Poble Nou de Benitatxell
Today we spend a day in Benitachell or el Poble Nou de Benitatxell. It has an interesting rich past thanks to different cultures that inhabited the municipality. Long before the current village existed there were different groups of farmhouses where people lived. They left their visible traces in constructions, the language, and even certain place names.
How to get to Benitachell?
The easiest way to get there by car is by CV-740 that starts at the roundabout at the Teulada entrance. This roundabout connects to the N-332 that has its connections to the AP-7 motorway in Benissa (south) or Dénia (north).
Things to do in Benitachell
Part of the new urban constructions of Benitachell is located on a cape. However, the town center further inland retains the typical character of a traditional Mediterranean town. Although it is structured like that of Arab buildings. It has narrow and sloping streets spread out on small hills and foothills.
The walls of the first houses and the Church formed a walled enclosure with two unique entrances. One of them, the Portalet was preserved and is still visible. It gave access to the church square and that is why it is called Portalet.
In addition, it was the second entrance and because of the location, the first settlements appeared here.
In front of this entrance, there is a viewpoint with amazing views of the Montgó, San Antoni cape, and the Javea bay. As well as the mountainous hills that rise up to the Puig LLorença.
The church
The Santa María Magdalena church is behind a small square at the highest point of the village. This church was constructed between 1710 and 1744. In between, they did many reformations until the twentieth century. Three chapels on both sides form this church and the altar dedicated to the patron saints in the middle. The interior nowadays has a simple Baroque style with neoclassical features.
Oratory of Jaume Llobell.
A small chapel, a courtyard, and some classrooms form this building. It was founded at the end of the 19th century. In this hermitage, a weekly mass is still celebrated on Saturday afternoons.
In addition to the urban environment of Benitachell, there are many unusual things to visit along the coastal cliffside area.
For example, the caves that are constructed using dry stone attached to the rocky wall of the cliffs. Going along the route of the cliffs that connects the Calas del Moraig and the Llebeig you can visit them.
Pesqueras
Another interesting place to visit during the day in Benitachell is the “Pesqueras”. This set of ropes and ladders helps to go down the steep cliffs. Previously villagers used these ropes to get down and fish during the night. From the sea, on a yacht or excursion boat, the impressive sight shows its unparalleled beauty.
The coastline of Benitachell is fascinating, with beaches and secluded coves. But above all, it has a rugged landscape rich in interesting features. Such as the Cala del Moraig, a 250-meter long cove. Another cove is the Cala de Llebeig, it is smaller and does not have road access.
Furthermore, there are the Cala dels Testos and the Cova dels Arcs. This last one has beautiful naturally formed arches as a result of the impact of the waves.
The Falla del Moraig (or Riu Blanc), is an example of a fault that runs parallel to Cala del Moraig. It runs through the Cova dels Arcs and reaches the sea.
Going down the road that gives access to Cala del Moraig, on the right is the path that leads to a gap, from which you can see a fault surface belonging to the Falla del Moraig.
The underground Moraig river, or Riu Blanc, is an underwater upwelling, of salinized fresh water. It has a wide gallery from which the main conduit divides. The speleologists investigated 2 kilometers of the cave so far. They found out that the cave reaches a depth of 60 m below sea level.
The last place we mention is the Basenilla, a magnificent example of a collapsed sinkhole. It has a circular form with vertical walls and numerous fallen blocks, of large dimensions hidden inside.
Trekking
Benitachell offers 4 hiking trips and guides for them are available. These trips vary in difficulty and are located in the coastal area of the municipality. These are the routes: The Cliffs route, the Falla route, the Barranco dels Testosroute, and the Submarine Route.
What can you eat in Benitachell?
You need to eat during a day in Benitachell. Rainfed agriculture is one of the traditional economic activities of the village. The most representative product is the Muscat grape. Mistela and homemade wines are some of the products that have this grape as the main ingredient.
Many people appreciate the characteristic Sunday Puchero as one of the most tasteful. Other plates are Calamars farcits amb Blanquet, Putxero Polp, and Polp amb Penca. They are all paella types with meat, rice, and fish. In addition, there is the typical Cruet, made with rockfish.
Benitachell also offers typical pastries such as the coca-maria, Caspell with raisins and almonds, and the traditional Easter Monas.
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