Spain Castellón - Tourismbrochures.net
Spain Castellón - Tourismbrochures.net
Spain Castellón - Tourismbrochures.net
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Costa Azahar<br />
<strong>Spain</strong><br />
Castellón
P<br />
Highway<br />
Dual carriageway<br />
National road<br />
"A" Road<br />
"B" Road<br />
Local Road<br />
Railway<br />
Parador (State-run hotel)<br />
Shrine-Monastery<br />
Castle<br />
Monument<br />
Historic ruins<br />
Caves<br />
Panoramic view<br />
Nature Reserve<br />
Marina<br />
Camp site<br />
Golf course<br />
Spa<br />
Cañada de<br />
Benatanduz<br />
Forta<strong>net</strong>e<br />
Vilarluengo<br />
Cantavieja<br />
Miranbell<br />
1738<br />
Castellote<br />
Bordón<br />
Olocau<br />
del Rey<br />
La Iglesuela<br />
del Cid<br />
Forcall<br />
Portell de Morella<br />
Palanques<br />
Carrascal<br />
1265<br />
Cinctorres<br />
Monroyo<br />
Mor<br />
Muela de Ares<br />
1738<br />
Ares<br />
del Mae<br />
Alcalá de la Selva<br />
581<br />
Andilla<br />
Salada<br />
Mora<br />
de Rubielos<br />
Bejís<br />
Barracas<br />
Alcublas<br />
T E R U E L<br />
2024<br />
Peñarroya<br />
Nogueruelas<br />
Rubielos de Mora<br />
Olba<br />
N-234<br />
Viver<br />
Jérica<br />
Linares<br />
de Mora<br />
Montanejos<br />
Valdelinares<br />
EL ALTO PALANCIA<br />
Caudiel<br />
Altura<br />
Gátova<br />
Rio<br />
Arañuel<br />
Mosqueruela<br />
Zucaina<br />
Navajas<br />
Soneja<br />
Ludiente<br />
Toga<br />
Segorbe<br />
Algar de Palancia<br />
Mijares<br />
Villafranca<br />
del Cid<br />
Vistabella<br />
del Maestrazgo<br />
Peñagolosa<br />
1814<br />
Serra de Espada<br />
L’ALCALATEN<br />
Lucena<br />
del Cid<br />
Onda<br />
Aín<br />
Almenara<br />
Atze<strong>net</strong>a del Maestrat<br />
Les Useres/Useras<br />
l’Alcora<br />
Betxí<br />
Eslida<br />
la Vall d'Uixó<br />
Chilches<br />
Culla<br />
Benasal<br />
Villavieja<br />
de Nules<br />
Nules<br />
N-340<br />
A-7<br />
Torre<br />
d’En Bes<br />
Vilafamés<br />
la Pobla To<br />
Borrio<br />
Villareal/Vila-re<br />
LA PLANA<br />
Mascarell<br />
Moncof<br />
Villar del Arzobispo<br />
Casinos<br />
Serra<br />
V A L E N C I A<br />
Náquera<br />
Sagunto/Sagunt<br />
El Puerto
T A R R A G O N A<br />
Santa<br />
Bárbara<br />
Amposta<br />
ella<br />
Castell de<br />
Cabres<br />
Santuario de la<br />
Virgen de Vallivana<br />
N-232<br />
Pobla<br />
de Benifassa<br />
Bel<br />
Ca<strong>net</strong> lo Roig<br />
Rosell<br />
San Rafael<br />
del Río<br />
Traiguera<br />
Ulldecona<br />
Alcanar<br />
Freginals<br />
Les Cases<br />
d’Alcanar<br />
Sant Carles<br />
de la Rápita<br />
La Jana<br />
Sant Jordi<br />
stre<br />
Sant Mateu<br />
Catí<br />
EL MAESTRAT<br />
Tírig<br />
La Vall orta<br />
Cálig<br />
Cervera de Maestre<br />
P<br />
Vinaròs<br />
Benicarló<br />
Albocàsser<br />
Santa Magdalena<br />
de Pulpis<br />
Peñíscola<br />
l<br />
ora<br />
Vall d'Alba<br />
rnessa<br />
al<br />
a<br />
Benlloch<br />
BAIXA<br />
Sarratella<br />
les Coves de Vinromá<br />
Cabanes<br />
Vilanova<br />
d’Alcolea<br />
P. N. DESIERTO<br />
Pico Bartolo<br />
729 DE LAS PALMAS<br />
Cabo Oropesa<br />
Benicasim/Benicàssim<br />
CASTELLÓN DE LA PLANA/<br />
CASTELLÓ DE LA PLANA<br />
El Grau<br />
Almazora/Almassora<br />
Burriana<br />
LA PLANA ALTA<br />
A-7<br />
Alcalà<br />
de Xivert<br />
Torreblanca<br />
N-340<br />
Oropesa del Mar/Orpesa<br />
C O S T A<br />
Serra<br />
d’Irta<br />
PARQUE NATURAL<br />
PRAT DE CABANES -<br />
TORREBLANCA<br />
Las Fuentes<br />
Alcoceber<br />
Punta Cap i Corb<br />
M A<br />
A Z A H A R<br />
R M E<br />
N<br />
R R Á<br />
D I T E<br />
N E O<br />
Islas Columbretes<br />
0<br />
15<br />
CARTOGRAFÍA: GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35<br />
Tel. 91 416 73 41 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2001<br />
