Route 14 from Alcoy to La Vila Joiosa

RUTA14y15_142a172_da OK ingles.qxp:rutas 15/07/10 8:19 Página 142 From the Sierra de Aitana to the Serra Gelada through ancient Arabic lands Route 14 From Alcoy to La Vila Joiosa 1 • La Serreta 9 • Castle: Castillo de Penáguila 20 • Reservoir: Embalse de 29 • Altea la Vella 2 • Castle: Castillo de Penella 10 • Ares del Bosc Guadalest 30 • Beach: Playa de l’Albir 3 • Paraje del Salt 11 • Aitana 21 • Waterspout: Font de Les 31 • Mount: Serra Gelada 4 • Ravine: Barranc dels Horts 12 • Farm: Partida de Xarquera Salines 32 • Islet: Illeta de l’Olla de Marra 13 • Waterspout: Font del Arbre 22 • Pas del Comptador 33 • Islet: Islote de Benidorm 5 • Mount: Sierra del Rontonar 14 • Waterspout: Font del Espinal 23 • Waterspout: Fuentes del Algar 34 • Racó de l’Oix 6 • Summit: Cumbre del 15 • Waterspout: Font de Forata 24 • Fortress: Fort de Bèrnia 35 • Beach: Playa de Poniente Rontanar 16 • Castle: El Castell de Guadalest 25 • Mount: Puig Campana 36 • Theme Park: Parque 7 • Castle: Castillo de 17 • Caserío de Abdet 26 • La Lloma temático Terra Mítica Benifallim 18 • Waterspout: Fuente de 27 • Beach: Playa de la Olla 37 • Beach: Playa de Levante 8 • Hermitage: Ermita de Partagat 28 • Beaches: Playas del Cap 38 • Beach: Playa de la Vila Joiosa Torresena 19 • Castle: Castillo de Sella Blanch RUTA14y15_142a172_da OK ingles.qxp:rutas 15/07/10 8:19 Página 143 142 - 143 El Castell de Guadalest 38º 40' 61'' N 0º 11' 9'' W This route will allow us to explore the Aitana sierra and the From Alcoy to Benifallim over the spectacular valleys with beautiful towns nestling on their hillsides of the Hontonar sierra north-facing slopes. Former land of Moors [post- reconquest Arabs converted to Christianity], in this From Alcoy to Benilloba we will have to take the CV-70. territory it is noticeable how the former inhabitants of this Along this road, close to Alcoy, we are accompanied by territory exploited nature in the most beneficial and the pleasant pinewood of the Serreta and, when the respectful way: terraces of dry-stone walling and irrigation landscape changes and on the slopes of the ravines we channels to irrigate just a few metres of places where glimpse crops of almonds and olives, vines and cereals, nature is the undisputed powerful queen. From the Aitana on our left we will discover Penella castle, belonging to sierra we have spectacular views that enable us to see, the municipal district of Cocentaina. Penella castle, among other places, our next destination: the Bèrnia situated in a delightful setting, is a 13th century Spanish sierra. We will be left in wonder and delight getting to construction located on the Cerro de Sant Cristòfol. A few know these spots and, if the heat gets too much, we will kilometres further on we come to the town of Benilloba. visit the waterspouts of the Fuentes de Algar, a real natural This former Arab hamlet responds to that with its steep, water park in the Region of Valencia. Travelling through La narrow streets surrounded by whitewashed houses. Marina Baixa we will reach the coast, where the city of Benilloba is a rich and prosperous town, forged in the Altea awaits, muse of artists and craftworkers. From this heat of the powerful textile industry of the region to point, and until we reach Benidorm, the end of our route, which it belongs: El Comtat. We notice in this we will pass though the Serra Gelada, a coastal sierra with municipality the delightful places there are around it. beautiful cliffs and magical small islands just off the coast: These spots are the result of the river Frainós running by a spectacular route through mountains and along the the town. So, we will visit the spot named Salt [from the coast that will allow us, in a few short kilometres, to pass Spanish for “leap”, not the English word!], where there are through places as different as the Aitana sierra and remains of an Arab aqueduct, the course of which is now Benidorm, a capital of tourism. covered under a green mantle. Following the river we will RUTA14y15_142a172_da OK ingles.qxp:rutas 15/07/10 8:20 Página 144 Route 14 From Alcoy to Vila Joiosa Over the hillsides of the Aitana sierra on the way to El Castell de Guadalest Our next destination is Penàguila. From Benifallim we will have to take the CV-785 to reach this municipality. On the way we will find ourselves in the harmonious and relaxing spot formed by the farmstead, the hermitage and the Sena tower. Having arrived at Penàguilar, its rich architectural heritage gives the impression that the town has been a privileged witness to the history of this area. After the conquest by Jaume I, at Penàguila, due