Els Arcs are a pair of spectacular stone arches, carved out of the limestone rock over millions of years by the action of wind and water.
Also known as Los Arcos, they’re on the flanks of the Serra de l’Xorta mountain, about 50 minutes inland from the coast at Benidorm, midway between the villages of Castell de Castells (such a cool name!) and Tárbena.
It’s an easy two-hour circular walk among some lovely scenery. Time your visit right and you’ll get the added bonus of almond trees in blossom along the trail (March is probably best for this).
Driving up from the coast
If you’re taking the car up from the coast, you’ll share the road with dozens of lycra-clad cyclists pedalling energetically towards Tárbena. That’s because the climb to nearby Coll de Rates is on many a 2-wheel bucket list.
From Tárbena, take the CV-752 towards Castell de Castells until you see the Kilometre 7 marker. On the left, there’s an info board with a stone track where you can leave your car.
Follow the track (footpath PR-CV 151) away from the road. It soon turns into a tarmac lane that winds past a few isolated casas rurales among the olive groves.
El Aljub de Xarquet
Head for El Aljub de Xarquet, a old well just off the circular route. The nearby stream was bone dry when I was there in the drought of 2024, but there was still water in the well itself.
Once you’ve seen the well (and it won’t take you long!) retrace your steps to rejoin the main route. Els Arcs are then a peaceful 30 minute stroll from this point, against the rather majestic backdrop of the Serra de l’Xorta mountain.
The going only gets a little tricky right at the end as you near Els Arcs itself, when the track becomes narrow and stony, but easy enough to follow.
The arches!
The twin arches are stark and dramatic. The bigger of the two is easily 20 metres high, completely dwarfing the hikers posing for selfies at its foot.
The arches are separated only by a thin column of limestone, which frankly looks far too slender to support the weight of all that rock above.
You do wonder how it has stayed upright for such a vast spread of time, especially when the wind howls through the gap. I’ve heard it can get pretty blowy up here, so check the weather first before you go walking.
Be careful as you step around the arches for the best photo location. The ground is rocky and very uneven, with a rather steep drop on the other side.
According to the signboard nearby, the arches were created because the weaker pale limestone (caliza gris blanquecina) was eroded away over millions of years. The surrounding dark grey limestone (caliza gris oscura) was more resistant to the action of wind and water and so it’s still standing.
La Penya Escoda
Once you leave Els Arcs, the next stop on the circular route is the Penya Escoda, eight minutes off the main trail.
It’s a slab of rock overlooking the Castell de Castells road with some cool views of the Sierra de Serella mountains in the distance. From here you also get a chance to look back at the double arch and see Els Arcs from the back.
Return to the main trail and it’s then a short and straightforward stroll back to the main CV-752 road and the info board where you left your car.
TIP: beware of the fire hazard when conditions are hot and dry. In spring 2024, a wild fire spread across hundreds of hectares in the Vall de Tárbena, only a few kilometres away from Els Arcs. It took a major effort, including water-bombing aircraft, to extinguish the flames.
Check out the video:
A quick 1.5 minutes of video highlights around Els Arcs.
Views down to the sea!
Head back towards Tárbena and take a few minutes to stop off at Àrea Recreativa As Pou. The views over the Vall de Tárbena and down to the sea near Benidorm are pretty amazing. There’s plenty of space to park up and have a picnic too.
The trail to Els Arcs
Follow the route I took via Wikiloc below:
Try these treks and sights near Els Arcs
- Driving up to Coll de Rates
- El Forat de Bernia – a tunnel through a mountain
- The mountain village and dam of Guadalest
© Guy Pelham