30 Km.
Contents<br />
Introduction 1<br />
Coastal routes 4<br />
The North Coast 5<br />
The South Coast 11<br />
Inland routes<br />
Morella and the Maestrazgo 13<br />
The hill country 17<br />
The springs 20<br />
Castellón, capital of the plain 22<br />
Leisure & Entertainment 28<br />
Useful information 36<br />
Ireland<br />
Dublin<br />
United Kingdom<br />
London<br />
Paris<br />
France<br />
Bay of Biscay<br />
<strong>Spain</strong><br />
Atlantic<br />
Ocean<br />
Portugal<br />
Lisbon<br />
Ceuta<br />
Madrid<br />
Melilla<br />
Costa<br />
Azahar<br />
Mediterranean Sea<br />
Canary Islands<br />
Rabat<br />
Morocco
Introduction<br />
As the Valencian Region’s<br />
northernmost province,<br />
Castellón’s northern reaches<br />
and hinterland still show<br />
traces of the influence<br />
exercised in the past by<br />
Aragon and Catalonia.<br />
Its shoreline is one of sandy<br />
beaches interspersed with<br />
stretches of sheersided cliffs.<br />
With over 450,000 inhabitants,<br />
a surface area of 6,679 square<br />
kilometres (approximately 2,578<br />
sq. miles) and a population<br />
density of 67.97 inhabitants/sq.<br />
km, there is a very marked<br />
imbalance between the area’s<br />
fairly heavily populated coastal<br />
strip and its very sparsely<br />
populated hinterland. Most of<br />
Peñíscola<br />
Yet what attracts visitors to<br />
Castellón as much as or even<br />
more than this broken coastal<br />
relief, is the landscape of<br />
stone, crags, castles and<br />
shrines (santuarios) that<br />
lies in the interior, a legacy<br />
of medieval times.<br />
the bigger towns and cities are<br />
situated on the coastal plain.<br />
Indeed, in the dry-farming<br />
districts there are a good number<br />
of towns of no more than<br />
100-200 inhabitants, and many an<br />
isolated masía (typical farmhouse)<br />
occupied by just a single family.<br />
1
Along the shoreline from<br />
Vinaròs to Almenara, and the<br />
jagged north-south divide<br />
traversing the interior from<br />
Morella to Segorbe, Castellón<br />
embraces a geography of<br />
contrasts, attributable to the<br />
geological diversity of its<br />
mountains and plains, and the<br />
notable differences between<br />
the coast and continental<br />
interior. Topographically<br />
speaking, the region sits astride<br />
a prolongation of the Iberian<br />
Range (Sistema Ibérico), at the<br />
point where this extends<br />
towards the Mediterranean.<br />
As a result, Castellón is the<br />
second most mountainous<br />
province in <strong>Spain</strong>. Looking at<br />
the map from south to north,<br />
the principal mountain chains<br />
run from the Espadán Range,<br />
the coastal mountains of the<br />
Desierto de las Palmas Range<br />
and the Irta Range to the great<br />
inland massif of Penyagolosa,<br />
the province’s highest peak,<br />
and the foothills of the<br />
mountains surrounding<br />
La Tinença de Benifassà and<br />
Els Ports. While Castellón’s<br />
principal river is the Mijares,<br />
which rises in the Gúdar<br />
Mountain Range of Teruel, it<br />
also boasts other shorter<br />
waterways, such as the<br />
Palancia, Monlleó, Cervol and<br />
Sénia Rivers, and a series of<br />
irregular watercourses or<br />
ramblas, such as the Cervera<br />
and La Viuda.<br />
Castellón -rugged but<br />
no<strong>net</strong>heless Mediterraneanenjoys<br />
an agreeable<br />
temperature all year round,<br />
with the highest mountains in<br />
the northern districts receiving<br />
a welcome sprinkling of snow<br />
in winter. The area’s coastal<br />
plain is home to a series of<br />
major towns, which have<br />
given impetus to dynamic<br />
industrial activity focusing<br />
on ceramic and tiles, footwear<br />
and food-processing plants,<br />
to say nothing of Castellón’s<br />
traditional agricultural wealth,<br />
citrus farming in particular.<br />
As with the Valencian Region<br />
as a whole, the province is<br />
bilingual, with both Spanish<br />
and Valencian being spoken<br />
(Valencian, resembles but is<br />
considered distinct from<br />
Catalán).<br />
There is good road<br />
and rail access to<br />
the province.<br />
It has no airport at<br />
present, though there<br />
are plans to build one<br />
at a site just 18 miles<br />
from Castellón itself. Visitors<br />
seldom come by sea, since the<br />
region’s ports are not listed on<br />
the regular passenger shipping<br />
and ferry schedules. The area’s<br />
most important roads are the<br />
E-15 A-7 coastal motorway, the<br />
N-340 national road –which<br />
also follows the coast- and the<br />
N-232 and N-234 in the interior.<br />
2
Historical<br />
Background<br />
Castellón’s prehistoric past<br />
is held to be immensely<br />
important. Evidence of this<br />
period are the many<br />
archaeological sites and the<br />
primitive shelters with rock<br />
paintings that were discovered<br />
over the course of the 20 th<br />
