Guadalest

Besides Culla, Morella, Peniscola and Vilafames (all in Castellón), Guadalest is officially one of the most beautiful villages in the Valencia region. Thanks to its unique location in the rocks, it is the only village in the province of Alicante to bear this title. Justifiably?

Fanatic visitors of museums will agree. Guadalest is unique. Because with no less than eight museums (for only two hundred inhabitants), the village has the most museums per inhabitant. Although some of them (such as the Museo Etnológico) inform visitors about (the history of) Guadalest itself, the majority specialize in the most diverse (and unrelated) subjects.

So would you rather see the village itself? At the top you will find the most visited sight: the Castillo de San José. The castle, built by the Moors during the eleventh century, functioned as a fortress. The remains that are still there today date mainly from the twelfth century. The rest of the castle was not only destroyed by the earthquakes in 1644 and 1748, but also by the war of succession in 1708. It is accessible (for a fee) via Casa Orduña.

Are you enjoying the view of the Guadalest valley from the castle? Then the Guadalest Reservoir immediately catches the eye. The lake, that with its turquoise-blue color stands out against the rest of the valley, receives its water from a affluent of the Algar. Perhaps you have already passed the lake on the way to Guadalest? If not, make sure to take that road back. It’s beautiful.