Spain has established itself as a perfect vacation destination in Europe. However, while most tourists head straight for the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands, there are other small hidden treasures that go unnoticed. Believe it or not, the Mediterranean still has an authentic corner with a lot of history and tranquility. This is the case of the island of Tabarca, officially called “Nueva Tabarca,” a tiny islet off the coast of Alicante in the Valencian Community. CNN has listed it as the new hidden gem for tourists to discover. If you are going to Valencia in the coming weeks, it is the perfect sign that you have to visit it.
Like those Japanese islets where there are more animals than people living, Tabarca has been listed as “an island with more cats than people.” This islet is the smallest inhabited island in Spain, with barely 50 people living there permanently. Tabarca offers a unique blend of 18th-century history, a well-protected marine life, and the perfect escape from mass tourism. Its dimensions are tiny: 1,800 m long and 400 m wide, the perfect destination for those who tire of walking for long periods of time. It is a completely pedestrianized municipality and easy to explore in just a few hours.
Scale and Contrast of the Island
Tabarca is like Monaco: the smaller it is, the more charming it is. It is Tabarca’s isolation and tranquility during the off-season that means there are literally more mustachioed animals than residents. The atmosphere is relaxed in winter, although it is a very popular destination for excursions in summer.
In fact, Tabarca receives between 3,000 and 5,000 tourists daily between July and August. Despite its popularity, Tabarca has managed to resist the uncontrolled development that plagues the Alicante coast. It simply has no more space to build on, so it has remained totally faithful to its architectural tradition.
Pirates, Genoese, and the Spanish Crown
Although it may seem like a picturesque place straight out of an Instagram catalog, Tabarca has great historical significance for the Levante region. Before its current name, it was simply known as the “flat island,” which served as a refuge for Barbary pirates who ravaged the Spanish coast. (Yes, the same Barbary pirates who kidnapped the great writer Cervantes and held him as a slave for several years in North Africa. The slave trade was widespread throughout the world at that time.)
This changed in the mid-18th century, when Spanish King Charles III orchestrated the liberation of a group of Genoese settlers who had been enslaved on the Tunisian island of Tabarca. After the rescue, the monarch decided to relocate them and protect them from future pirate attacks. Thus, in 1769, King Charles III founded and fortified Nueva Tabarca, where the freed slaves began to live from that moment on. It was the king who ordered the construction of the entire walled city that we can enjoy today if we visit it. This is why the urban structure of Tabarca is a perfect example of military and civil planning.
Heritage sites open to visitors
Thankfully, anyone can now visit Tabarca without having to worry about pirates on the coast. Tourists who come to the island can walk along the historic walls that surround the entire village. The architecture here is characterized by small, simple houses, very typical of the Mediterranean. Important vestiges still remain, such as the San José tower, which served as a prison during the 19th century. Once you have seen the place, there are also snorkeling and diving activities. In 1986, Tabarca became Spain’s first marine reserve, so you can be sure that its waters have remained pristine.
Once you have enjoyed its waters and its flora and fauna, one of the most recommended local dishes there is the “caldero Tabarquino” (Tabarcan cauldron), a rice and rock fish stew that encapsulates all the local fishing tradition.