Spain Castellón

Costa Azahar
Castellón Spain
Highway
Dual carriageway
National road
"A" Road
"B" Road
Local Road
Railway
Parador (State-run hotel)
Shrine-Monastery
Castle
Monument
Historic ruins
Caves
Panoramic view
Nature Reserve
Marina
Camp site
Golf course
Spa
P
T
Monroyo
Castellote
Palanques
Bordón
Carrascal
1265
Olocau
del Rey
Vilarluengo
Forcall
Mor
Cañada de
Benatanduz Miranbell
Cinctorres
Cantavieja
Portell de Morella
Fortanete
E
R
1738
U
Muela de Ares
1738
Ares
del Mae
La Iglesuela
del Cid
E
Villafranca
del Cid
L
Benasal
Alcalá de la Selva
Valdelinares
2024
Mosqueruela
Culla
Peñarroya
Torre
d’En Bes
Vistabella
del Maestrazgo
Linares
de Mora
Mora
de Rubielos
Peñagolosa
1814
Nogueruelas
L’ALCALATEN
Atzeneta del Maestrat
Les Useres/Useras
Rubielos de Mora
Zucaina
Lucena
del Cid
Vilafamés
Ludiente
la Pobla To
Olba
l’Alcora
Rio
Montanejos
Borrio
Arañuel
EL ALTO PALANCIA
S
err
a
Barracas
de
Caudiel
N-234
Viver
Es
Onda
pad
a
Jérica
Bejís
581
Mija
res
Toga
Aín
Altura
Betxí
Eslida
Villavieja
de Nules
Nules
Navajas
Salada
Villareal/Vila-re
Segorbe
la Vall d'Uixó
Andilla
LA
Mascarell
N-340
Soneja
Moncof
Chilches
Alcublas
Gátova
Algar de Palancia
A-7
Almenara
Villar del Arzobispo
Casinos
V A
Serra
L
E
N
A
AN
PL
C
Sagunto/Sagunt
I
Náquera
A
El Puerto
T A
R
R
A
G
O
N
A
Santa
Bárbara
Amposta
Pobla
de Benifassa
Castell de
Cabres
Freginals
Bel
ella
San Rafael
del Río
Rosell
Santuario de la
Virgen de Vallivana
Ulldecona
Sant Carles
de la Rápita
Les Cases
d’Alcanar
Alcanar
Canet lo Roig
N-232
Traiguera
La Jana Sant Jordi
MA
ES
TR
Catí
Vinaròs
Cálig
Sant Mateu
AT
P
Cervera de Maestre
Benicarló
Tírig
EL
La Vallorta
Santa Magdalena
de Pulpis
Albocàsser
Peñíscola
I T
E R
R Á
N E
O
s
estre
d’Ir
ta
N-340
Alcalà
de Xivert
Se
rra
les Coves de Vinromá
e
sora
Sarratella
Las Fuentes
Alcoceber
Vilanova
d’Alcolea
Benlloch
Torreblanca
Punta Cap i Corb
A-7
Vall d'Alba
A
Oropesa del Mar/Orpesa
L
AP
E
Z
M
A
CASTELLÓN DE LA PLANA/
CASTELLÓ DE LA PLANA
A
L
CaboOropesa
Benicasim/Benicàssim
ol
D
H
P. N. DESIERTO
DE LAS PALMAS
AL
TA
Pico Bartolo
729
AN
A
ornessa
R
PARQUE NATURAL
PRAT DE CABANES TORREBLANCA
Cabanes
IslasColumbretes
A
S
Burriana
M
A
BAIX
T
A
Almazora/Almassora
A
eal
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El Grau
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15
CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35
Tel. 91 416 73 41 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2001
30 Km.
Contents
Introduction
Coastal routes
The North Coast
The South Coast
Inland routes
Morella and the Maestrazgo
The hill country
The springs
Castellón, capital of the plain
Leisure & Entertainment
Useful information
1
4
5
11
13
17
20
22
28
36
Dublin
United Kingdom
London
Ireland
Paris
France
Bay of Biscay
Spain
Portugal
Lisbon
Atlantic
Ocean
Ceuta
Madrid
Costa
Azahar
ea
nS
ea
n
a
err
dit
Me
Melilla
Rabat
Canary Islands
Morocco
Introduction
As the Valencian Region’s
northernmost province,
Castellón’s northern reaches
and hinterland still show
traces of the influence
exercised in the past by
Aragon and Catalonia.
Its shoreline is one of sandy
beaches interspersed with
stretches of sheersided cliffs.
With over 450,000 inhabitants,
a surface area of 6,679 square
kilometres (approximately 2,578
sq. miles) and a population
density of 67.97 inhabitants/sq.
km, there is a very marked
imbalance between the area’s
fairly heavily populated coastal
strip and its very sparsely
populated hinterland. Most of
Peñíscola
Yet what attracts visitors to
Castellón as much as or even
more than this broken coastal
relief, is the landscape of
stone, crags, castles and
shrines (santuarios) that
lies in the interior, a legacy
of medieval times.
the bigger towns and cities are
situated on the coastal plain.
Indeed, in the dry-farming
districts there are a good number
of towns of no more than
100-200 inhabitants, and many an
isolated masía (typical farmhouse)
occupied by just a single family.
1
Along the shoreline from
Vinaròs to Almenara, and the
jagged north-south divide
traversing the interior from
Morella to Segorbe, Castellón
embraces a geography of
contrasts, attributable to the
geological diversity of its
mountains and plains, and the
notable differences between
the coast and continental
interior. Topographically
speaking, the region sits astride
a prolongation of the Iberian
Range (Sistema Ibérico), at the
point where this extends
towards the Mediterranean.
As a result, Castellón is the
second most mountainous
province in Spain. Looking at
the map from south to north,
the principal mountain chains
run from the Espadán Range,
the coastal mountains of the
Desierto de las Palmas Range
and the Irta Range to the great
inland massif of Penyagolosa,
the province’s highest peak,
and the foothills of the
mountains surrounding
La Tinença de Benifassà and
Els Ports. While Castellón’s
principal river is the Mijares,
which rises in the Gúdar
Mountain Range of Teruel, it
also boasts other shorter
waterways, such as the
Palancia, Monlleó, Cervol and
Sénia Rivers, and a series of
irregular watercourses or
ramblas, such as the Cervera
and La Viuda.
Castellón -rugged but
nonetheless Mediterraneanenjoys an agreeable
temperature all year round,
with the highest mountains in
the northern districts receiving
a welcome sprinkling of snow
in winter. The area’s coastal
plain is home to a series of
major towns, which have
given impetus to dynamic
industrial activity focusing
on ceramic and tiles, footwear
and food-processing plants,
to say nothing of Castellón’s
traditional agricultural wealth,
citrus farming in particular.
As with the Valencian Region
as a whole, the province is
bilingual, with both Spanish
and Valencian being spoken
(Valencian, resembles but is
considered distinct from
Catalán).
There is good road
and rail access to
the province.
It has no airport at
present, though there
are plans to build one
at a site just 18 miles
from Castellón itself. Visitors
seldom come by sea, since the
region’s ports are not listed on
the regular passenger shipping
and ferry schedules. The area’s
most important roads are the
E-15 A-7 coastal motorway, the
N-340 national road –which
also follows the coast- and the
N-232 and N-234 in the interior.
