First the mountain. Then the table.

Known as the “cathedral of hiking”, it follows the dry bed of the river Girona along old cobbled Morisco paths, with thousands of stone steps descending and climbing the walls of the ravine. The Estrets section, between vertical walls, and the terraces of Les Juvees turn the route into a lesson in rural engineering.

From the Gothic sanctuary of Sant Joan, at 1,275 m, the trail climbs the Barranc de la Pegunta among black pine and centuries-old yews to the Pla de la Banyadera. The final stretch tackles the limestone ridge to the 1,813 m summit, the symbolic roof of Castellón, with views stretching from the Maestrat to the sea.

A direct, demanding ascent to the summit of the Montgó (753 m), the limestone mass that separates Dénia from Xàbia. The trail climbs through pine woods and scrub with endemic plants to the Creueta de Dénia and ends with a final stretch of loose rock; at the top, the Mediterranean, the Cap de Sant Antoni and, on clear days, Ibiza on the horizon.

A full circuit of the Bèrnia range that crosses the mountain through the Forat, a karst tunnel of about 15 metres that you have to pass through almost on all fours. On the other side the bay of Altea and the Penyal d'Ifac appear, and the route visits the ruins of the Fort de Bèrnia, a fortress built in 1562 on the orders of Philip II.

A former railway line from 1892 that squeezes into the Serpis gorge between Vilallonga and L'Orxa, at the foot of the Circ de la Safor. Tunnels, weirs, the remains of mills and small hydroelectric plants and a ruined chapel accompany an almost flat walk beside the river, with the Salt de la Font de la Mata waterfall after rain.

A classic climb in La Ribera: from the La Murta valley and the ruins of its Hieronymite monastery, the path gains height through dense vegetation, crosses the Pas del Pobre and finishes over rocky ground at the summit cross. The top looks out over the Ribera plain, the coast and the neighbouring ranges, with the Cavall Bernat close by.

A short loop in the Calderona above Gilet: from the Santo Espíritu monastery you cross the ravine and climb to the old quarry that holds the Dragón de la Calderona, a dragon-shaped land-art house-sculpture. The route then gains the summit of La Redona, with views over the Camp de Morvedre, Sagunto and the sea.

Above the village, Santa Bàrbara hill preserves Spanish Civil War positions tied to the XYZ Line front: trenches, parapets, sentry boxes and machine-gun nests, restored and fitted with panels of the 'Ruta de la Guerra'. The trail continues to the Puntal de la Creu de Ferro (537 m) and Font de Cabres peak (637 m), with La Plana and the sea at your feet.

A coastal loop between Dénia and Xàbia that descends via a short section fitted with chains to the Cova Tallada, an old tosca stone quarry cut into the foot of the cliff, where the sea enters its chambers. The return climbs to the plateau of La Plana, with its windmills, and passes the 16th-century Gerro watchtower.

A paved walk, closed to traffic, that follows the northern side of the Serra Gelada to the Albir lighthouse, perched above cliffs more than a hundred metres high. Along the way you see the bay of Altea and the Penyal d'Ifac, the remains of old ochre mines and a tunnel cut into the rock; there is an interpretation centre at the lighthouse.

A loop around the Puig Campana (1,410 m), the mountain visible from the whole Benidorm coast which, legend has it, lost a chunk to a sword stroke by Roland. It crosses pine woods and scree slopes at the foot of its limestone walls, with constant views over the bay of Benidorm and the Ponoig, and just one stretch of sustained climbing.

A climb to the roof of the province by its north face, from the Partegat spring to the Aitana ridge, at more than 1,500 metres. The route crosses the Simas de Partegat, deep fissures opened in the rock, and follows a bare ridge with views of Guadalest, the Puig Campana and the sea. The military summit is fenced off and cannot be reached.

A loop through the best-preserved holm oak forest in the south of the Valencian region, with holm oaks, Portuguese oaks, ash and maples that turn ochre in autumn. It links several 18th-century snow wells, such as the Cava Coloma, more than 16 metres deep, with the summit of the Menejador (1,352 m), the Pilatos viewpoint and a yew more than five centuries old beside the Mas de Tetuán.

An ascent to the summit of the Serra de Mariola, the Montcabrer (1,390 m), the third-highest peak in the province. The well-waymarked trail climbs from the chapel of Sant Cristòfol among pine woods and Mariola's aromatic herbs, passes springs such as Les Huit Piletes and ends on a stony summit where it is easy to spot ibex.

The third stage of the GR-236, crossing the hills from Pinet to Barx before descending to the Valldigna to visit the Royal Monastery of Santa María, founded by James II. After Simat and Benifairó, the path climbs towards the monastery of Aigües Vives, among pine woods and orange groves, finishing in La Barraca.

A demanding ascent from Xeresa to the Mondúver, the roof of La Safor, passing the Font del Mondúver, the Picaio plateau and the Collado de les Bigues. The descent follows the ridge, with sections fitted with rope, and rewards you with views of the Montgó, the Benicadell, the Montcabrer and the Gandia coastline.

A loop on the north face of the Benicadell, the range that separates Valencia and Alicante, from the Les Planisses forest house. Paths and tracks cross shady pine and holm oak woods with rich flora, looking out over the Vall d'Albaida and the reservoirs, always beneath the outline of the great limestone ridge.

