Embalse de Guadalest

The Guadalest reservoir fills the gorge cut by the Guadalest river, a tributary of the Algar, below the village of Guadalest. Construction ran from 1953 to 1971 and produced a gravity dam 94 metres high and 236 metres long, holding back 13 cubic hectometres of water over 86 hectares. It was never formally inaugurated, but since 1966 it has supplied irrigation water to more than 3,000 hectares across Benidorm, Villajoyosa, Altea, l'Alfàs del Pi and Finestrat, and drinking water to Polop, La Nucía and Callosa d'en Sarrià.

A valley framed by three ranges

The reservoir fills the valley between the Aitana, Xortà and Serrella mountain ranges, and its turquoise colour, caused by dissolved carbonates in the water, stands out against the pine forest running down to the shoreline. From the Plaça de Sant Gregori viewpoint, high up in the village, the whole reservoir appears framed by the silhouette of El Campanario; the Penyó de l'Alcalà, on the opposite side of the valley, offers a different angle on the same landscape.

Signposted paths run along much of the shoreline, and several operators rent kayaks and pedal boats in the designated areas. It's worth avoiding the middle of the day in summer, when the glare off the water is strongest; mid-morning or late afternoon light suits both walking and photography better. The reservoir is easy to reach by car on the road that circles the village, with several natural viewpoints along the way before the dam itself, none of which require a ticket to enjoy. The limestone cliffs around the reservoir are regular habitat for birds of prey, often seen gliding over the water around midday. Water levels fluctuate noticeably between wet and dry years, since the reservoir depends on rainfall across the surrounding sierras rather than a permanent glacier-fed source.