2
Historical
Background
advent of Romanisation, a force
that was to shape and structure
this territory through the
construction of the Via Augusta,
the road linking Rome with the
Cadiz coast. After these lands
had been under Moorish sway
for hundreds of years, the
process of reconquest began
in the 13th century under the
Aragonese King, James I, who
proceeded to incorporate them
into the new Kingdom of
Valencia. In the early 18th
century, the Spanish monarchy
imposed a centralist system and
abrogated the medieval
jurisdictional rights (fueros).
It was not until 1982, the year
in which the Valencian Region
Statute of Autonomy was
passed, that the right of selfgovernment was at last
restored.
Castellón’s prehistoric past
is held to be immensely
important. Evidence of this
period are the many
archaeological sites and the
primitive shelters with rock
paintings that were discovered
over the course of the 20th
century and have since been
granted UNESCO World
Heritage status. At a later point
in time, shortly preceding the
Christian era, the Iberian
people, a cultured race with a
developed art form, occupied
heights and hilltops, until the
Carmelite Convent.
Desierto de la Palmas
(Benicàssim)
3
Coastal
Routes
origin, these scenic island
outcrops have now been
declared a land and sea Nature
Reserve, access to which has
been restricted to conserve
the ecological balance.
The area known for tourist
purposes as the “Costa Azahar”
has a 120-kilometre (74-mile)
strip of coastline where visitors
can enjoy both sea and
mountain scenery. The
name, “azahar”, is taken
from the numerous
orange orchards that
Vinaròs
Benicarló
Santa Magdalena
de Pulpis
Peñíscola
Alcalà
de Xivert
Las Fuentes
Alcosseber
Torreblanca
Cabanes
Vilafamés
Oropesa del Mar
Benicàssim
Islas Columbretes
perfume the air with the
pervasive smell of orange
blossom in Spring. Lying just
off the Castellón coast is a
group of islands, the
Columbrete Islands (Nature
Reserve information office,
964 28 25 84). Of volcanic
For those interested in getting
to know the seaboard, there
are two basic routes.
One explores the coastal fringe
to the north of the capital,
and the other follows the
coast southwards from
Castellón down to Almenara.
4
The North Coast
offers visitors the possibility of
exploring interesting hiking
and cycling trails. The old
distillery that once produced
Carmelite liqueur from the
local aromatic plants has been
moved to the town centre.
At the end of the 19th and
beginning of the 20th centuries,
a string of holiday villas
-Modernist and Colonial in
style- rose along the Benicàssim
seafront. Some, including the
oldest, the Villa Pilar (1860),
survive to this day. The town’s
single most valuable heritage
and indeed, the landmark of
its Old Quarter, is the Neoclassical-style parish church,
which the scholar, Francisco
Pérez Bayer, had built in the
18th century. Other historical
sights include the San Vicente
watch tower, situated right on
Their relative proximity means
that the most popular beaches
in the Plana Alta (Upper Plain)
district tend to exert a direct
influence on the capital.
For instance, its six kilometres
of sandy beach has made
Benicàssim a traditional
holiday resort. In the
background, the ring of hills
climbing sharply away from
the city’s outlying suburbs is
a promise of better sea views
to be had from above. Such
vantage points can be found in
and around the Desierto de las
Palmas area and the Santa
Águeda Range, with its Pico
Bartolo (Mt. Bartolo; 2,390
feet). Nowadays, this haven of
spiritual retreat and meditation
founded by the Carmelites
Benicàssim
5
the beach, and the medieval
Montornés Castle.
dimension, in line with the
historical value of its Torre
del Rey (torre; tower), and the
layout of its ancient Moorish
castle. The Sant Julià and Dona
Towers complete the defensive
line on this section of the coast.
Housed in the Parish Church of
the Virgen de la Paciencia (Our
Lady of Patience) are leading
examples of the tilework made
in Alcora in the 18th century.
The presence of a marina, a
series of secluded cliffside coves
and good-sized sandy beaches
serve to make Oropesa a
pleasant and attractive
seaside holiday resort.
Leaving the town and heading
north along the coast road,
the route offers some very
spectacular ocean views. On
arriving in Oropesa del Mar, it
is immediately obvious that this
is yet another town seeking to
meet the local tourist demand,
although here the ambience is
somewhat more select, with
comfortable residential estates
having been built along the
seafront. In recent years, the
Approximately six
kilometres down the
N-340 is a secondary
road that branches off
to the left and heads
inland towards
Cabanes. Here a wellknown Roman Arch
stands alongside a
section of the old
Roman road, the Vía
Augusta, constructed
at the time of the
Roman Empire to link
Rome and Cadiz. On this
sidetrip, the town of
Vilafamés affords the visitor
an interesting chance to
get a first-hand idea of
contemporary culture.
The Gallery of Modern Art
(Museo Popular de Arte
Contemporáneo) housed in the
Oropesa del Mar
local beaches of La Concha and
Morro de Gos have experienced
a major tourist boom.
The enclosed nature of the
small bay in which the town
nestles gives this coastal
site a defensive and strategic
6
Batlle Palace, brings together
many of the artists that have
breathed new life into Spanish
painting and sculpture.
The historical Maestrazgo
area, straddling the northern
reaches of Castellón, is fringed
by a sunlit shoreline, where
towering mountains plunge
and give way to tranquil
beaches. The towns and
villages situated along this
stretch of coast attract the
highest percentage of the
province’s tourist trade and
share a common history with
their hinterland cousins, a
history written by the Knights
Templar and Knights of the
Order of Montesa who
Gallery of Modern Art
(Museo Popular de Arte
Contemporáneo)
964 32 91 52
Diputación, 20. Vilafamés. From
Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
and 5 - 7 p.m.
On returning to the coast, the
Prat de Cabanes wetlands
come into view. Formerly
pastureland, the area
has now been
converted into a
nature reserve that
serves as a nesting
site and stopover
point for prized
species of waterfowl
and waders. The
route continues
onwards to the peace
and quiet of
Torreblanca, where
the town Calvary
marks the site of the
first primitive
settlement. It is from
the this hillock that the town
slowly grew and spread
towards the shore, forming
the seaside suburb of
Torrenostra, a gathering
point for summer
holidaymakers drawn to
the area’s sand and shingle
beaches.
Roman Arch. Cabanes
administered these lands in
the Middle Ages under a royal
writ from James II. This type
of landscape begins as from
Alcalà de Xivert -a town
enjoying natural protection
in the form of the Serra d’Irta
7
Castle of Pope Luna. Hermit’s Chapel. Peñíscola
gem, encased within the
confines of the small peninsula
that is also home to the Old
Quarter, is only one part of
modern-day Peñíscola. Outside
the town walls, the generous
overflow of hotels, holiday flats
and residential estates stands in
eloquent testimony to the
good reputation enjoyed by
this fashionable beach resort.
The Aragonese, Pedro de Luna,
who took the name of
Benedict XIII and styled himself
Papa (Pope) Luna, chose
Peñíscola Castle as a retreat
from which to fight for the
unity of the Catholic Church.
The fortress commands the
highest point of the peninsula.
