Off the coast of Alicante, just over twenty kilometers from the port, appears the island of Tabarca. It is the only inhabited island in the Valencian Community and one of the smallest in Spain. Its length does not reach two kilometers and its maximum width hardly exceeds 400 meters, but in that small area is concentrated a history that combines military defense, population repatriation, fishing, and environmental preservation.
Over the centuries, Tabarka has transformed from being a strategic anti-piracy zone in the Mediterranean into a protected area of high cultural and natural value. The declaration of an artistic historical site in 1964 recognized its heritage importance, while the establishment of the marine reserve in 1986 made it a national reference regarding the protection of the marine environment. This dual recognition, urban and ecological, defines the nature of the island where memory and landscape constitute the same territory.
Those who arrive in Tabarca do so on boats departing from Alicante, Santa Pola or Guardamar. The journey is short and allows you to see from the sea the elongated shape of the island and the walls that surround the small urban centre. As you approach the port, you can see the white single-storey houses and straight layout of streets, a structure that has barely changed since the 18th century.
A gated historic center and a pioneering marine nature reserve
The old city of Tabarka is surrounded by a wall built in the 18th century when the island was repopulated by order of Carlos III. Its path follows almost the entire coast and opens to the outside through three main gates: San Miguel, San Rafael and San Gabriel. They are all built of stone and maintain a sober and practical style. This defensive system was designed to protect the island from attacks that were frequent in the Mediterranean during that period.
Within the walls, the streets maintain a regular and simple layout, with houses of one or two storeys. The urban organization responds to the model of repopulation of the mid-eighteenth century, when Genoese families settled on the island. The result was a small, organized settlement, designed for daily life and adapted to a small, isolated environment.
Beyond the urban setting, Tabarka’s natural environment is protected by a leading administrative figure in Spain. In 1986, it was declared a marine reserve of importance for fishing. Its area is more than 1,700 hectares, including the seabed, the meadows of Posidonia, and the surrounding small islands. These protections included banning trawling and regulating underwater activities, measures that contributed to the restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem balance. Today, the transparent waters surrounding the island are one of the main attractions for diving and observing the marine environment.
Heritage and interesting places of the island
Thanks to its small size, Tabarka can be explored on foot and offers a concentrated heritage complex. The route starts from the port and crosses the Puerta de San Miguel, the entrance to the city centre. Within the walled enclosure, the Governor’s House currently houses tourist accommodation; Built in the 18th century as a residence for authorities and military barracks, it retains the original arches and floors after its restoration.
Towards the eastern end, the Tabarca Lighthouse, built in 1854 in El Campo, marks the skyline and directs navigation around the island. In the center of the city is the Church of San Pedro and San Pablo, built between 1770 and 1779, and has a single nave and side chapels, reflecting the religious architecture of the time.
Outside the walled enclosure, the San José Tower, built at the end of the 18th century, is located in the El Campo area and was used in the 19th century as a prison. The Nueva Tabarca Museum, installed in a restored old salting warehouse, includes exhibits on the island’s history, 18th-century repopulation, and the biodiversity of the marine environment. The island combines elements of defence, marine life, architecture and environmental protection, and is recognized as an artistic historical site, an asset of cultural importance, a marine reserve and a special protection area for birds.