Peñíscola and healthy Mediterranean diet
Peñiscola is a town with a maritime tradition which is reflected in its rich gastronomy; the fish and seafood is the basis of its cuisine. You can taste the well-known and delicious paella in which seafood is combined with vegetables from the Peñiscola vegetable gardens, not forgetting to try the “suquet de pex” (fish), the “arrossejat” (rice dish), the “all I pebre de rap” (monkfish), the “fideua” (noodle paella dish), “cargols punxents” (whelk), the “remesclo”, date mussels or the different forms in which gilthead bream, sea bass or seafood are cooked. In addition, nowadays, in view of it being a touristic town, eating places of the highest culinary quality from other places have been opening.
During the year there are 2 must visit gastronomic events in Peñiscola:
- Coinciding with the Magic Festival (end of May – beginning of June), the restaurants prepare their best dishes, the “cargols punxents” being the star dish.
- From the 1st to the 8th of September, before the Patron Saint’s Festival, it is the turn of the bars which surprise us every year with their “tapas” on the enjoyable Gastronomic Route “Chanclas y Tapas” (flip-flops and tapas).
Peñíscola boasts several establishments where visitors can taste its food. What better way to enjoy these prepared dishes than relaxing in the Old Town, along the five kilometers of coast at the “Playa Norte” or “Playa Sur” in any of the narrow, cobbled streets which is the most precious thing for the local population or enjoying the views of the Mediterranean Sea and its waves washing ashore.
Its old town, its history and its people give anyone who visits Peñíscola the impression that time has stopped to give way to a unique experience for the visitor.