The parade ground is a superb
balcony from which to admire
the Mediterranean, and the
Range- and then extends
along a wide floodplain that
eventually reaches the sea
at the tourist resorts of
Las Fuentes, Alcossebre and
Cap i Corb. Still following the
N-340, after pausing to admire
the monumental bell tower at
Alcalà de Xivert, and by now
well within the boundaries
of the Baix Maestrat (Lower
Maestrazgo) district, one
arrives at the turn-off to
Peñíscola, the leading tourist
centre in the Province of
Castellón. The castle, perched
on a high outcrop overlooking
the sea, conjures up images
of the past, of knights
that roamed and fortress
battlements that guarded these
Maestrazgo lands in bygone
days. Yet this unique heritage
8
Keep, a perfect platform from
which to contemplate the wide
sweep of the coast. In spring
and summer, this walled
enclosure becomes the venue
for a Spanish Comedy Film
Festival and a Festival of
Ancient and Baroque Music.
Castillo del Papa Luna
964 48 00 21. Castillo s/n.
(literally, unnumbered)
Peñíscola. From Monday to
Sunday, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
and 4 - 9:30 p.m.
Flanking the coast road to
Benicarló is Peñíscola’s
immense beach. Many years
ago these sands served as the
backdrop for the galloping
steeds seen in the blockbuster
movie portraying the life and
times of El Cid and his
legendary deeds of valour.
In the centre of Benicarló is
the Church of Sant Bertomeu
(St. Bartholomew’s), a Baroque
construction of extraordinary
beauty whose stone-worked
façade and barley-sugar
(salomónica) columns will come
as somewhat of a surprise.
Its parish museum houses
interesting examples of Gothic
art. The Chapel of Sant
Gregori, situated on a nearby
hill, is where the townsfolk
congregate on 9th May every
year to participate in a
traditional romería (pilgrimage
outing). The port’s importance
dates back to the times of
Pedro el Ceremonioso, who in
1370 granted it the right to
market wine exempt from
certain tax levies. At present,
a good amount of activity
centres on the town’s
fishing fleet.
Church of Sant Bertomeu (St. Bartholomew’s). Benicarló
Alcossebre beach
Some time ago, the Bay of
Biscay’s dwindling supply
of sardines caused canning
companies from the north of
Spain to relocate in Vinaròs,
a move that led to an
interesting bond being forged
between the fishing traditions
of the North and the
Mediterranean. The carnival
celebrations held in the second
fortnight in February are
universally popular and given
prominent billing in the
Province’s festive calendar.
It is here, in this “border town”
lying just south of Tarragona,
that the north coast route
comes to an end.
On the very threshold of
Catalonia stands Vinaròs,
justly famed for its delicious
king prawns. The town lies in
the middle of a plain which is
marked by intense industrial
and farming activity, and in
which the only landmark of
any height is the Puig de la
Misericordia, an elevation
chosen by the early Iberians
as the site for one of their
settlements. The Parish Church
of the Assumption (Asunción),
and the Convents of Sant Agustí
and Sant Francesc are the towns
most prestigious architectural
sights. The geographer, Madoz,
was of the opinion that in the
last century Vinaròs had earned
the right to the title of the
area’s principal shipbuilder.
Holm oaks (encinas) brought
here from the hill country
further inland were hewn
and fashioned into solid
ocean-going vessels.
10
The South Coast
Major, 10. Burriana.
From Tuesday to Saturday,
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 - 8 p.m.
Sundays and Public Holidays
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Not only is the Plana Baixa
(Lower Plain) district a citrus
fruit paradise, it is also the
seat of an economic empire
built on the basis of a vigorous
ceramic and tile industry that
has been acclaimed both at
home and abroad. The town
of Burriana is famed as the
home of the Castellón orange.
A visit to the Museo de la
Naranja (Orange Museum) will
give visitors the chance to learn
about the system of
cultivation,
From Burriana, take the road
that departs from the southern
side of the town and make for
Nules. Here, in the latter part
of the 19th century, the town
walls were pulled down.
Nevertheless, this evocation of
a fortified citadel can still be
Burriana
Mascarell
Nules
La Vall d’Uixó
enjoyed today in the
borough of Mascarell,
situated one kilometre to
the north-east of Nules. The
medieval quarter that James I
ordered built in Mascarell has
survived intact. Among the
sights to be seen in Nules,
special mention should be
made of the Baroque-style
Soledad Chapel, raised in
honour of the town’s patron
saint. The arcaded main square
(Plaza Mayor) features a
modern church where an
Archpriest officiates. A lovely
Botanical Garden graces the
Moncófa
Chilches
trade, transport and
industrialisation peculiar to
citrus farming. Adjoining the
Town Hall, the Parish Church of
the Saviour (Salvador) retains
the duality of a traditional
Romanesque-style apse coupled
with the generalised Gothic
style characteristic of the
structure as a whole.
Museo de la Naranja
964 51 54 15.
11
Mansion. Burriana
town centre. Nules has a
quite stretch of beach, with
bungalows and houses
strung out along the strand.
Plaza de los Chorros (jets or
fountains), in the lower town
(poble de baix). Just two
kilometres away, on the Soneja
road, is a natural phenomenon
of great interest, the Cuevas de
San José (St Joseph’s Caverns),
where an underground river
features one section that is
navigable and another that can
be explored on foot.
Six kilometres down the CS-225,
on the lower flanks of the
Sierra Espadán Range, lies
La Vall d’Uixó, a town whose
life has largely been dictated
by the shoe industry. In the 17th
century, the existence of two
distinct urban areas led to the
Plaza del Angel being laid out
in the upper town, and the
St. Joseph’s Caverns (Cuevas de
San José/Sant Josep)
964 69 05 76. Carretera de
Soneja. La Vall d’Uixó.
Weekdays,
11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3 - 6 p.m.
Sundays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
and 3 - 7:30 p.m.
St. Joseph’s Cavern (Sant Josep). La Vall d’Uixó
This town’s natural outlet to
the sea is in Moncófa, whose
seafront promenade allows for
a long stroll along the pebbled
beach, and if desired, the
possibility of continuing all the
way to Chilches, another
coastal village with excellent
sandy beaches.
12
Inland
Routes
Morella and
the Maestrazgo
A few kilometres from the coast,
the interior regions of the
Province of Castellón possess rich
natural resources, as well as an
artistic and cultural heritage of
the first order. These are lands
of heraldry and escutcheons,
domains defended by defiant
battlements and watched over by
chapels and monasteries. The low
population density that so
characterises these inland routes
enhances the inherent charm of
the itineraries suggested below,
i.e , the fortress city of Morella,
Mt. Penyagolosa, the Mijares
riverside and environs, nature and
wildlife in the Sierra Espadán
Range, and the River Palancia
with its fresh-water springs.
Sant Mateu, capital of the Baix
Maestrat district, rose and
grew on the plain, encircled
by gnarled olive and other
trees associated with
Mediterranean culture.
Under the three-hundred-year
medieval hegemony exercised
by the Knights of the Order
of Montesa, the town was a
bustling handicrafts, livestock
and market centre, exporting
wool that was destined for the
Italian looms in Florence. The
main square with its arcades
and Fuente del Ángel (Angel
Fountain) off to one side, is the
starting point, not only of any
tour of the town, but also of
many of the main streets with
Morella
Sant Mateu
Ares
Catí
del Maestre
Tírig
Villafranca
del Cid
Benassal
Culla
13
Morella
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.
Juan Cano Forner
Paleontological Museum
964 41 65 90. Arrabal de
Barcelona, 23. Sant Mateu.