century and have since been<br />
granted UNESCO World<br />
Heritage status. At a later point<br />
in time, shortly preceding the<br />
Christian era, the Iberian<br />
people, a cultured race with a<br />
developed art form, occupied<br />
heights and hilltops, until the<br />
advent of Romanisation, a force<br />
that was to shape and structure<br />
this territory through the<br />
construction of the Via Augusta,<br />
the road linking Rome with the<br />
Cadiz coast. After these lands<br />
had been under Moorish sway<br />
for hundreds of years, the<br />
process of reconquest began<br />
in the 13 th century under the<br />
Aragonese King, James I, who<br />
proceeded to incorporate them<br />
into the new Kingdom of<br />
Valencia. In the early 18 th<br />
century, the Spanish monarchy<br />
imposed a centralist system and<br />
abrogated the medieval<br />
jurisdictional rights (fueros).<br />
It was not until 1982, the year<br />
in which the Valencian Region<br />
Statute of Autonomy was<br />
passed, that the right of selfgovernment<br />
was at last<br />
restored.<br />
Carmelite Convent.<br />
Desierto de la Palmas<br />
(Benicàssim)<br />
3
Coastal<br />
Routes<br />
The area known for tourist<br />
purposes as the “Costa Azahar”<br />
has a 120-kilometre (74-mile)<br />
strip of coastline where visitors<br />
can enjoy both sea and<br />
mountain scenery. The<br />
name, “azahar”, is taken<br />
from the numerous<br />
orange orchards that<br />
origin, these scenic island<br />
outcrops have now been<br />
declared a land and sea Nature<br />
Reserve, access to which has<br />
been restricted to conserve<br />
the ecological balance.<br />
Benicarló<br />
Vinaròs<br />
Santa Magdalena<br />
de Pulpis<br />
Peñíscola<br />
Alcalà<br />
de Xivert<br />
Las Fuentes<br />
Alcosseber<br />
Torreblanca<br />
Vilafamés<br />
Cabanes<br />
Oropesa del Mar<br />
Benicàssim<br />
Islas Columbretes<br />
perfume the air with the<br />
pervasive smell of orange<br />
blossom in Spring. Lying just<br />
off the Castellón coast is a<br />
group of islands, the<br />
Columbrete Islands (Nature<br />
Reserve information office,<br />
964 28 25 84). Of volcanic<br />
For those interested in getting<br />
to know the seaboard, there<br />
are two basic routes.<br />
One explores the coastal fringe<br />
to the north of the capital,<br />
and the other follows the<br />
coast southwards from<br />
Castellón down to Almenara.<br />
4
The North Coast<br />
Their relative proximity means<br />
that the most popular beaches<br />
in the Plana Alta (Upper Plain)<br />
district tend to exert a direct<br />
influence on the capital.<br />
For instance, its six kilometres<br />
of sandy beach has made<br />
Benicàssim a traditional<br />
holiday resort. In the<br />
background, the ring of hills<br />
climbing sharply away from<br />
the city’s outlying suburbs is<br />
a promise of better sea views<br />
to be had from above. Such<br />
vantage points can be found in<br />
and around the Desierto de las<br />
Palmas area and the Santa<br />
Águeda Range, with its Pico<br />
Bartolo (Mt. Bartolo; 2,390<br />
feet). Nowadays, this haven of<br />
spiritual retreat and meditation<br />
founded by the Carmelites<br />
offers visitors the possibility of<br />
exploring interesting hiking<br />
and cycling trails. The old<br />
distillery that once produced<br />
Carmelite liqueur from the<br />
local aromatic plants has been<br />
moved to the town centre.<br />
At the end of the 19 th and<br />
beginning of the 20 th centuries,<br />
a string of holiday villas<br />
-Modernist and Colonial in<br />
style- rose along the Benicàssim<br />
seafront. Some, including the<br />
oldest, the Villa Pilar (1860),<br />
survive to this day. The town’s<br />
single most valuable heritage<br />
and indeed, the landmark of<br />
its Old Quarter, is the Neoclassical-style<br />
parish church,<br />
which the scholar, Francisco<br />
Pérez Bayer, had built in the<br />
18 th century. Other historical<br />
sights include the San Vicente<br />
watch tower, situated right on<br />
Benicàssim<br />
5
the beach, and the medieval<br />
Montornés Castle.<br />
Leaving the town and heading<br />
north along the coast road,<br />
the route offers some very<br />
spectacular ocean views. On<br />
arriving in Oropesa del Mar, it<br />
is immediately obvious that this<br />
is yet another town seeking to<br />
meet the local tourist demand,<br />
although here the ambience is<br />
somewhat more select, with<br />
comfortable residential estates<br />
having been built along the<br />
seafront. In recent years, the<br />
Oropesa del Mar<br />
local beaches of La Concha and<br />
Morro de Gos have experienced<br />
a major tourist boom.<br />
The enclosed nature of the<br />
small bay in which the town<br />
nestles gives this coastal<br />
site a defensive and strategic<br />
dimension, in line with the<br />
historical value of its Torre<br />
