The Costa Blanca attracts millions of visitors throughout the year who seek, above all, sun, beach, sea, good seafood food and pleasant temperatures. But the province of Alicante, like the entire Mediterranean coast, also welcomes interior populations that surprise when they seem to take us to another time.
Boasting of being one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, the first Alicante representative of this network of towns stands The Castle of Guadalest. And using the expression of rising up is not in vain, because the core of the original town welcomes us perched on a rock which dominates a valley characteristic of the interior landscape of the Marina Baja.
with his historic castle As guardian of the lands that surround it and the remains of its medieval walls, the town maintains the traditional essence of houses embedded in the rock with luminous white walls, steep cobbled streets and exuberant views of its beautiful surroundings, in which the great swamp It is already part of the natural landscape.
And, in perfect communion with its rich landscape, which contrasts with the beach environment that follows other rhythms just 20 km away, the cultural and ethnographic heritage of this municipality is another of its great treasures. And it is full of surprises that will delight the most curious visitors who love historical extravagances.
Getting to El Castell de Guadalest requires making a little effort along its narrow roads full of curves, but it is worth taking things slowly. The vehicle will have to be left in the most necessary park and ride to start up the cliff, as it is always advisable to start these visits from the top, which is also the original point of the population, which already existed in Muslim times.
The town is divided into two neighborhoods: that of the Castle, at the top of the rock, and that of Arrabal, created later and which extends along the entire slope of the mountain. He San José CastleAlthough it suffered the ravages of several earthquakes and the War of Succession, it can still be visited and the vestiges of the primitive walls and their towers remain.
Another castle in ruins is that of The Alcozaibaancient Muslim fortress from the 11th century, today part of the Orduña House, a large historic noble house that is maintained today as a museum home and consists of four levels, including a cellar, barn and stables. Other essential places to visit are the 12th century prison and the parish church of Our Lady of the Assumptionbaroque style.
But without a doubt the most unique thing about the town, in addition to its location, is the number of small museums where collections of the most peculiar: Nativity Scene and Doll Houses Salt and Pepper Shakers, Microminiatures, Historic Vehicles Guadalest Valley, Microgigante, or the more traditional Ethnological Museum and Medieval Historical Museum, no less interesting.
Between visits it is always a good idea to look out at one of the viewpoints to contemplate – and photograph – the magnificent views of a valley surrounded by the mountains of Xortà, Serrella and Aitanawith the impressive reservoir of Guadalest on one side. An environment that, of course, lends itself to practicing various hiking routes of varying difficulty.
The tourism that the town attracts, especially in the high summer season, has meant that Guadalest offers a good range of restaurants where you can recharge your batteries and try the gastronomy local. Among the specialties of the area we must highlight rabbit with aioli, the olleta de blat (wheat and beans), rice, roast meats and all kinds of preparations with vegetables from the Alicante garden.
Images | The Castle of Guadalest – Valencian Community
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