From Monday to Sunday,
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.
their noble houses and
mansions. The church, accorded
Archpriest status, echoes the
Romanesque-Gothic duality
depicted on its two doors.
The lofty buttresses supporting
the central nave and the
imposing hexagonal tower are
the first things that catch the eye
as one approaches the town.
Taking the N-232, and before
beginning the climb to Morella
via the Querol Pass, one comes
across the Santuario de la Virgen
de Vallivana, (Shrine of the
Virgin of Vallivana), the town’s
patron saint. In a tradition
harking back to 1673, every six
years the people of Morella
(morellanos) walk 22 kilometres
(13 miles) to bear the image of
the Virgin Mary to the town,
as a token of gratitude for her
having saved them from the
plague. By the roadside stand
numerous tiny chapels, where
Municipal Museum of History
and Ethnology
964 41 66 58. Historiador
Betí, 6. Sant Mateu. From
Tuesday to Saturday,
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Parish Museum of Religious Art
(Museo Parroquial de Arte
Religioso)
964 41 66 58. Church
(Iglesia arciprestal). Sant Mateu.
From Tuesday to Sunday,
14
Gothic, and the Castle complex.
Similarly, the Town Hall and old
jail, a stroll through the town’s
terraced alleys and streets, the
Blasco de Alagón arcades, a
round tour of the mountain
along the Paseo de la Alameda,
and a visit to see the exterior
of the medieval Santa Llúcia
aqueduct are all essential for
anyone wishing to get to know
this town of just under 3,000
inhabitants.
pilgrims stop to utter a prayer or
supplication on their long sixyearly march, a prelude to the
impressive festivities that follow.
The walled town of Morella,
silhouetted haughtily on its
hilltop, provides the traveller
with a truly monumental sight.
It is, without a doubt, the most
interesting Gothic town in the
entire Valencian Region. One
and a half miles of town wall,
pierced by six gates, in which a
number of specialised museums
have been created, make
Morella’s invulnerability the
stuff of legend. The Gothic
Basilica of Santa María
(St. Mary’s) with its exceptional
choirstalls is simply a “must”,
as are the Convent of San
Francisco (St. Francis), also
Time of the Dinosaurs Exhibit,
San Miguel Tower.
964 17 30 32. Time of History
Exhibit, Nevera Tower. Time of
Images Exhibit, Beneito Tower.
Morella. From Tuesday to Sunday,
11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.
(closes one hour earlier in winter).
Villafranca del Cid
15
Panoramic view. Ares del Maestre
surrounding mountains and
tableland; the health spas of
Benassal and Catí, known for
the medicinal properties of
their mineral waters; Culla,
with its well-preserved
medieval quarter; and, lower
down, the village of Tirig, with
one of the most important
networks of rock paintings
along the Mediterranean coast.
Known collectively as
La Valltorta, the area
uncovered comprises 21
different shelters containing
Levant–style rock paintings
(in Spain the Valencia/Alicante
area is termed the Levant
region) and has been declared
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Morella Church (Iglesia
Arciprestal). 964 16 07 93.
From Monday to Sunday, 12
noon – 2 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.
(closes one hour earlier in
winter).
San Francisco Convent and
Castle. 964 17 30 32.
From Monday to Sunday:
summer, 10:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m.;
winter, 10:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.
Those wishing to get a better
idea of the Maestrazgo are
recommended to visit other
towns as well. A good example
would be Villafranca del Cid,
or Vilafranca, near the Teruel
area, which took its cottage
textile industry and
transformed it into a modern
lingerie and knitwear sector.
Within a short distance of this
active town are: Ares del
Maestre, ensconced in an
incredible setting, expressly
chosen by the Knights of
Montesa to command the
Valltorta Museum
964 76 10 25
Departure Pla de l’Om. Tirig.
From Monday to Sunday,
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 - 8 p.m.
Closes one hour earlier
in winter.
16
The hill
country
Life in the L’Alcalaten district is
pervaded at every turn by the
powerful geographical presence
of the Penyagolosa massif
(a name derived from its local
reputation as a “peña colosal”
or collosal crag). En route lies
the town of Alcora, home and
birthplace of the tile industry.
In the 18th century, the Count
of Aranda founded a factory in
his domain and called it La Muy
Noble and Artística Cerámica de
Alcora. From 1727 onwards, this
firm produced a refined range
of porcelain and china which
enjoyed great success in
European Court circles.
Taking the CV-190 district road,
one gets to Lucena del Cid, or
Llucena, a town located on a
rocky promontory between
the Pedreñera river and ravine.
The main square features
arcades with widely spaced
arches, ideal for holding the
weekly open-air market, at
which farmers from the
surrounding masías traditionally
used to meet on Sundays. To one
side of the square, the Church
of Our Lady of the Assumption
(Nuestra Señora de la Asunción)
houses a crypt that is turned into
an evocative stage setting for
Easter Week tableaux depicting
the recumbent Christ.
On the last Friday in April, twelve
townsmen and a guide set out on
foot from the nearby town of
Les Useres. Dressed in black from
head to toe, complete with hat,
rosary and crook, and in utter
silence broken only by the strains
of psalms and hymns, they
Vistabella
del Maestrazgo
Les Useres/Useras
Lucena
del Cid
L’Alcora
Montanejos
Onda
Villareal/Vila-real
Aín
Eslida
the Baroque-style church is the
heavy standard belonging to the
religious brotherhood (cofradía)
founded in 1653. It is three
metres (just under 10 ft.) high,
though popular tradition has it
that it once measured six metres
(nearly 20 ft ). The cells are now
austere rooms that serve as
lodgings for hikers and passing
visitors. The climb to the top of
Mt. Penyagolosa, which ascends
to a height of 1,813 metres
(5,900 ft.) above sea level, calls
for a two-hour hike at a steady
pace. It is the second-highest
point in the Valencian Region.
Mijares River Canyon. Montanejos
Further south, the River Mijares
carves out an attractive nature
itinerary for travellers in search
of invigorating waters. This
route starts at a spot near the
sea, in the town of Vila-real,
and affords direct experience
of the sharp contrasts that
exist between coast and
mountainside in Castellón.
Vila-real, the province’s second
largest town, was founded by
James I and takes pride in its
name (Vila-real; literally, royal
town). Some picturesque Gothic
arches in the main square date
back to the town’s foundation.
In another corner of this same
square is the old Hostal del Rey
(King’s Hostelry), a building that
was originally donated by Pedro
el Ceremonioso in the 14th
century and has since
undergone numerous
transformations. The Church
complete a 30-kilometre
pilgrimage to the Shrine of
Sant Joan de Penyagolosa
(St. John of Penyagolosa). Here
they spend the night and when
day dawns, retrace their steps.
One week later, the people of
Lucena del Cid go on another,
altogether more social romería
to the hermitage site and
Chapel of Sant Miquel de les
Torrocelles (St. Michael’s). These
are just some of the traditions
that are kept alive in these
inland parts of Castellón.
The town closest to the massif is
Vistabella del Maestrazgo, which
also marks the start of the path
leading to the hermitage site
and summit. The Sant Joan de
Penyagolosa complex dates
back to the Gothic period,
when the monastery was
originally opened. Housed in
18
of Sant Jaume (St. James’,
again under the aegis of an
Archpriest) and the Church
and burial place of St. Pascual
Bailón are other sights of
interest in the town.
