{"id":4953,"date":"2025-02-23T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/?p=4953"},"modified":"2025-07-17T10:26:30","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T08:26:30","slug":"pirates-and-sailors-the-dark-side-of-the-costa-blanca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/freizeit\/aktivitaeten-und-ausfluege\/piraten-und-seefahrer-die-dunkle-seite-der-costa-blanca\/","title":{"rendered":"Pirates and sailors - the dark side of the Costa Blanca"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pirates and sailors -\nThe dark side\nof the coast<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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How pirates and sailors\nshaped the Costa Blanca -\nfrom raids\nto hidden treasures.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The idyllic coastline of the Costa Blanca may be a place of peace and relaxation today, but centuries ago it was the scene of danger and adventure. From the Middle Ages to the 18th century, pirates regularly raided the coastal villages, sought refuge in hidden coves and left behind traces that are still visible today - and stories that are still told today.<\/p>

Tabarca - <\/strong>From the pirate hideout <\/strong>to the fortress<\/strong>
Just 22 kilometres south of Alicante lies Tabarca, the smallest inhabited island in Spain. But its picturesque tranquillity is deceptive: in the 16th and 17th centuries, Tabarca was a strategic hideout for Berber pirates, who plundered ships and raided villages along the coast from here.
To put an end to this, King Charles III had the island fortified in the 18th century. The defence walls, which can still be admired today, and the small church of San Pedro y San Pablo are reminders of this period of transformation - from a pirate stronghold to a protected refuge.<\/p>

Visiting tips for Tabarca<\/em>:
- The fortress walls offer a fascinating insight into history.
- The clear skies and tranquillity make the island ideal for a walk along the old walls.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Cova Tallada - The mysterious pirate hideout<\/strong>
Cova Tallada, a natural cave at the foot of the Montg\u00f3 mountain range near J\u00e1vea, is the scene of numerous legends. It was originally used as a quarry, but later, according to stories, it served as a hiding place for pirates who are said to have hidden their treasures here.
Some treasure hunters are convinced that some of the pirates' booty remains undiscovered to this day.<\/p>

Practical tips:<\/em>
- Prior booking is required to visit the cave, as access is regulated.
- The hike offers spectacular views of the sea and the coast.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The lost fleet of Calpe<\/strong>
The Pe\u00f1\u00f3n de Ifach, a striking rock that rises majestically from the sea, is the scene of a fascinating legend. According to the story, a fleet of Berber pirates was surprised by a sudden storm and sank near the rock. To this day, divers report unusual finds in the area, including old coins and wreckage.
Although there is no clear evidence to support the legend, the idea of sunken treasures remains an appealing thought - and the Pe\u00f1\u00f3n itself an unforgettable symbol of the region.<\/p>

The watchtowers - defence <\/strong>against the pirates<\/strong>
The coastal communities built a network of watchtowers to ward off the constant pirate attacks. These towers served as an early warning system: as soon as an attack was imminent, smoke or fire signals were sent to alert the neighbouring villages.<\/p>

  • Torre de Cap d'Or, Moraira<\/em>A steep path leads to this well-preserved tower, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view over the coast.<\/li>
  • Torre Vig\u00eda de la Illeta, El Campello<\/em>Located near the archaeological site of Illeta dels Banyets, this tower is a testimony to the strategic importance of the region.

    <\/li><\/ul>

    Other places with<\/strong> pirate history<\/strong><\/p>

    • Santa Pola, Torre del Tamarit<\/em>A tower within the Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park.<\/li>
    • Alicante, Castillo de Santa B\u00e1rbara<\/em>This mighty fortress played a central role in the defence of the city.<\/li><\/ul>


      Practical tips for your search for clues<\/strong><\/p>

      • Cova Tallada:<\/em> Access is strictly regulated. Plan your visit via the Montg\u00f3 Natural Park website (parquesnaturales.gva.es).<\/li>
      • Tabarca<\/em>: Ferries depart regularly from Alicante and Santa Pola

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        Pirates and legends that stay<\/strong>
        The stories of the pirate era on the Costa Blanca are more than just lore. They provide an insight into a time when life on the coast was characterised by courage, resistance and the fight for survival.
        Whether exploring the Cova Tallada, hiking along the fortress walls of Tabarca or enjoying the view from one of the watchtowers - these places invite you to immerse yourself in the past and experience the region from a different perspective.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Piraten und Seefahrer \u2013 Die dunkle Seite der K\u00fcste Wie Piraten und Seefahrer die Costa Blanca pr\u00e4gten \u2013 von \u00dcberf\u00e4llen bis zu versteckten Sch\u00e4tzen. Die idyllische K\u00fcste der Costa Blanca mag heute ein Ort der Ruhe und Entspannung sein, doch vor Jahrhunderten war sie Schauplatz von Gefahr und Abenteuer. Vom Mittelalter bis ins 18. Jahrhundert […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4956,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[420,61,533,1013,534,536,532,535],"class_list":["post-4953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aktivitaeten-und-ausfluege","tag-ausfluege-costa-blanca","tag-costa-blanca","tag-cova-tallada","tag-mythen-und-geschichten-costablanca","tag-penon-de-ifach-calpe","tag-piratengeschichte-costa-blanca","tag-tabarca","tag-wachtuerme-marina-alta-und-marina-baixa"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4953"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5979,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4953\/revisions\/5979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/costablanca-magazin.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}