How high up is the Santa Lucía hermitage?

312 metres above sea level, on the San Benet mountain. Its structure appears to date from the late 17th century, in Valencian Baroque style.

What were the watchtowers used for?

They were part of the 15th- and 16th-century coastal surveillance system, which gave warning of approaching vessels.

Santa Lucía, Torre Ebrí and the Lighthouse Route (Alcossebre)

Q: What elevation gain and difficulty does this route have?

250 m of elevation gain and medium difficulty. It runs along tracks and paths, and is designed to be done on foot.

Q: What points does it link?

The Santa Lucía hermitage, the Torre Ebrí, the Torre Campanilles, the Font de la Parra and the lighthouse.

Q: What can be seen from up there?

On clear days you can spot the Columbretes Islands, the Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca, the Desierto de las Palmas and the Agujas de Santa Águeda.

Santa Lucía, Torre Ebrí, Torre Campanilles, Font de la Parra, Lighthouse Route, Alcocebre

With an elevation gain of 250 m, this is a route to do on foot; of medium difficulty, it runs along tracks and paths.

View R1 Santa Lucía, Torre Campanilles, Torre Ebrí, Font de la Parra, Lighthouse on a larger map

Technical details

Elevation gain	250 m
Difficulty	Medium
Mode	On foot
Terrain	Tracks and paths

This is the most complete route in terms of heritage: it links the Santa Lucía hermitage, the Torre Ebrí, the Torre Campanilles, the Font de la Parra and the lighthouse. With 250 m of elevation gain and medium difficulty, it runs along tracks and paths, and is designed to be done on foot.

What you'll see

The Santa Lucía hermitage stands 312 metres above sea level, on the San Benet mountain, and its structure appears to date from the late 17th century, in Valencian Baroque style. From up there, on clear days, you can spot the Columbretes Islands, the Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca, the Desierto de las Palmas and the Agujas de Santa Águeda. It has its own page at the Santa Lucía hermitage page.

The watchtowers were part of the 15th- and 16th-century coastal surveillance system, and are one of the features that define the landscape of the Sierra de Irta.

How to get to the start and where to park

Alcossebre's blue zone (paid parking) only regulates streets in the town centre, and only during Easter week and from 15 June to 30 September, from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 22:00. Outside those streets and those dates, parking is free, so leaving the car near the start of the routes is usually not a problem. Details in the parking guide.

Since 2026 there is also a circular urban bus line connecting the town centre with the beaches and residential areas during the busiest periods; seasonal timetables at alcossebre.org and in the mobility guide.

When to do it

The best time to walk here is from October to May, and especially in autumn: in September you can still combine a swim with the trail, and from October onwards the heat stops being a factor. In July and August, if you do it, go early in the morning and never during the central hours of the day. Check the forecast beforehand on Weather in Alcossebre, which gathers AEMET data.

We go into more detail in the Alcossebre off-season guide, which explains why autumn is the best time of year for the sierra.

More routes and where to stay

All the routes in the municipality are on the routes and nature page, and the background on the natural park is in the nature guide. If you are looking for full-day plans, including trips to Peñíscola or Morella, check out day trips from Alcossebre.

To sleep close to the sierra, the Tres Playas area and the surroundings of the park are the quietest parts of the municipality and the ones that leave the trails within easy reach: comparison of apartments in the quiet areas and area guide with the real distances for each one.