del Rey (torre; tower), and the<br />
layout of its ancient Moorish<br />
castle. The Sant Julià and Dona<br />
Towers complete the defensive<br />
line on this section of the coast.<br />
Housed in the Parish Church of<br />
the Virgen de la Paciencia (Our<br />
Lady of Patience) are leading<br />
examples of the tilework made<br />
in Alcora in the 18 th century.<br />
The presence of a marina, a<br />
series of secluded cliffside coves<br />
and good-sized sandy beaches<br />
serve to make Oropesa a<br />
pleasant and attractive<br />
seaside holiday resort.<br />
Approximately six<br />
kilometres down the<br />
N-340 is a secondary<br />
road that branches off<br />
to the left and heads<br />
inland towards<br />
Cabanes. Here a wellknown<br />
Roman Arch<br />
stands alongside a<br />
section of the old<br />
Roman road, the Vía<br />
Augusta, constructed<br />
at the time of the<br />
Roman Empire to link<br />
Rome and Cadiz. On this<br />
sidetrip, the town of<br />
Vilafamés affords the visitor<br />
an interesting chance to<br />
get a first-hand idea of<br />
contemporary culture.<br />
The Gallery of Modern Art<br />
(Museo Popular de Arte<br />
Contemporáneo) housed in the<br />
6
Batlle Palace, brings together<br />
many of the artists that have<br />
breathed new life into Spanish<br />
painting and sculpture.<br />
Gallery of Modern Art<br />
(Museo Popular de Arte<br />
Contemporáneo)<br />
964 32 91 52<br />
Diputación, 20. Vilafamés. From<br />
Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.<br />
and 5 - 7 p.m.<br />
On returning to the coast, the<br />
Prat de Cabanes wetlands<br />
come into view. Formerly<br />
pastureland, the area<br />
has now been<br />
converted into a<br />
nature reserve that<br />
serves as a nesting<br />
site and stopover<br />
point for prized<br />
species of waterfowl<br />
and waders. The<br />
route continues<br />
onwards to the peace<br />
and quiet of<br />
Torreblanca, where<br />
the town Calvary<br />
marks the site of the<br />
first primitive<br />
settlement. It is from<br />
the this hillock that the town<br />
slowly grew and spread<br />
towards the shore, forming<br />
the seaside suburb of<br />
Torrenostra, a gathering<br />
point for summer<br />
holidaymakers drawn to<br />
the area’s sand and shingle<br />
beaches.<br />
The historical Maestrazgo<br />
area, straddling the northern<br />
reaches of Castellón, is fringed<br />
by a sunlit shoreline, where<br />
towering mountains plunge<br />
and give way to tranquil<br />
beaches. The towns and<br />
villages situated along this<br />
stretch of coast attract the<br />
highest percentage of the<br />
province’s tourist trade and<br />
share a common history with<br />
their hinterland cousins, a<br />
history written by the Knights<br />
Templar and Knights of the<br />
Order of Montesa who<br />
Roman Arch. Cabanes<br />
administered these lands in<br />
the Middle Ages under a royal<br />
writ from James II. This type<br />
of landscape begins as from<br />
Alcalà de Xivert -a town<br />
enjoying natural protection<br />
in the form of the Serra d’Irta<br />
7
Castle of Pope Luna. Hermit’s Chapel. Peñíscola<br />
Range- and then extends<br />
along a wide floodplain that<br />
eventually reaches the sea<br />
at the tourist resorts of<br />
Las Fuentes, Alcossebre and<br />
Cap i Corb. Still following the<br />
N-340, after pausing to admire<br />
the monumental bell tower at<br />
Alcalà de Xivert, and by now<br />
well within the boundaries<br />
of the Baix Maestrat (Lower<br />
Maestrazgo) district, one<br />
arrives at the turn-off to<br />
Peñíscola, the leading tourist<br />
centre in the Province of<br />
Castellón. The castle, perched<br />
on a high outcrop overlooking<br />
the sea, conjures up images<br />
of the past, of knights<br />
that roamed and fortress<br />
battlements that guarded these<br />
Maestrazgo lands in bygone<br />
days. Yet this unique heritage<br />
gem, encased within the<br />
confines of the small peninsula<br />
that is also home to the Old<br />
Quarter, is only one part of<br />
modern-day Peñíscola. Outside<br />
the town walls, the generous<br />
overflow of hotels, holiday flats<br />
and residential estates stands in<br />
eloquent testimony to the<br />
good reputation enjoyed by<br />
this fashionable beach resort.<br />
The Aragonese, Pedro de Luna,<br />
who took the name of<br />
Benedict XIII and styled himself<br />
Papa (Pope) Luna, chose<br />
Peñíscola Castle as a retreat<br />
from which to fight for the<br />
unity of the Catholic Church.<br />
The fortress commands the<br />
highest point of the peninsula.<br />
The parade ground is a superb<br />
balcony from which to admire<br />
the Mediterranean, and the<br />
8
Keep, a perfect platform from<br />
which to contemplate the wide<br />
sweep of the coast. In spring<br />
and summer, this walled<br />
enclosure becomes the venue<br />
for a Spanish Comedy Film<br />
Festival and a Festival of<br />