A climb up the Almedrix, a cobbled 16th-century Morisco path, among abandoned terraces and crags to the La Cortada viewpoint (816 m), a balcony over the Júcar canyon. Along the way come the Ventana del Águila and the Paso de la Franca, a ledge carved into the rock.

A loop from the Oliva spring, an old watering point on a livestock route, through the Sierra del Rubial, among Mediterranean scrubland and vineyards. The viewpoints look out over the gorges of the Cabriel, with the Hoz de Vicente as the great balcony, and over the Cuchillos, limestone ridges carved by the river and listed as a site of geological interest.

A loop in the north of the Calderona linking two restored windmills: La Ceja, a viewpoint over the village, and Iranzo, or Cachumbito, at about 800 m. It culminates at the Pico del Águila, with its stone cachirulo hut and wide views over the range, also passing the Pico del Tormo.

A loop from Ontinyent to the source of the river Clariano, where the water has carved a succession of turquoise pools into the limestone: Pou dels Esclaus, Pou Clar, Pou Gelat, Pou de la Reixa, Pou Fosc and Pou dels Cavalls. Easy terrain, suitable for families used to walking, with pine woods and picnic areas.

From the hamlet of Fredes, at 1,090 m, an old bridle path once used to bring down charcoal and firewood passes the Font del Teix and looks out over the Portell de l'Infern, a natural pass cut between rock walls and overhangs. It then drops almost 700 m through pine and beech woods to the Ulldecona reservoir.

It leaves from Morella's Portal de Sant Mateu and climbs to the Mola de la Garumba, a flat-topped mesa with views of the tablelands of Els Ports. It passes the ruins of the Giner textile factory and the Font de la Carrasca before descending to Forcall, where three rivers meet among four mesas.

Old bridle paths descend from Ares through the Regatxols ravine, following an 18th-century hydraulic system with five flour mills in a chain. Along the way there is a 23 m waterfall, a hexagonal cascade and a 36 m aqueduct: a system that used the same water five times.

The northern loop of Volta la Pedra leaves from the Museu de la Pedra en Sec and follows drove roads and country lanes through a landscape of dry-stone walls, huts, corbel-vaulted shelters and pens. Dry-stone walling is a building technique recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage, and the network catalogues 319 features with fact sheets and 3D models.

It heads up the river Carbo, a tributary of the Villahermosa beneath the southern slopes of the Penyagolosa, passing the Canteles Pardos pool, the Fuente del Cura and the Pozo Negro. It ends at the Carbo waterfall, where the water drops into an icy pool beside the ruins of the old mill.

From the park information centre, the route follows the white and yellow waymarks of the PR-CV 422 along the red sandstone ridges to the Bartolo (729 m), the highest point of the Desert de les Palmes. The summit has the Carmelite chapel of Sant Miquel and a viewpoint over La Plana, with the Columbretes islands on clear days.

A short route through the heart of the Serra d'Espadà that leaves from Aín's 18th-century calvary and descends to the Caridad ravine. It passes old flour mills, an irrigation channel with an aqueduct and riverside woodland, then returns among cork oak woods via the Ibola pass, with a view of the ruins of the 12th-century castle.

A climb through cork oaks to Castro castle, an Andalusi fortress perched at 789 m on a red sandstone spur, with one of the widest panoramas in the Serra d'Espadà. The loop adds the Cantallops cinnabar mine, with its vertical shaft, and the Denàs trenches, positions dating from July 1938.

A Camino Natural trail that follows the Lucena river downstream, linking old flour mills and a fulling mill: Molí Ros, Goçalvo, El Batán, Panissares and Penya Roja. Among stone bridges, irrigation channels and vegetable plots lie swimming pools such as the Toll de Carlos and La Badina, with its hanging footbridge, very close to the village.

Les Rodanes is a small massif of red sandstone and pine forest rising above the Camp de Túria, half an hour from València. The PR-CV 175 links the climb to the Rodana Gran, with its flora micro-reserve, and to the Rodana del Pic, and passes the Bassa Barreta, where there is an arboretum with an accessible path and interpretive panels.

The trail leaves from the fountain of the 25 spouts and follows the medieval channel that supplied Xàtiva as far as the Albaida river. There you find Les Arcadetes d'Alboi, a nine-arch Gothic aqueduct, the old Casa de la Llum and the Cova Negra, a key Neanderthal site of the Valencian Middle Palaeolithic, set in a deep-cut meander of the river.

A climb to the rock arch crowning the ridge above the valley of cherry trees. Twice a year, in early March and around 4 October, the sun shines through the hole and lights up the site of the former Franciscan convent of Benitaia. The loop passes the Passet de Benissivà, the Cova Obrada del Moro and the Cova de Moragues.

The Oltà mesa watches over Calp from inland and is the best balcony over the Penyal d'Ifac. The PR-CV 340 circles it on tracks and paths past the Ermita Vella, the old livestock pens and the Pou de la Mola, climbs to the fissured summit (587 m) and descends by La Canal; on clear days you can make out the Serra Gelada and even Ibiza.

The most popular climb in the Vega Baja: a wide, well-marked path rises from Montepinar to the col and the great iron cross of La Muela (465 m), almost 15 m tall, which commemorates St Vincent Ferrer's visit to Orihuela around 1411. From the top you look over the city, the Segura market gardens and, in the distance, the sea.