Taking the CV-20, the route
heads towards the first
mountains that are visible
from the coastal flats. Onda, a
pottery town of renown, now
emerges. Prominent in the
foreground is the fabled Castle
of the 300 Turrets, ringed by
the oldest part of the town,
which has been declared an
historic-artistic ensemble and
point of cultural interest, since
it faithfully represents the
standard Moorish layout that
served as a template for
Valencian towns for so many
centuries. “Musts” on any tour
of Onda include Almudín
Square with its arcades, the
Sant Pere (St. Peter’s) Gate, the
Church of La Sangre (Blood)
founded by the Knights
Templar in the 13th century
and a series of smaller chapels
distributed throughout the
town’s various quarters.
Vila-real
964 60 07 30
Ctra. de Tales, s/n. Onda.
Summer, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and
3:30 - 8 p.m.; winter, 9:30 a.m.2 p.m. and 3:30 - 7 p.m.
Closed from March to May.
Keeping to the same road, the
CV-20, the River Mijares soon
starts to reveal its precipices
and canyons, geographical
phenomena which in
Montanejos, the main town
and genuine focal point in the
locality, assume impressive
monumental proportions. It is
for this reason that the area
is a favourite among climbers
seeking the challenge of a
ravine rock face. Summer
holidaymakers come to
Montanejos to take the waters
and go for a stroll in the hills.
The town has range of hotel
accommodation on offer, wide
Valencian Ceramics Museum
(Museo Valenciano de la
Cerámica)
964 77 18 40.
Cervantes, 6. Onda.
From Monday to Sunday,
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.
Natural Science Museum
(Museo de Ciencias Naturales
de El Carmen)
19
The Springs
The Alto Palancia (Upper
Palancia) district is bounded
by the foothills of the Iberian,
Espadán and Espina Ranges to
the north, and the Calderona
and Javalambre Ranges to the
south. It forms the natural
passage between the Aragon
plateau and the Valencian
seaboard. Segorbe, the district
centre, lies on the N-234.
The very name of the main
square belonging to the new
part of the town, the Plaza
Agua Limpia (limpid or clean
water), is in itself symbolic of
the close relationship that the
sites along this route have
with water. Fronting onto this
square is the Town Hall, housed
in the former Medinaceli Ducal
Palace, built in the 16th century.
St Mary’s Cathedral (Santa
María), originally Gothic in
style, underwent a thorough
transformation in the 18th
Salto de la Novia (Bride’s Falls). Navajas
enough to cater to spa-goers
frequenting the Fuente de los
Baños at the Hydrotherapy
Centre, and to the hikers and
mountaineers who rope up
to tackle the Congosto de
Chillapájaros and Maimona
Gorges (gargantas).
The Sierra Espadán Nature
Reserve, situated a little further
south, between the districts of
the Upper (Alto) Mijares and
Palancia River Valley, is another
inland area well worth a visit.
Its broken topography is
home to secluded
valleys, where some
of the
Viver
Mediterranean
Jérica
Basin’s bestpreserved groves
of cork oaks survive
in the company of
pristine springs. Eslida
and Aín are the most
attractive towns hereabouts.
20
Navajas
Altura
Segorbe
century, which left it with its
present Neo-classical look.
Through the main door lies the
entrance to the cloister, which
boasts an interesting upper
gallery. Leading off from this
area, with its peaceful and
soothing atmosphere, are
seven small chapels. The
Cathedral is home to two
cultural treasures, namely, the
Chapter Hall gallery along
which the portraits of the
Segorbe bishops are hung and
the so-called Compromise of
Caspe Codex in the archives.
Outside the town proper, the
clue to Segorbe’s origins are to
be found in the hilltop ruins of
the Fuerte de la Estrella
(Star Castle). Other points to
see are the Botxí and Prison
Towers -vestiges of the old
town wall- the aqueduct
arches and the museums.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Visits can be
arranged by calling on
964 71 32 54
Archaeological and
Ethnological Museum (Museo
de Arqueología and Etnología)
964 13 20 20. Colón, 98.
Segorbe. Winter: Sundays,
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Summer: Thursdays,
11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturdays,
11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5 - 7 p.m.;
Sundays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Three kilometres from Segorbe
is the town of Altura, site of
the ruins of the Cartuja de la
Vall de Crist, a monastery
founded by the Crown of
Aragon. Restoration work is
making it possible, in part, to
recover the former splendour
of the archaeological site.
Altura is also home to another
popular spiritual landmark, the
Shrine of the Holy Cave (Cueva
Santa). Indeed, the image,
situated in a cave 20 metres
(65 ft.) below ground level,
represents the patron saint of
all Spanish potholers.
Cathedral Museum (Museo
Catedralicio). 964 13 20 20
Santa María, 1. Segorbe.
From Tuesday to Sunday,
Segorbe
21
Navajas is a traditional summer
holiday resort. An elm planted
in the main square in 1636 by
the justicia, or governor and
keeper of the peace, Roque
Pastor, symbolises three
hundred and fifty years of
independent municipal
existence. Numerous springs,
brooks and cascades dot the
course of the River Palancia.
One of these, known as the
Salto de la Novia (Bride’s Falls),
becomes a bewitching setting
for concerts on summer nights.
Further on, Jérica, with its
Mudejar-style tower (Mudéjar
being the term describing
Moslem work executed under
Christian rule), is a foretaste of
the first examples of Mudejar
art that were to spread
throughout Aragon. This
itinerary draws to a close in
the town of Viver, a prized
holiday destination thanks
to the fifty or so natural
fountains, some medicinal,
that await the visitor.
Cathedral Church of Santa María (St. Mary’s)
Castellón,
Capital of the
Plain (La Plana)
Castellón is a city closely tied to
the traditional farming world
that sprang up early in the 20th
century, in the wake of the
economic euphoria triggered
by the profits to be made from
farming and exporting citrus
fruit. Decades later, Castellón
would still continue to expand
as a result of its fast developing
ceramics and petrochemical
sectors. Now, however, it finds
itself at a crossroads, faced
with the prospect of in-depth
retrenchment and
restructuring. Over 25% of the
province’s entire population
live in this one city.
A visit to Castellón should
doubtless begin in the Plaza
Mayor, a pedestrian precinct
presided over by the El Fadrí (1)
bell tower (el fadrí; “single” or
“loner”), so dubbed because,
despite forming part of the
Cathedral Church
complex, it was built as
a separate entity. This
eight-sided, Tuscanstyle, 190-foot tower is
the city’s landmark, its
bells tolling the hours
and heralding events
of great importance.
Normally closed to the
public, it is only visited
on the occasion of the March
festivities held in honour of
the city’s patron saint, Mary
Magdalene. The Cathedral
Church of Santa María
(St. Mary’s) (2) has been
reconstructed in Gothic style,
the reason being that, apart
from the main and two of the
side doors, the whole building
was razed to the ground
during the Spanish Civil War.
Displayed inside are a number
of anonymous canvases, a
painting attributed to Ribalta,
a carved image of the Virgin
Mary (la Purísima) by José
Esteve and a fine collection
of gold- and silverwork.
Ribalta Park
picking up a ball, while being
reflected in a pool, and is a
tribute to the traditional local
sport of pelota valenciana.
