Elda’s thrilling via ferrata: Boosting tourism and adventure

Elda recently embraced the growing popularity of via ferrata, which are mountain climbing routes equipped with steel cables, rungs, or ladders for safety.

They introduced three routes by the end of 2022, each with varying difficulty levels, and included the longest zip line in the Valencian Community.

This achievement attracted significant attention.

In its first year, around 3,200 people registered to try these routes, but it’s estimated that the actual number of participants may have been around 13,000.

Surprisingly, 80 per cent of these participants came from outside Elda, providing a considerable economic boost to the area through vertical tourism.

The province of Alicante is leading the way in via ferrata tourism within the Valencian Community.

In recent years, notable routes have been established in Redován and Callosa de Segura.

Redován’s route, launched in 2018, quickly became a top tourist attraction with its two sections of varying difficulty.

Initially, it held the record for being the longest in the Valencian Community at 900 metres, with plans for expansion.

Callosa de Segura’s route, introduced in 2020, surpassed Redován’s length at 1,135 metres, making it the second longest in Spain.

More recently, Ibi joined the via ferrata trend with a new route providing access to Font Roja. This route crosses Barranc de les Raboses, located near the natural park’s access road.