The Vía Verde del Mar:
A Coastal Greenway Between Oropesa and Benicàssim

What it is

The Vía Verde del Mar runs for about 5.5 km one way (roughly 11 km there and back) along the route of the old Valencia - Barcelona railway, which used to hug this stretch of coast before the line was moved inland. When the tracks were removed, the old route was turned into a greenway - flat, well surfaced, and open to walkers and cyclists. It opened in 2009, and it’s also part of the EuroVelo 8 long-distance cycling route.

This is worth explaining, because “vía verde” isn’t just a name. Vías verdes are old, disused railway lines across Spain that have been turned into car-free paths for walking and cycling. There are now more than a hundred of them, run as a coordinated national programme whose whole purpose is to reuse abandoned railways and promote sustainable travel - walking, cycling and low-impact tourism in nature. Because trains need gentle gradients, the routes are almost always flat and easy, which makes them some of the most accessible outdoor routes in the country.

I’ll admit I have a professional soft spot for the idea. Most tourism development adds pressure to a place; this does the opposite - it reuses what was already there, spreads people along a route instead of crowding one spot, and gets them out of their cars. It’s one of the smarter ways to open up a landscape without ruining it, and this route goes further still, keeping a strip of wild coast as a path by the sea in an area where almost everything else has been built on.

It runs at the foot of the Desierto de las Palmas natural park, past rocky cliffs, hidden coves and two old stone watchtowers, Torre Bellver and Torre de La Corda, that once warned the coast about pirate raids.

The two ways I did it

Usually this path is done from Benicàssim to Oropesa, but I did it the other way round.

On foot, the whole way, arriving by train. One time I took the train to Oropesa del Mar, walked the full route to Benicàssim, and from there took the train back to Valencia. This is the easiest way to do the whole thing without worrying about getting back to your car - you get off at one end, walk, and catch the train home from the other. Finding the start is simple enough: I just headed towards the coast as soon as I got off, and once you reach the seafront the path is easy to pick up. The walk took me around two hours at a relaxed pace.

By car, doing only part of it. The other time we drove and parked near Cala Retor, which is roughly in the middle, and walked out and back from there. This is the way to go if you only want the best part - the tunnel, the coves and the wilder coastline - without doing the full length. You simply turn around when you’ve had enough and return to the car. We also spent a while on the sand at Cala Retor itself, which, unlike much of this rocky coast, is a proper little sandy beach and good for swimming - a nice spot to stop before or after the walk.

So both work. If you want the complete route, arrive by train. If you want the scenery without the logistics, drive to a mid-point and go out and back.

What you’ll see

Here’s the shape of it: both ends are built up. Starting from Oropesa how I did, you begin among the taller buildings of the town, and as you approach Benicàssim it becomes constructed again.

The most natural is in the middle. The further you get from either town, the wilder and more natural it becomes - and those middle sections, with the sea on one side and the cliffs on the other, were my favourite part.

For most of the route the sea is right beside you, though the shoreline here is mostly rocky rather than sandy. I took the walk slowly, because I kept stopping to climb down closer to the water and sit there for a moment. It was beautiful enough that rushing past it felt like a waste - which is part of why my walk took around two hours rather than the hour or so the distance suggests.

The highlight is the long tunnel near the Oropesa end, carved through Monte Bovalar. It’s lit, but it’s around 600 metres, and walking into it is a strange feeling - once you’re inside, the exit seems to never arrive, and you keep walking towards a small point of light that is in no hurry to get closer. I think it took around good 6 minutes to cross it!

One thing worth knowing if you’re not from here: the coves along the Castellón coast are usually calmer and less crowded than the beaches further south, around Valencia and down towards Alicante. That part of the coast is far more built up and busier with tourists, so this stretch feels quieter and more natural than most of the Mediterranean coast near it.

If you go in summer, bring your swimming things. I saw people swimming at some of the coves along the way, and on a hot day the temptation to climb down and jump in is hard to resist. The shore is rocky rather than sandy, so it’s more of a “find a flat rock and slip into the water” kind of swim than a lie-on-the-beach one - but on a hot day, who’s complaining.

One of the nicer surprises along the way was Playa de la Renegà, a quiet beach between Benicàssim and Oropesa that turns out to be a dog beach - a stretch of coast set aside for dogs, where they can run around and swim freely. If you’re travelling with one, this is the spot for it, and you can reach it straight from the vía verde.

On foot or by bike?

Both times I did it on foot, but I saw far more cyclists than walkers, and I understand why - the path is flat, smooth and long enough that a bike lets you enjoy the whole thing comfortably in a fraction of the time. On foot it’s lovely but slower.

When to go

I did it both times in summer - early July and late August - and the heat is the thing to plan around. The path is almost entirely open and exposed to the sun; the only real shade is the one long tunnel. In the middle of summer, especially in August, you feel the sun the whole way. If you go then, set out early in the morning or late in the afternoon, and bring water and sun protection.

If you can choose your dates, spring or autumn would be more comfortable - milder, quieter, and easier to enjoy the full length without the summer heat.

Know before you go

A relaxed day by the sea

What I like most about the Vía Verde is that it’s the simplest kind of green day out. You don’t need a car once you’re on it, it’s flat and open to everyone, and it takes a piece of coast that could have been covered in concrete and keeps it as a path by the sea instead. Walk it or cycle it slowly, stop at the coves, and it’s a small, easy escape into nature a short train or car ride from Valencia.

Practical questions

How long is the Vía Verde del Mar?

It runs for about 5.5 km one way, or roughly 11 km there and back, and is flat throughout.

Can you reach the Vía Verde del Mar by train from Valencia?

Yes. Benicàssim is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Valencia by train, and Oropesa del Mar is on the same line, so you can start from either end.

Is the Vía Verde del Mar better on foot or by bike?

Both work. The path is flat and smooth, so a bike lets you cover the full route comfortably, while walking makes it easier to stop at the coves and viewpoints.

Is there shade on the Vía Verde del Mar?

Very little. The route is mostly open and exposed to the sun; the main shaded section is the long, lit railway tunnel.