Crossing the nearby Avenida
del Rey Jaime brings one to the
city’s main area of greenery,
Ribalta Park (4), which is
flanked by attractive examples
of Modernist buildings as well
as the railway station. It is
in this part of the city that
Castellón has undergone its
most radical face-lift, with the
railway lines being re-laid
Opposite the church complex
stands the Ayuntamiento
(City Hall) (3), constructed in the
18th century in the Tuscan style
and graced with a series of eyecatching arcades that provide
the perfect place to meet
and chat. It is by no means
extremely large, yet its halls
and passageways have enough
space to exhibit an interesting
collection of paintings by the
city’s most prominent artists,
such as Porcar, Agrasot,
Doménech, Viciano, Benlliure
and the like. This square has a
further ornamental feature: a
contemporary sculpture by the
Valencian, Manuel Boix,
popularised in recent years
under the name, El Narcís
(Narcissus). It represents a hand
City Hall
23
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Tourist Information Office
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1 El Fadri
2 Cathedral Church of Santa
María (St. Mary´s)
3 City Hall
4 Ribalta Park
5 Shrine of the Virgin of Lledó
6 Chapel of La Magdalena
(Mary Magdalene)
7 Pinar Park
8 Planetarium
9 Principal Theatre
10 Modern Art Gallery
11 Fine Arts Museum
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CARTOGRAFÍA GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35
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City Map of Castellón
N
P Car park
Railway Station
Bus & Coach Station
trees. Along with the Plaza de
Independencia and Plaza de
Tetuán, the park was officially
declared of artistic interest
in 1981.
From the Plaza de María
Agustina, take the Avenida del
Lidón to get to the Santuario
de la Virgen de Lledó (Shrine of
the Virgin of Lledó) (5), patron
saint of Castellón. According to
tradition, in 1366 the Virgin
Mary appeared to a shepherd
at a point some two kilometres
outside the town. The shrine’s
interior provides the perfect
atmosphere for quiet
introspection, and speaks
eloquently of the local fervour
surrounding the figure of the
Virgin. A tile mosaic in one of
the aisles describes the
different local chapels that plot
the route of an old Roman
road known as El Caminás.
Shrine of the Virgin of Lledó
below ground, in order to
prevent the present layout
from being partitioned by a
series of level crossings. In the
park, a series of paths trace a
geometrical pattern and finally
converge at the centre, with its
statue of the artist, Ribalta.
Here too, a bandstand, pond,
flowers and obelisk
commemorating the Carlist
Wars mark out an area of
collective memory, shaded by
a number of impressively aged
Some distance away, on the
opposite side of the national
road and motorway, is another
religious site. This is the
Chapel of La Magdalena
(Mary Magdalene) (6), which
sits atop a hill marking the spot
where Castellón was first settled.
In March, a popular romería takes
place here to commemorate the
settlers’ decision to moved from
this hillside to the new town
on the plain. Visible behind
the chapel are the surviving
remains of the Moorish castle.
Plaza del Teatro
26
Castellón feels a special
attachment to the sea, to which
one gets via a broad avenue.
Pinar Park (7), the Planetarium (8),
the long seafront promenade,
the Plaza del Mar –a new leisure
area facing the marina- the
good-sized harbour facilities,
the town’s beaches and new
residential estates, all provide
visitors with the chance of
enjoying wide open spaces
cooled by refreshing sea breezes.
The city’s cultural future is in
the process of becoming a
reality, thanks to an ambitious
scheme which has seen the
Teatro Principal (Theatre) (9)
salvaged, refurbished and
refitted with a structure typical
of the exquisite theatres of the
19th century, and the Espai d’Art
Contemporani (Gallery of
Modern Art) (10) inaugurated
as a venue for avant-garde
international art exhibitions.
Also projected are the
construction of a new Concert
Hall, capable of doubling as a
Convention Centre, and the
re-opening of the Museo
Monument to King James
de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts
Museum) (11) in a space that
has been remodelled to do
justice to the fine classical
paintings stored in its
permanent collection.
Gallery of Modern Art (Espai
d’Art Contemporani - EAC)
964 72 35 40. Prim, s/n.
Castellón. From Tuesday to
Sunday,11 a.m.- 8 p.m.
Fine Arts Museum (Museo de
Bellas Artes)
964 35 96 00, ext. 711.
Avenida Hermanos Bou s/n.
Castellón. Winter, from
Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-2
p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m. Summer,
from Monday to Friday,
9 a.m.-2 p.m. All year round:
Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.
Municipal Ethnological
Museum (Museu Municipal
d’Etnologia).
964 22 04 08. Chapel of
Sant Jaume de Fadrell.
Castellón. From Monday to
Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Leisure &
entertainment
Sports
Scattered along the length of
the Province of Castellón’s
shoreline, seven marinas, as
well as port and nautical
facilities of all kinds, offer
visitors the possibility of taking
full advantage of the sea,
whether as a Mecca for
watersports or merely as an
immense scenic arena to
spend time in a leisurely and
enjoyable way. The marinas are
based in the towns of Vinaròs,
Benicarló, Peñíscola,
Alcossebre, Oropesa del Mar,
Castellón and Burriana.
In many instances, they share
facilities with fishing harbours,
where the daily dockside
auction, with its competing
bids and freshly caught fish,
provides a true spectacle.
Marina. Benicarló
The combination of such
an infrastructure and the
complementary facilities
available to beachgoers on
a good number of beaches,
especially those entitled to
fly the European Blue Flag
(the official guarantee of
environmental quality), means
one thing, namely, that on
the Castellón coast, sailing,
windsurfing, jet skiing, fishing,
water-skiing, scuba diving,
rowing, as well as competitions
and regattas, are all well within
the reach of travellers coming
to enjoy this part of the world.
The good weather and
availability of suitable facilities
make the Costa Azahar an
attractive destination for all
sports lovers. Golfers can choose
from any of three courses along
the coast. The Costa de Azahar
Golf Club is located in the green
zone of Castellon’s port area and
has a team of instructors geared
to teaching learners. The
Mediterráneo Country Club (Club
de Campo), in Borriol, also has
Aquarama aquapark. Benicàssim
28
In another seaside town,
Benicàssim, two music dates
might just be suggested. In
August, the most radically
alternative and non-commercial
pop groups –both Spanish and
foreign- gather in this beach
resort over a period of several
days in a real celebration of
rhythm and sound. Within the
space of a few years, the
International Indyrock Festival
(Festival Internacional de
Benìcassim -FIB) has managed
to work its way into the select
group of summer festivals that
are a firm favourite with young
audiences. The other music
date is in September. This, the
Francisco Tárrega International
Guitar Competition, is a major
event drawing contestants
from all around the world.
modern facilities and offers
private classes for those wishing
to perfect their game. The same
service is provided by the
Panorámica Golf Club, in
San Jorge, just a little
further to the north.
For enthusiasts of aerial sports,
such as hang-gliding and
parachuting, there is the
Aeroclub de Castellón
964 28 35 21 and
964 28 01 39, based
at Grau de Castellón, on
the capital’s seafront.
The end of summer is the time
chosen by Vila-real to offer an
international festival designed to
present traditional folk dances,
Culture
Golf
Summer is the ideal time of the
year to enjoy open-air cultural
events. In August, the Castle of
Pope Luna in Peñíscola comes
alive with attractive recitals
forming part of the Ancient
and Baroque Music Festival,
as well as a series of plays and
stage productions. Some weeks
prior to this, in June, Peñíscola
plays host to the International
Comedy Film Festival.