Ancient and Baroque Music.<br />
Castillo del Papa Luna<br />
964 48 00 21. Castillo s/n.<br />
(literally, unnumbered)<br />
Peñíscola. From Monday to<br />
Sunday, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.<br />
and 4 - 9:30 p.m.<br />
Flanking the coast road to<br />
Benicarló is Peñíscola’s<br />
immense beach. Many years<br />
ago these sands served as the<br />
backdrop for the galloping<br />
steeds seen in the blockbuster<br />
movie portraying the life and<br />
times of El Cid and his<br />
legendary deeds of valour.<br />
In the centre of Benicarló is<br />
the Church of Sant Bertomeu<br />
(St. Bartholomew’s), a Baroque<br />
construction of extraordinary<br />
beauty whose stone-worked<br />
façade and barley-sugar<br />
(salomónica) columns will come<br />
as somewhat of a surprise.<br />
Its parish museum houses<br />
interesting examples of Gothic<br />
art. The Chapel of Sant<br />
Gregori, situated on a nearby<br />
hill, is where the townsfolk<br />
congregate on 9 th May every<br />
year to participate in a<br />
traditional romería (pilgrimage<br />
outing). The port’s importance<br />
dates back to the times of<br />
Pedro el Ceremonioso, who in<br />
1370 granted it the right to<br />
market wine exempt from<br />
certain tax levies. At present,<br />
a good amount of activity<br />
centres on the town’s<br />
fishing fleet.<br />
Church of Sant Bertomeu (St. Bartholomew’s). Benicarló
Alcossebre beach<br />
On the very threshold of<br />
Catalonia stands Vinaròs,<br />
justly famed for its delicious<br />
king prawns. The town lies in<br />
the middle of a plain which is<br />
marked by intense industrial<br />
and farming activity, and in<br />
which the only landmark of<br />
any height is the Puig de la<br />
Misericordia, an elevation<br />
chosen by the early Iberians<br />
as the site for one of their<br />
settlements. The Parish Church<br />
of the Assumption (Asunción),<br />
and the Convents of Sant Agustí<br />
and Sant Francesc are the towns<br />
most prestigious architectural<br />
sights. The geographer, Madoz,<br />
was of the opinion that in the<br />
last century Vinaròs had earned<br />
the right to the title of the<br />
area’s principal shipbuilder.<br />
Holm oaks (encinas) brought<br />
here from the hill country<br />
further inland were hewn<br />
and fashioned into solid<br />
ocean-going vessels.<br />
Some time ago, the Bay of<br />
Biscay’s dwindling supply<br />
of sardines caused canning<br />
companies from the north of<br />
<strong>Spain</strong> to relocate in Vinaròs,<br />
a move that led to an<br />
interesting bond being forged<br />
between the fishing traditions<br />
of the North and the<br />
Mediterranean. The carnival<br />
celebrations held in the second<br />
fortnight in February are<br />
universally popular and given<br />
prominent billing in the<br />
Province’s festive calendar.<br />
It is here, in this “border town”<br />
lying just south of Tarragona,<br />
that the north coast route<br />
comes to an end.<br />
10
The South Coast<br />
Not only is the Plana Baixa<br />
(Lower Plain) district a citrus<br />
fruit paradise, it is also the<br />
seat of an economic empire<br />
built on the basis of a vigorous<br />
ceramic and tile industry that<br />
has been acclaimed both at<br />
home and abroad. The town<br />
of Burriana is famed as the<br />
home of the Castellón orange.<br />
A visit to the Museo de la<br />
Naranja (Orange Museum) will<br />
give visitors the chance to learn<br />
about the system of<br />
cultivation,<br />
Major, 10. Burriana.<br />
From Tuesday to Saturday,<br />
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 - 8 p.m.<br />
Sundays and Public Holidays<br />
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.<br />
From Burriana, take the road<br />
that departs from the southern<br />
side of the town and make for<br />
Nules. Here, in the latter part<br />
of the 19 th century, the town<br />
walls were pulled down.<br />
Nevertheless, this evocation of<br />
a fortified citadel can still be<br />
Burriana<br />
La Vall d’Uixó<br />
Chilches<br />
Nules<br />
trade, transport and<br />
industrialisation peculiar to<br />
citrus farming. Adjoining the<br />
Town Hall, the Parish Church of<br />
the Saviour (Salvador) retains<br />
the duality of a traditional<br />
Romanesque-style apse coupled<br />
with the generalised Gothic<br />
style characteristic of the<br />
structure as a whole.<br />
Museo de la Naranja<br />
964 51 54 15.<br />
Mascarell<br />
Moncófa<br />
enjoyed today in the<br />
borough of Mascarell,<br />
situated one kilometre to<br />
the north-east of Nules. The<br />
medieval quarter that James I<br />
ordered built in Mascarell has<br />
survived intact. Among the<br />
sights to be seen in Nules,<br />
special mention should be<br />
made of the Baroque-style<br />
Soledad Chapel, raised in<br />
honour of the town’s patron<br />
saint. The arcaded main square<br />
