surface.

As one approaches the top, the trail splits. It doesn't matter which one you choose, because both lead to the plateau, but if you turn left, the path follows the cliff along the coast where you get a nice view of the Mediterranean and the coastline up to the end of the plateau in the south-west. You can then follow the land side back again so that it becomes a round trip. You will then return to the right path in the picture above.

View of San Juan, Playa de Albufereta and Playa de l'Almadrava seen from the eastern vantage point

The path follows the coastal side of the cliff in the direction of central Alicante

There are several smaller trails in the area. If you like excitement, it goes as shown in the picture, a path right out at the edge of the cliff protected by a fence. On the horizon you can see Gran Alacant and the cliff at Santa Pola.

The plateau at the top of the cliff is flat over a large area

View to the north side of the cliff with buildings in Alicante city

The castle of Santa Barbara seen from the south-west end of the Serra Grossa

Overview of Alicante harbour, the castle of Santa Barbara and parts of the city. In front of Santa Barbara lies the Sierra de Santa Ana or Cerra del Molinet as it is also called. There is a small cone-shaped cliff that is worth a visit in itself and is described in another post (see below).

On clear days, the view from the top of Serra Grossa is unique. Then you can see Ibiza in the east and the small island of Tabarca in the west. You get an overview of the coast east to El Campello and west to Gran Alacant and Santa Pola. And you get an overview of the plains within and the mountain ranges in the background.

View to the coast to the west

On the way back, you come to a crescent-shaped cut. There the path goes down to Sierra Santa Ana and the shopping center Plaza Mar 2 and the tram station La Goteta.

View to the coast to the east with El Campello and the mountains within

On the way back, you get a good overview of the route you have followed

At the end of Playa de la Albufereta are the remains of a bathing facility and fish farm from Roman times. It is shown at the bottom left of the picture above just outside the large tree in front of the high-rise buildings. It is only a few hundred meters from the car park and may be worth a visit when you are still in the area.

The tour starts at the car park for Playa de la Albufurete. From there you cross the main road at the back where there is a pedestrian crossing. Then you continue for a couple of hundred meters in the direction of Serra Grossa until you reach a roundabout. There you go to the right, and then you take the first road up a hill to the left. It leads into Calle Sierra de San Julián. Follow it until you reach an information sign for the paths linked to Serra Grossa.

The car park of Playa de la Albufereta is free

The path up to the top of Serra Grossa starts at an information sign where a road goes up to the left

Alicante wants to take care of nature and history in Serra Grossa. Therefore, both work is taking place to reintroduce lost plant species and work to make the area more accessible to the public. Today it is a popular place for both hiking and birdwatching.

More excursions: www.turideer.com

Excursion of the week: Serra Grossa in Alicante

Length: Round trip 5.6 km. Height difference 193 metres. Calculate approx. 2 hours.

Suitable for: Anyone in normal physical shape. It can be tiring to walk up the hill to the plateau (approx. 1 km), but most people will be able to do this if they adjust their pace. There are no dangerous or scary parts. For large parts of the trip, the footwear does not matter, but in some parts it will be an advantage to have good running shoes.

Geting there: Enter "Free Parking Lot Albufereta Beach" in Google Maps. From there you cross the main road straight at the back. There is a pedestrian crossing close by. Follow the road west towards Serra Gorda. Turn right at the roundabout after 100-200 metres. Then take the first road on the left after approx. 100 meters. Then follow Calle Sierra de San Julián to the information sign where the route starts.

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