El Castell de Guadalest
Member of Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España
A Muslim fortress of the 11th century crowns the rock above the Guadalest valley, wrecked by an earthquake in 1644 and blown up in 1708, yet still the village's landmark. Below, terraces of citrus, olive, carob and almond trees run down to the reservoir. Tourism keeps the place going, with a surprising number of small museums, from microminiatures to salt and pepper shakers.
Highlights
- Ruins of the Castell de Sant Josep, high on the rock over the valley
- Casa Orduña, a 17th-century noble house with period furniture, paintings and ceramics
- Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum, with 20,000 pieces from around the world
- Manuel Ussa miniatures, including a Statue of Liberty in a needle's eye
- Local dishes: rabbit with all i oli, stuffed peppers and olleta de blat
Text adapted from Wikipedia (Guadalest (ES), El Castell de Guadalest, Guadalest (IT)), Wikivoyage (Guadalest). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Population: 284
Things to see
Events through the year
- Fiestas de San GregorioAlso called Fiestas de la Juventud; organised by the young people
- Patronal festivities of the AssumptionImage moved to the church, flower offering, procession through the village
- Romería a GinesFor Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, at the hamlet of Gines in the municipality
Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.
Adapted from Wikipedia (Guadalest). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Local food & wine
- Rice with beans and turnipsDish
- Stuffed peppersDish
- Olleta de blatDishWheat stew
- Rabbit with garlicDish
- Pelotas de maízDishCornmeal dumplings
- MinchoDish
Adapted from Wikipedia (Guadalest), Wikivoyage (Guadalest). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to sleep
7 places to stay within 3 km
- Hotels 4
- Campsites 2
- B&Bs and guest houses 1
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Thermal baths nearby
- Thermal spa: Font Salada · ~1 h 02 by car
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Nearby member villages
- Alcalá del Júcar · 121 km
- Alpuente · 151 km
- Vilafamés · 160 km
- Letur · 169 km
- Rubielos de Mora · 173 km