(Plaza Mayor) features a<br />
modern church where an<br />
Archpriest officiates. A lovely<br />
Botanical Garden graces the<br />
11
Mansion. Burriana<br />
town centre. Nules has a<br />
quite stretch of beach, with<br />
bungalows and houses<br />
strung out along the strand.<br />
Six kilometres down the CS-225,<br />
on the lower flanks of the<br />
Sierra Espadán Range, lies<br />
La Vall d’Uixó, a town whose<br />
life has largely been dictated<br />
by the shoe industry. In the 17 th<br />
century, the existence of two<br />
distinct urban areas led to the<br />
Plaza del Angel being laid out<br />
in the upper town, and the<br />
St. Joseph’s Cavern (Sant Josep). La Vall d’Uixó<br />
Plaza de los Chorros (jets or<br />
fountains), in the lower town<br />
(poble de baix). Just two<br />
kilometres away, on the Soneja<br />
road, is a natural phenomenon<br />
of great interest, the Cuevas de<br />
San José (St Joseph’s Caverns),<br />
where an underground river<br />
features one section that is<br />
navigable and another that can<br />
be explored on foot.<br />
St. Joseph’s Caverns (Cuevas de<br />
San José/Sant Josep)<br />
964 69 05 76. Carretera de<br />
Soneja. La Vall d’Uixó.<br />
Weekdays,<br />
11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3 - 6 p.m.<br />
Sundays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.<br />
and 3 - 7:30 p.m.<br />
This town’s natural outlet to<br />
the sea is in Moncófa, whose<br />
seafront promenade allows for<br />
a long stroll along the pebbled<br />
beach, and if desired, the<br />
possibility of continuing all the<br />
way to Chilches, another<br />
coastal village with excellent<br />
sandy beaches.<br />
12
Inland<br />
Routes<br />
A few kilometres from the coast,<br />
the interior regions of the<br />
Province of Castellón possess rich<br />
natural resources, as well as an<br />
artistic and cultural heritage of<br />
the first order. These are lands<br />
of heraldry and escutcheons,<br />
domains defended by defiant<br />
battlements and watched over by<br />
chapels and monasteries. The low<br />
population density that so<br />
characterises these inland routes<br />
enhances the inherent charm of<br />
the itineraries suggested below,<br />
i.e , the fortress city of Morella,<br />
Mt. Penyagolosa, the Mijares<br />
riverside and environs, nature and<br />
wildlife in the Sierra Espadán<br />
Range, and the River Palancia<br />
with its fresh-water springs.<br />
Morella and<br />
the Maestrazgo<br />
Sant Mateu, capital of the Baix<br />
Maestrat district, rose and<br />
grew on the plain, encircled<br />
by gnarled olive and other<br />
trees associated with<br />
Mediterranean culture.<br />
Under the three-hundred-year<br />
medieval hegemony exercised<br />
by the Knights of the Order<br />
of Montesa, the town was a<br />
bustling handicrafts, livestock<br />
and market centre, exporting<br />
wool that was destined for the<br />
Italian looms in Florence. The<br />
main square with its arcades<br />
and Fuente del Ángel (Angel<br />
Fountain) off to one side, is the<br />
starting point, not only of any<br />
tour of the town, but also of<br />
many of the main streets with<br />
Morella<br />
Ares<br />
del Maestre<br />
Catí<br />
Tírig<br />
Sant Mateu<br />
Villafranca<br />
del Cid<br />
Benassal<br />
Culla<br />
13
Morella<br />
their noble houses and<br />
mansions. The church, accorded<br />
Archpriest status, echoes the<br />
Romanesque-Gothic duality<br />
depicted on its two doors.<br />
The lofty buttresses supporting<br />
the central nave and the<br />
imposing hexagonal tower are<br />
the first things that catch the eye<br />
as one approaches the town.<br />
Municipal Museum of History<br />
and Ethnology<br />
964 41 66 58. Historiador<br />
Betí, 6. Sant Mateu. From<br />
Tuesday to Saturday,<br />
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.<br />
Sunday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.<br />
Parish Museum of Religious Art<br />
(Museo Parroquial de Arte<br />
Religioso)<br />
964 41 66 58. Church<br />
(Iglesia arciprestal). Sant Mateu.<br />
From Tuesday to Sunday,<br />
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.<br />
Juan Cano Forner<br />
Paleontological Museum<br />
964 41 65 90. Arrabal de<br />
Barcelona, 23. Sant Mateu.<br />
From Monday to Sunday,<br />
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.<br />
Taking the N-232, and before<br />
beginning the climb to Morella<br />
via the Querol Pass, one comes<br />
across the Santuario de la Virgen<br />
de Vallivana, (Shrine of the<br />
Virgin of Vallivana), the town’s<br />
patron saint. In a tradition<br />
harking back to 1673, every six<br />
years the people of Morella<br />
(morellanos) walk 22 kilometres<br />
(13 miles) to bear the image of<br />
the Virgin Mary to the town,<br />
as a token of gratitude for her<br />
having saved them from the<br />
plague. By the roadside stand<br />