to the abuses from the Spaniards, the Moors of the area rebelled. The Arab leader Al Azraq, who dominated the Gallinera valley came to the aid of the infuriated rebels although the Spaniards El Castell de Guadalest 38º 40' 64'' N 0º 11' 9'' W eventually put down the rebellion and Al Azraq died in Alcoy in 1276. Due to Penàgulla’s strategic reach the Cuixot ravine, where we find the remains of an importance, Pere III of Aragon did not restrict himself to arch-shaped bridge of Arabic origin. From Benilloba we facilitating the arrival of Spanish colonists, but rather, in head along the CV-787 as far as Benifallim, on a 1278, when he signed Penàgulla’s town charter, he continuous uphill climb along the length of the Horts de obliged the hundred Spanish colonists by contract to look Marra ravine. Having reached the tiny town of Benifallim, after the castle and build houses and defensive walls its single-storey buildings with wrought iron grilles around it. Later, Penàgulla was besieged in 1356 by the immediately attract our attention. At the foot of the troops of Pedro I, the Cruel, who ended up being Rontanar sierra, in this space next to the village, we find defeated, which made the king of Aragon concede spots with abundant masses of Holm oaks and pines, so Penàguilar the right to be called Villa Real [Royal Town] much so that the place has been declared a micro- and to have a vote in the courts. As a royal town, reserve for its flora. At Benifallim, another of the Penàguilar sheltered the houses of the nobles of different outstanding features is the castle, set on a rocky ridge dominions of towns in the region and so, we can find commanding a very wide visual domain that takes in the different houses of the nobility, of great architectural and castles of Cocentaina, Penelles, Penáguila and La heritage value. Of the former defensive wall, only a few Costurera. From the town we can also make an excursion towers and portals remain, outstanding amongst which is, taking us to the summit of the Rontanar, at 1,330 metres, undoubtedly, El Portalet, a curious gate that impeded following a road that will take us past the great snow- entry into the town in a straight line, obliging those storage pit of this sierra. entering to make two right-angled turns, thus increasing control over the people who entered. The castle, for its part, declared of Cultural Interest, is in a half-ruined state. In the vicinity of its urban centre we will visit the palace and Garden of Saints with its museum-house. This is a RUTA14y15_142a172_da OK ingles.qxp:rutas 15/07/10 8:20 Página 145 144 - 145 romantic garden which displays within its interior area after the expulsion of the Moors in 1609 was slow botanical species unique in the area and a charming tree- and scant and the Arab traces are perceived in modern lined maze. We leave Penàguilar on the CV-781 in the times in the water channels and ways in which the springs direction of Alcoleja and, before reaching this town, at the are made use of. These are intelligent water management point where the road divides and becomes the CV-770, on systems that are today part of a living cultural landscape; a there and back stretch we will make a visit to the small dams, irrigation ditches, public washing places, peaceful and beautiful town of Benasau. Walking around watering pools, cisterns, waterwheels… We can find these the streets with their harmonious vernacular architecture, demonstrations of Arab engineering both in the we come to the palace-tower of the Barons of Finestrat, mountain areas (with public waterspouts such as those of declared a Place of Cultural Interest. Within its municipal Forata, Arbre, Espinal, Partagat, Xorrets, Salines or Molí) and boundary, we come to the town of Ares del Bosc, where in the urban areas. They are a singular human work and the 16th century palace of the Marquises of Bosc is heritage to make beneficial use of water, in a readily situated. In the environs we will find the remains of what accessible and convenient way. We can also see signs of was the Arab town of Frainos, abandoned in 1609. Having the Moors passage, in the terraces, crops in impossible returned to our route, we come to Alcoleja where we are places that form spots of unique beauty, such as when the pleasantly surprised by the ruggedness of its mountainous green of the olives blends with the whitey-grey of the setting, at the foot of the Aitana sierra, with a landscape limestone rocks. In the area of the shaded side of the dominated by crops of olives and almonds, that drive the economy of this mountainous population.

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