A popular place to visit
After the state of alarm, tourism will slowly resume not long from now. That is why it is the perfect time to spend a day in Guadalest. The Sierra de Aitana, Sierra de Serella, and Sierra de Aixorta are mountain ranges that surround the Guadalest river valley. The roads through these mountains show a staggering amount of loquats, almonds, and pine trees. The many curves leading up to the town are already worth the trip. It is a delightful photographic destination and with not too many tourists there, for now. This combined with the lovely weather makes it the perfect time to (re-)visit the town.
The main attraction of the area is the reservoir and the town with its historic center. They call the old part of the village the Arrabel. A tunnel, carved in rock, connects this center with the surroundings of the Castle of Guadalest known as San José. In 1974, they declared this unique town a place of Historic-Artistic interest. Part of its history still shows in the old wall and the watchtower on the mountain top.
How to get to Guadalest?
As many know, this town is located 20 kilometers inland from Benidorm. So, whether you come from north or south, the CV-70 connects Benidorm with Guadalest. This the most direct road. If you want a more scenic route you can drive from Benidorm via Polop and Callosa d’en Sarria to Guadalest. There are large car parking at the entrance of the old town. During the tourist season, this parking must be paid for.
What to do in Guadalest?
From the main square in the old town center, there are magnificent views of the reservoir below. The surrounding mountains reflect beautifully in the light blue water of the artificial lake. There is a well-indicated path to get down to the lake and the dam that they build in 1957. There are various hiking and walking trails and, if available, a solar-powered boat that sails around the lake.
Furthermore, there is an 11th-century castle fortress to visit that was built by the Moros. Here you will enjoy one of the best views over the area. The next step on our tour is to cross the tunnel to visit the Old Town.
Many museums are part of the charm of Guadalest, some of them are:
– Municipal Museum Casa Orduña (home of a 17th-century local noble family)
– Museum of Nativity Scenes and Doll Houses.
– Museum of Torture tools.
– Microminiature Museum.
– Salt and Pepper mill Museum (20,000 salt and pepper shakers).
– Ethnological Museum of Guadalest.
– Microgigante Museum, of miniatures and giant sculptures.
– Museum of Historical Vehicles.
Many little shops in the old part of town sell lots of different artisan objects and clothes. Besides these products they also sell homemade jams and mountain honey.
What to eat?
When you come to spend a day in Guadalest you can eat at one of the many restaurants that serve typical tourist plates such as pizzas and pasta. But if you are adventurous and want to taste the authentic local kitchen we suggest L’Olleta de Blat. This is a stew of beans, meat, tomatoes, and lots of other local ingredients. If you happen to visit Guadalest in the third week of November do not forget to visit the neighboring city of Benimantell, because you will taste the best Olleta de Blat of the Costa Blanca during their Gastronomic festival.
Where can you sleep?
We recommend spending at least one night in Guadalest. There is no better feeling to get up with the sun rising over the mountain tops and to see those reflections in the lake. There are multiple options to sleep in this town, there are touristic apartments and hostels (including Adults Only accommodations), with prices from €60 per night to €110.
If you want to contact the Ayuntamiento of Guadales, please follow this link.
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