numerous tiny chapels, where<br />
14
pilgrims stop to utter a prayer or<br />
supplication on their long sixyearly<br />
march, a prelude to the<br />
impressive festivities that follow.<br />
The walled town of Morella,<br />
silhouetted haughtily on its<br />
hilltop, provides the traveller<br />
with a truly monumental sight.<br />
It is, without a doubt, the most<br />
interesting Gothic town in the<br />
entire Valencian Region. One<br />
and a half miles of town wall,<br />
pierced by six gates, in which a<br />
number of specialised museums<br />
have been created, make<br />
Morella’s invulnerability the<br />
stuff of legend. The Gothic<br />
Basilica of Santa María<br />
(St. Mary’s) with its exceptional<br />
choirstalls is simply a “must”,<br />
as are the Convent of San<br />
Francisco (St. Francis), also<br />
Gothic, and the Castle complex.<br />
Similarly, the Town Hall and old<br />
jail, a stroll through the town’s<br />
terraced alleys and streets, the<br />
Blasco de Alagón arcades, a<br />
round tour of the mountain<br />
along the Paseo de la Alameda,<br />
and a visit to see the exterior<br />
of the medieval Santa Llúcia<br />
aqueduct are all essential for<br />
anyone wishing to get to know<br />
this town of just under 3,000<br />
inhabitants.<br />
Time of the Dinosaurs Exhibit,<br />
San Miguel Tower.<br />
964 17 30 32. Time of History<br />
Exhibit, Nevera Tower. Time of<br />
Images Exhibit, Beneito Tower.<br />
Morella. From Tuesday to Sunday,<br />
11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.<br />
(closes one hour earlier in winter).<br />
Villafranca del Cid<br />
15
Panoramic view. Ares del Maestre<br />
Morella Church (Iglesia<br />
Arciprestal). 964 16 07 93.<br />
From Monday to Sunday, 12<br />
noon – 2 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m.<br />
(closes one hour earlier in<br />
winter).<br />
San Francisco Convent and<br />
Castle. 964 17 30 32.<br />
From Monday to Sunday:<br />
summer, 10:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m.;<br />
winter, 10:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.<br />
Those wishing to get a better<br />
idea of the Maestrazgo are<br />
recommended to visit other<br />
towns as well. A good example<br />
would be Villafranca del Cid,<br />
or Vilafranca, near the Teruel<br />
area, which took its cottage<br />
textile industry and<br />
transformed it into a modern<br />
lingerie and knitwear sector.<br />
Within a short distance of this<br />
active town are: Ares del<br />
Maestre, ensconced in an<br />
incredible setting, expressly<br />
chosen by the Knights of<br />
Montesa to command the<br />
surrounding mountains and<br />
tableland; the health spas of<br />
Benassal and Catí, known for<br />
the medicinal properties of<br />
their mineral waters; Culla,<br />
with its well-preserved<br />
medieval quarter; and, lower<br />
down, the village of Tirig, with<br />
one of the most important<br />
<strong>net</strong>works of rock paintings<br />
along the Mediterranean coast.<br />
Known collectively as<br />
La Valltorta, the area<br />
uncovered comprises 21<br />
different shelters containing<br />
Levant–style rock paintings<br />
(in <strong>Spain</strong> the Valencia/Alicante<br />
area is termed the Levant<br />
region) and has been declared<br />
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<br />
Valltorta Museum<br />
964 76 10 25<br />
Departure Pla de l’Om. Tirig.<br />
From Monday to Sunday,<br />
10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 - 8 p.m.<br />
Closes one hour earlier<br />
in winter.<br />
16
The hill<br />
country<br />
Life in the L’Alcalaten district is<br />
pervaded at every turn by the<br />
powerful geographical presence<br />
of the Penyagolosa massif<br />
(a name derived from its local<br />
reputation as a “peña colosal”<br />
or collosal crag). En route lies<br />
the town of Alcora, home and<br />
birthplace of the tile industry.<br />
In the 18 th century, the Count<br />
of Aranda founded a factory in<br />
his domain and called it La Muy<br />
Noble and Artística Cerámica de<br />
Alcora. From 1727 onwards, this<br />
firm produced a refined range<br />
of porcelain and china which<br />
enjoyed great success in<br />
European Court circles.<br />
Taking the CV-190 district road,<br />
one gets to Lucena del Cid, or<br />
Llucena, a town located on a<br />
rocky promontory between<br />
the Pedreñera river and ravine.<br />
The main square features<br />
arcades with widely spaced<br />
arches, ideal for holding the<br />
weekly open-air market, at<br />
which farmers from the<br />
surrounding masías traditionally<br />
used to meet on Sundays. To one<br />
side of the square, the Church<br />
of Our Lady of the Assumption<br />
(Nuestra Señora de la Asunción)<br />
houses a crypt that is turned into<br />
an evocative stage setting for<br />
Easter Week tableaux depicting<br />
the recumbent Christ.<br />
On the last Friday in April, twelve<br />