29
whilst a few months earlier,
in May, the entire town becomes
the setting for street theatre.
Other leisure time opportunities,
particularly for children, are to
be found at the Castellón
Planetarium 964 28 25 84,
opened in 1991 near Pinar
beach, with permanent
exhibitions and daily shows
projected onto the artificial
night sky in the dome. A very
different scenario is the water
extravaganza to be enjoyed at
the Aquarama aquapark
964 30 33 21 in the
Benicàssim area, or the
40-minute boat trip along the
subterranean waterways of
St. Joseph’s Caverns (Cuevas de
Sant Josep; 964 69 05 76
at La Vall d’Uixó. The Torre del
Rey (King’s Tower) in Oropesa
964 31 22 41 is yet another
of the Costa Azahar’s many
attractions.
Planetarium. Castellón
centre on fashionable clubs and
bars where people meet, chat
and listen to music over a drink.
But with the arrival of the good
weather, and the summer
months in particular, the “scene”
moves to the seaside, to the
discothèques and pubs situated
on the Benicàssim and Burriana
beachfronts and Castellón
dockside. One of the liveliest
areas in Benicàssim is Las Villas, a
stretch of coast lined by some of
the loveliest and oldest of the
town’s summer houses, a few of
which have now been converted
into night spots. Along the
beaches, both in Castellón and
in the neighbouring towns,
chiringuitos tend to spring up;
these are temporary side-walk or
beach bars where one can sit out
and enjoy a drink in the open air.
Discothèques and music venues
fill to overflowing with crowds of
young pleasure-seekers ready
to dance the night away.
Nightlife
For most part of the year
Castellón nightlife tends to
Peñíscola
Fiestas
Castellón’s fiesta calendar is an
intriguing balance between
traditional romería-style
30
(canyes: cane rods adorned with
green ribbon), a pilgrimage to
the hermitage of St. Mary
Magdalene, and the procession of
les Gaiates (richly garlanded and
illuminated floats) revive legends
and myths that have come to
form an integral part of the local
imagination. Groups of fiestalovers (colles) gather and draw up
special programmes to make the
fiesta bigger and better every year.
pilgrimages, inspired by a
religious outlook on life, and
festive celebrations that are a
genuine explosion of vitality, fun
and gaiety. The first event in the
year takes place in mid-January,
with the Feast of San Antonio
Abad (St. Anthony Abbot), the socalled Santantonà, which involves
the lighting of bonfires, troupes
prancing and masquerading as
demons, and street enactments of
and about the saint’s life, etc.
The most spectacular bonfires are
to be found in Forcall, Vilanova
d’Alcolea, Borriol and Todolella,
though it must be said that
almost all the inland towns
celebrate their own fiesta
during this period.
The Fallas (from the Latin
“facula” or “fax”, meaning
torch), a typical celebration found
throughout the Valencian Region,
which consists of constructing
huge cardboard tableaux and
setting these alight on the night
of 19th March (St. Joseph’s Day),
has its followers in Castellón. In
this regard, special mention must
be made of the towns of La Vall
d’Uixó, Benicarló and Burriana,
which at this time of year are a
riot of exploding crackers and
fireworks. However, the
pilgrimage season continues all
the while. On the last Friday
in April, twelve pilgrims and a
guide leave the small town of
The most popular celebration is
held in Castellón itself, as from
the third Saturday in Lent. These
are the fiestas in honour of Mary
Magdalene, marking the city’s
second foundation, when it was
moved to the plain from its
original location on Magdalena
hill, site of the Chapel of the
same name to which the
townsfolk make their pilgrimage.
The romería de les Canyes
La Santantonà. Forcall
31
romerías of this nature depart
from over fifty towns and villages
to churches and chapels linked to
their religious past. The Morella
romería to the Virgin of Vallivana,
normally held on the first
Saturday in May, changes every
six years (el Sexeni), when, during
the second fortnight in August,
the Virgin is borne aloft to
Morella and the town’s streets
and building frontages are
bedecked with thousands of
rainbow-coloured streamers.
The year preceding the Sexeni
is marked by the holding of
l’Annunci, a splendid occasion
in its own right, when the
forthcoming six-yearly fiesta is
formally announced. On the last
Sunday in April, another
important pilgrimage takes place,
this time from Altura to the
Virgin of the Holy Cave (Cueva
Santa). Curiously, this same
mountainside church receives the
townsfolk of Jérica in September
and those of Segorbe in October.
January too has its romerías, e.g.,
on 20th January the people
of Vinaròs take the relic of
St. Sebastian from the parish
church to the chapel crowning
the summit of El Puig.
Rush figures
Les Useres and make for the
Monastery of Sant Joan de
Penyagolosa, there to do penance
and return the following day
after trudging many a mile in a
silence broken only by hymn
singing. Some weeks later, in Catí,
at four in the morning on the
first Saturday in May, ancient
religious airs are sung, calling
on the townsfolk to make the
pilgrimage to Sant Pere de
Castellfort (St.Peter’s), clothed in
flowing black capes. During the
course of the year, well-attended
There is hardly any town or
village in the province that
does not celebrate its local
fiesta with bullfights, dances,
processions and a chance
to sample the best local
specialities.
Segorbe pottery
32
Shopping and Handicrafts
Without doubt, ceramic and
cloth handicrafts are the two
activities that enjoy the longest
tradition in the towns and
villages of Castellón. L’Alcora,
Traiguera, Onda, Ribesalbes,
La Vall d’Uixó and Segorbe
have been the main source of
skilled potters for hundreds of
years. The textile tradition is
particularly strong in Morella,
where the local looms serve
to revive a style of weaving
reminiscent of a time when this
singular craft was at the
pinnacle of its splendour. Other
towns, especially those situated
in the Palancia Valley, turn
carpentry and woodwork into
a genuine art form. In addition,
the wickerwork of Benassal
and the esparto grass serónand capazo-type baskets of
Castellnovo make it possible
for the traveller to acquire
traditional items made with
the wisdom of old.
Oranges
sweetmeats and pastries on
sale at traditional shops.
Local Cuisine
Castellón’s twin nature is
reflected in the two different
kinds of menus to be found in
the province’s cuisine, depending
upon whether one is on the
coast or inland. The day’s catch
provides seaside towns with
infinite possibilities. In Vinaròs,
red mullet (salmonetes), Norway
lobster (cigalas), shrimp
(gambas)and king prawns
In another very
different sphere -that
of farming and farm
produce- drivers on
some routes should
keep an eye out for
roadside stalls selling
locally-grown citrus
fruit, as well as the
tempting prospect of
the home-made honey
and typical local
Paella
33
Benicàssim
open, with a filling of tomatoes,
vegetables, onions, etc.
(langostinos) are the main
attractions among the
mouthwatering range of foods
on offer, with pride of place
going to mixed seafood platters whether boiled or fried
(mariscada), stewed (zarzuela
de pescado) or grilled
(parrillada)- charcoal-grilled
sardines, and an endless variety
of fish and seafood dishes.
As the coastal geography
gradually gives way to the
mountainous interior, local meat
and farm produce begin to
assume an ever more marked
presence. In the Maestrazgo,
charcoal grilled meat, such as
rabbit (conejo) and partridge
(perdiz), cured ham and jerky
(cecina), home-made cheeses,
preceded by starters such as sopa
morellana and sopa forcallana,
will satisfy the traveller’s hunger.
