Dénia

Dénia, in Valencian, spelled Denia in Spanish, is a historical coastal city and municipality in the province of Alicante, Spain, on the Costa Blanca halfway between Alicante and Valencia, and the capital and judicial seat of the comarca of Marina Alta. Dénia's historical heritage has been influenced by Iberian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, Napoleonic and Christian civilizations. As of 2025, it had a population of 47,261, although this is more than doubled by tourism during the summer months. The city's official population count as of May 2026, including foreigners who have registered as inhabitants, is 50,591.

History

There is evidence of human habitation in the area since prehistoric times and there are significant Iberian ruins on the hillsides nearby. In the 4th century BC it was a Greek colony of Massalia or Emporion, perhaps the one mentioned by Strabo as Hēmeroskopeion (Ancient Greek: Ἡμεροσκοπεῖον) (meaning "watchtower"). It was an ally of Rome during the Punic Wars, and later was absorbed into the Roman Empire under the name of Dianium (after their goddess Diana). In the 1st century BC Quintus Sertorius established a Roman naval base here.

From 636–696, under Visigothic rule, it was the seat of a bishop subordinate to Toledo. After the Muslim conquest of Iberia and the dissolution of the Caliphate of Córdoba, Dénia (Arabic: دانية, Dāniyya) became the capital of a Taifa kingdom that reigned over part of the Valencian coast and Ibiza.