Embalse del Amadorio

The Amadorio Reservoir lies between the municipalities of Villajoyosa and Orxeta, barely four kilometres in a straight line from the Mediterranean. It was built between 1947 and 1957 along the course of the Amadorio river to supply water to Villajoyosa and Benidorm; its dam, 63 metres high and 318 metres long, holds back a 103-hectare body of water.

The reservoir closest to the Mediterranean

Because of that short distance to the coast, the Amadorio is the reservoir closest to the Mediterranean anywhere in Spain; only the Urbieta reservoir in the Basque Country sits nearer the sea nationwide, and that one faces the Bay of Biscay. That closeness, unusual for a reservoir of its size, shows in the landscape: pine woods run almost down to the shoreline, and views mix the reservoir’s fresh water with the Mediterranean coastline in the distance.

Several hiking and cycling routes circle the reservoir, from a short five-kilometre walk with rest areas among the pines to a full loop of the perimeter, around sixteen kilometres. The paths run along dirt tracks, cross the dam itself and follow the shoreline for much of the way.

It is an outdoor plan that works year-round, though spring and autumn bring the most comfortable temperatures for the longer routes, and it fits well into our guide to the province’s gardens and natural spaces. The reservoir is a short drive from the old town of Villajoyosa, making it easy to combine the walk with a visit to the historic quarter on the same day.