A further staple of the inland
cuisine are the so-called ollas,
a vegetable (mainly greens and
legumes) and meat casserole.
Among the desserts, full
advantage is taken of the quality
of the local cattle and orchards
to prepare cuajada (rennet
pudding), flan de almendras
(cream caramel with almonds)
Rice dishes, particularly paella,
in its traditional meat or mixed
chicken-and-shellfish versions,
is another “must”. Other
rice-based variations are also
possible. For instance, there is
arroz a banda (rice cooked in
the water used for the fish, but
served as a separate dish),
el caldoso, al horno (oven-baked),
con verduras (with vegetables)
and the like.Typical in Castellón’s
festive cuisine are the coques
(pizza-style bases), generally
34
and requesón (cottage-style
cheese) with honey, along with
the many varieties of sweetmeats
and pastries, a blend of Moorish
heritage and Christian traditions.
Further south, the excellent
quality of the spring water
makes the district olla a
delicious and exquisite dish.
Roast lamb and rabbit in thyme
are other possible entrées, and
for dessert, there are sweet
cherries (cerezas), loquats
(nísperos) or persimmon
(caquis), which grow in the lee
of the hillsides, protected from
the wind and biting cold.
The Mediterranean marketgarden sector in the Province
of Castellón also produces
exceptional fruit (e.g., the local
varieties of citrus that have
become famous around the
world) and vegetables,
the Benicarló artichoke
(alcachofa) in particular.
Benicarló Parador
Accomodation
Ranked by quality, hotel
accommodation in the
Castellón area ranges from
medium to medium-high,
with over 14,000 beds
available. The greatest single
concentration of guest
accommodation is to be
found in Peñíscola, followed
by Benicàssim and Castellón
itself. For those who prefer
camping, camp sites have
place for over 25,000.
Spread throughout the
province are some 6,700
holiday flats, with a
capacity to sleep 35,000.
In the interior, Castellón also
has a sizeable range of rural
accommodation, as is evident
from the more than one
hundred hotels, hostels and
country cottages on offer.
In addition, there is a Tourist
Parador (state-run hotel)
in Benicarló.
USEFUL INFORMATION
International Dialling Code: 34
Tourist Information
Turespaña 901 300 600
www.tourspain.es
Costa Azahar Provincial Tourist
Board 964 35 98 83
Tourist Info Castellón
964 35 86 88
Castellón Municipal Tourist
Information Office
964 06 93 33
Tourist Info Alcossebre
964 41 22 05
Benicàssim Municipal Tourist
Information Office
964 30 09 62
Benicarló Tourist Info
964 47 31 80
Burriana Tourist Info
964 57 07 53
Morella Tourist Info
964 17 30 32
Moncófa Tourist Info
964 58 85 57
Montanejos Tourist Info
964 13 11 53
Navajas Tourist Info
964 71 39 13
Oropesa Tourist Info
964 31 22 41
Beach office 964 76 66 12
Peñíscola Tourist Info
964 48 02 08
Sant Mateu Tourist Info
964 41 66 58
Segorbe Tourist Info
964 71 32 54
Vilafranca Tourist Info
964 44 14 32
Torreblanca Municipal Tourist
Information Office
964 42 12 12
Vinaròs Tourist Info
964 45 33 34
Viver Municipal Tourist
Information Office
964 14 10 06
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Castellón Cultural Planning Board
(Proyecto Castelló Cutural)
964 72 36 05
Emergencies 112
Renfe (Spanish Rail)
902 24 02 02
Autos Mediterráneo
964 26 09 95
Radio Taxi Castelló
964 22 74 74
Tele Taxi 964 25 46 46
Traffic: Road & Highway
information 900 12 35 05
TOURIST PARADORS
(State-run hotels)
Central booking office:
C/ Requena, 3. 28013-Madrid
91 516 66 66
Fax 91 516 66 57
www.parador.es
Benicarló Parador
Avda. Papa Luna, 5
964 47 01 00
Fax 964 47 09 34
36
SPANISH TOURIST OFFICES ABROAD
Canada. Toronto
Tourist Office of Spain
2 Bloor Street West Suite 3402
TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2
1416/ 961 31 31
Fax: 1416/ 961 19 92
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tourspain.toronto.on.ca
Great Britain. London
Spanish Tourist Office
22-23 Manchester Square
LONDON W1M 5AP
44027/486 80 77
Fax: 44027/486 80 34
e-mail: [email protected]
www.uk.tourspain.es
www.tourspain.co.uk
Japan. Tokyo
Tourist Office of Spain
Daini Toranomon Denki Bldg.4F
3-1-10 Toranomon
Minato-Ku. TOKYO-105
813/ 34 32 61 41
Fax: 813/ 34 32 61 44
e-mail: [email protected]
www.spaintour.com
Russia. Moscow
Spanish Tourist Office
Tverskaya - 16/2 Business Center
“Galería Aktor” 6º floor
MOSCÚ 103009
7095/ 935 83 99
Fax: 7095/ 935 83 96
e-mail: [email protected]
www.tourspain.ru
Singapore. Singapore
Spanish Tourist Office
541 Orchard Road. Liat Tower# 09-04
238881 SINGAPORE
657/ 37 30 08,
Fax: 657/ 37 31 73
e-mail: [email protected]
United States of America
Los Ángeles
Tourist Office of Spain
8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960
BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211
1323/ 658 71 95
Fax: 1323/ 658 10 61
e-mail: [email protected]
Chicago
Tourist Office of Spain
Water Tower Place, Suite 915 East
845, North Michigan Avenue
CHICAGO, ILL 60-611
1312/ 642 19 92
Fax: 1312/ 642 98 17
e-mail: [email protected]
Miami
Tourist Office of Spain
1221 Brickell Avenue
MIAMI, Florida 33131
1305/ 358 19 92
Fax: 1305/ 358 82 23
e-mail: [email protected]
New York
Tourist Office of Spain
666 Fifth Avenue 35th.
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103
1212/ 265 88 22
Fax: 1212/ 265 88 64
e-mail: [email protected]
www.okspain.org
EMBASSIES IN MADRID
Canada
Nuñez de Balboa, 35
91 431 43 00. Fax: 91 431 23 67
Great Britain
Fernando el Santo, 16
91 319 02 00. Fax: 91 308 10 33
Japan
Serrano, 109
91 590 76 00 Fax: 91 590 13 21
Russia
Velazquez, 155
91 562 22 64. Fax: 91 562 97 12
United States of America
Serrano, 75
91 587 22 00. Fax: 91 587 23 03
Written by:
Jaime Millás
Translated by:
Michael D. Benedict
Photographs:
Turespaña Photographic Archives
Design:
PH color, S.A.
Published by:
© Turespaña
Secretaría de Estado de Comercio y
Turismo
Ministerio de Economía
Printed by:
GAEZ, S.A.
D.L.: M-34951-2001
NIPO: 380-01-014-8
Printed in Spain
1st Edition
Costa Azahar
Castellón Spain
MINISTERIO
DE ECONOMÍA
SECRETARÍA DE
ESTADO DE COMERCIO
Y TURISMO
SECRETARÍA
GENERAL DE TURISMO
TURESPAÑA
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
European Regional
Development Fund
I