El Bufador

Hidden among the cobbled streets of the old town of Peníscola, El Bufador is a natural crack through which water from the Mediterranean forces its way in. On stormy days it roars loudly and the water shoots upward. It's free and open to the air, and few people notice it until the sea makes itself heard.

What to see

What makes El Bufador worth a look is less what you see than what you hear and feel. When the sea is calm, it's barely more than a discreet fissure in the stone. But with a heavy swell or a storm, water surges through the crack and erupts with a dull roar, throwing up spray that can reach several metres, the result of waves meeting the rock of the headland.

Tips for your visit

• Come on windy or stormy days: when the sea is calm the effect is barely noticeable.
• Keep a safe distance from the edge; the rocks can be slippery and the water comes out with force.
• The rest of the walled old town is worth wandering, with narrow, steep lanes.
• Entry is free and open; you'll find it as you stroll through the alleys of the historic quarter.

A good follow-up is to climb up to the Papa Luna castle, which crowns the town.