Getaways and things to do in Parque Natural de la Sierra de Bèrnia y Ferrer

The Sierra de Bernia and Ferrer Protected Landscape covers 1,900 hectares across the municipalities of Callosa d'en Sarria, Tarbena, Alcalali, Xalo, Benissa, Calp and Altea in Alicante province. The Valencian regional government granted this protection status in 2006, and the sierra is further listed as a Site of Community Importance (SCI). Bernia's main crest runs for over 3 kilometres at elevations close to 1,000 metres, peaking at 1,128 m. On clear days, the summit view takes in the Altea and Benidorm coastline, the silhouette of Ibiza on the horizon and, inland, the mountains of the Marina Alta district.

The circular route around the Sierra de Bernia is one of the most complete hikes in Alicante province. Starting from Cases de Bernia, a rural hamlet at the foot of the summit on the northern face, the trail covers about 11 km with roughly 500 m of accumulated ascent over approximately 5 hours. The route's most singular feature is the Forat de Bernia, a natural karst tunnel roughly 15 metres long that cuts through the sierra from north to south, carved by the dissolution of limestone. Passing through requires ducking and a brief scramble, and emerging on the southern face reveals a vertiginous panorama straight down to the Mediterranean. A shorter 5 km version reaches the Forat and returns in 2–3 hours, suitable for families with children aged 8–10 and above.

Midway along the circular route stand the remains of the Fort de Bernia, a star-shaped Renaissance fortress built in 1562 by engineer Giovanni Battista Antonelli on the orders of Philip II. The fort was erected to watch the coast against Barbary pirate raids and to deter potential uprisings among the Morisco population. After the expulsion of the Moriscos in 1609, the installation was dismantled in 1613. The perimeter walls and bastions still stand, and the site has been classified as a Cultural Heritage Property (BIC) since 1997. The combination of historical remains and natural scenery makes this stretch of the route a natural stopping point.

Mediterranean flora dominates the slopes: Aleppo pine, holm oak, strawberry tree and rosemary at lower elevations; kermes oak and mastic scrub on the most sun-exposed areas. The vertical cliffs along the crest serve as nesting grounds for raptors: Bonelli's eagle, peregrine falcon and Eurasian eagle-owl breed on the rock faces. Iberian ibex move easily along the crags. For photographers, sunrises from the ridge, with sea fog climbing the southern face as the first light strikes the cliffs, produce lighting conditions rarely found on other coastal ranges in the peninsula.