The La Plana windmills walk: an easy plateau route with two bays in view

The mountain's gentlest introduction

Jávea's walking reputation is built largely on the Montgó — a genuine 753-metre undertaking with sharp limestone and real exposure — which makes it easy to overlook that the same massif has an entirely different side to offer. The La Plana plateau, on the lower ground toward Dénia, carries a flat, easy route past a row of old stone windmills that delivers one of the most generous views on this coast for almost none of the effort the summit demands. It's the walk to give someone who claims not to like walking, or to save for the evening after a harder day elsewhere.

Where La Plana sits and what's there

La Plana is the ridge of relatively flat, elevated ground running between Jávea and Dénia, on the Montgó's lower flank rather than its summit. The route's centrepiece is a line of old stone windmills — restored and still standing, weathered by centuries of coastal wind — set along the plateau with open views in more than one direction at once. Unlike the summit trail, none of this demands technical footwear or a full-day commitment; it's a walk that fits comfortably into an evening.

The route, roughly

The core stretch past the windmills follows flat plateau paths and quiet access lanes, with the ground itself posing none of the Montgó summit's difficulty — this is walking terrain, not scrambling. Expect open, largely shadeless ground throughout, which matters more for sun exposure than for underfoot difficulty. The route has more than one access point, so it's easy to walk a shorter stretch if that's all the time allows, or extend it along the ridge for a longer outing.

Difficulty and terrain, honestly

This is a genuinely easy walk by any standard — flat to gently undulating, on established paths and lanes, walkable in ordinary trainers rather than technical boots. The one thing worth taking seriously is the sun: there's very little shade across the open plateau, so what the route lacks in physical difficulty it makes up for in exposure on a hot afternoon.

Best time to walk it

Late afternoon into early evening is the route's best-known slot, and for good reason — the windmills catch the low sun beautifully, the plateau's open aspect gives an unobstructed view as the light turns gold, and a well-timed finish puts you in position for sunset over open ground with genuinely little competition for the view. Morning works too, with the advantage of cooler temperatures if you're walking through the warmer months, though the light is generally considered less dramatic than the evening slot.

Walking the route, start to finish

A simple approach for a first visit:

1. Choose an access point — several lead onto the plateau, so pick whichever suits where you're starting from
2. Carry water and sun protection regardless of how short the walk looks — shade is genuinely scarce
3. Walk the full windmill row rather than stopping at the first one — the view shifts meaningfully as you move along the ridge
4. Time your visit for late afternoon if sunset is the goal, and arrive with time to spare rather than rushing the last stretch
5. Bring a torch or phone light for the walk back if you're staying for sunset — the light fades quickly once the sun's down

Parking and access

The plateau has multiple access points rather than a single trailhead, which means arriving early isn't as critical here as at some of the coast's more famous viewpoints — if one approach looks busy, particularly around sunset, another access point along the ridge is usually a short drive away. That said, the most popular sunset slot does draw a small crowd on a clear evening, so building in a little patience or flexibility around exactly where you park is sensible.

Combining it with the rest of the Montgó

For anyone already spending a day on the Montgó's harder routes, the La Plana windmills make a natural, low-effort finish rather than a full outing on their own — a way to end a demanding day with almost no additional physical cost. Equally, it works perfectly well as a standalone evening walk that has nothing to do with the summit at all, which is exactly the point: this is the Montgó's easiest face, not a lesser version of the same challenge.

What to bring

Water and sun protection matter more than the modest walking demands the route makes — there's very little shade across the open plateau, and an evening walk in warmer months can still catch real heat before the sun properly drops. Ordinary trainers or comfortable shoes are entirely adequate; nothing about the terrain calls for hiking boots. A light layer is worth having for a lingering sunset stop, since the breeze picks up once the sun's gone.