La Mar street in Denia is one of the most emblematic streets of the city. This street belongs to the centre of Denia, specifically to the old part of the city, as it is located a few minutes away from the façade of the castle of Denia.
History of La Mar street
This street has great stories behind it that have been going on throughout time. One of the old gates of the old walled city of Denia was located in la Mar street. At that time there were two main gates, the aforementioned one in la Mar street and the one located in Valgamedios square, colloquially known as Oeste square, since the gate that was located there was called the west gate because it was oriented in that direction.
La Mar street connects the city centre with the port, from the Constitution square, where the town hall is located, to the Cervantes esplanade, where the port of Denia is already located. Therefore, in ancient times this street was designed to be used as a connection between the port and the entrance to the city. It was along this street that goods or soldiers were transported in order to embark in the port and leave the port for export to foreign countries or conquest battles.
The sultana warehouse that existed back in the 19th century was located near La Mar street, so this street was used to transport the sultanas that were then shipped to be exported abroad, as the sultana trade in the city of Denia was the reason for the generation of an economic value derived from this commercial activity.
There is so much history hidden in this street that nowadays archaeological discoveries are still being made. In 2018, an 11th century Islamic hotel and a Roman funerary inscription were discovered, all located at the crossroads of la Mar street and Fora Mur street, where we find a small roundabout with a fountain in the centre. The archaeological remains were discovered when the remodelling of this crossroads was beginning.
In addition, in la Mar street we find buildings such as houses and warehouses in the Victorian style of the mid-19th century.
Present day of la Mar street
Nowadays, this street has become an emblematic street when it comes to enjoying the city’s leisure activities, as it is home to a variety of pubs and restaurants where you can dine, eat and enjoy a pleasant afternoon or a nice night of partying and fun.
Parking on la Mar street
Parking in la Mar street is permitted from the second block onwards, as this first section, where most of the pubs are located, is closed to vehicles and is reserved for pedestrians. However, in the permitted areas, parking is called a blue zone, i.e. you have to go to a machine to get a validation ticket where you select the desired parking time in order to be able to park without being fined. However, on Sundays and public holidays this service is free of charge.
Likewise, as the central area is difficult to park in, there is a free car park nearby on the other side of the Denia tunnel that crosses the castle.