townsmen and a guide set out on<br />
foot from the nearby town of<br />
Les Useres. Dressed in black from<br />
head to toe, complete with hat,<br />
rosary and crook, and in utter<br />
silence broken only by the strains<br />
of psalms and hymns, they<br />
Vistabella<br />
del Maestrazgo<br />
Lucena<br />
del Cid<br />
Les Useres/Useras<br />
L’Alcora<br />
Montanejos<br />
Onda<br />
Villareal/Vila-real<br />
Aín<br />
Eslida
Mijares River Canyon. Montanejos<br />
complete a 30-kilometre<br />
pilgrimage to the Shrine of<br />
Sant Joan de Penyagolosa<br />
(St. John of Penyagolosa). Here<br />
they spend the night and when<br />
day dawns, retrace their steps.<br />
One week later, the people of<br />
Lucena del Cid go on another,<br />
altogether more social romería<br />
to the hermitage site and<br />
Chapel of Sant Miquel de les<br />
Torrocelles (St. Michael’s). These<br />
are just some of the traditions<br />
that are kept alive in these<br />
inland parts of Castellón.<br />
The town closest to the massif is<br />
Vistabella del Maestrazgo, which<br />
also marks the start of the path<br />
leading to the hermitage site<br />
and summit. The Sant Joan de<br />
Penyagolosa complex dates<br />
back to the Gothic period,<br />
when the monastery was<br />
originally opened. Housed in<br />
the Baroque-style church is the<br />
heavy standard belonging to the<br />
religious brotherhood (cofradía)<br />
founded in 1653. It is three<br />
metres (just under 10 ft.) high,<br />
though popular tradition has it<br />
that it once measured six metres<br />
(nearly 20 ft ). The cells are now<br />
austere rooms that serve as<br />
lodgings for hikers and passing<br />
visitors. The climb to the top of<br />
Mt. Penyagolosa, which ascends<br />
to a height of 1,813 metres<br />
(5,900 ft.) above sea level, calls<br />
for a two-hour hike at a steady<br />
pace. It is the second-highest<br />
point in the Valencian Region.<br />
Further south, the River Mijares<br />
carves out an attractive nature<br />
itinerary for travellers in search<br />
of invigorating waters. This<br />
route starts at a spot near the<br />
sea, in the town of Vila-real,<br />
and affords direct experience<br />
of the sharp contrasts that<br />
exist between coast and<br />
mountainside in Castellón.<br />
Vila-real, the province’s second<br />
largest town, was founded by<br />
James I and takes pride in its<br />
name (Vila-real; literally, royal<br />
town). Some picturesque Gothic<br />
arches in the main square date<br />
back to the town’s foundation.<br />
In another corner of this same<br />
square is the old Hostal del Rey<br />
(King’s Hostelry), a building that<br />
was originally donated by Pedro<br />
el Ceremonioso in the 14 th<br />
century and has since<br />
undergone numerous<br />
transformations. The Church<br />
18
of Sant Jaume (St. James’,<br />
again under the aegis of an<br />
Archpriest) and the Church<br />
and burial place of St. Pascual<br />
Bailón are other sights of<br />
interest in the town.<br />
Taking the CV-20, the route<br />
heads towards the first<br />
mountains that are visible<br />
from the coastal flats. Onda, a<br />
pottery town of renown, now<br />
emerges. Prominent in the<br />
foreground is the fabled Castle<br />
of the 300 Turrets, ringed by<br />
the oldest part of the town,<br />
which has been declared an<br />
historic-artistic ensemble and<br />
point of cultural interest, since<br />
it faithfully represents the<br />
standard Moorish layout that<br />
served as a template for<br />
Valencian towns for so many<br />
centuries. “Musts” on any tour<br />
of Onda include Almudín<br />
Square with its arcades, the<br />
Sant Pere (St. Peter’s) Gate, the<br />
Church of La Sangre (Blood)<br />
founded by the Knights<br />
Templar in the 13 th century<br />
and a series of smaller chapels<br />
distributed throughout the<br />
town’s various quarters.<br />
Valencian Ceramics Museum<br />
(Museo Valenciano de la<br />
Cerámica)<br />
964 77 18 40.<br />
Cervantes, 6. Onda.<br />
From Monday to Sunday,<br />
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.<br />
Natural Science Museum<br />
(Museo de Ciencias Naturales<br />
de El Carmen)<br />
Vila-real<br />
964 60 07 30<br />
Ctra. de Tales, s/n. Onda.<br />
Summer, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and<br />
3:30 - 8 p.m.; winter, 9:30 a.m.-<br />
2 p.m. and 3:30 - 7 p.m.<br />
Closed from March to May.<br />
Keeping to the same road, the<br />
CV-20, the River Mijares soon<br />
starts to reveal its precipices<br />
and canyons, geographical<br />
phenomena which in<br />
Montanejos, the main town<br />
and genuine focal point in the<br />
locality, assume impressive<br />
monumental proportions. It is<br />
for this reason that the area<br />
is a favourite among climbers<br />
seeking the challenge of a<br />
ravine rock face. Summer<br />
holidaymakers come to<br />
Montanejos to take the waters<br />
and go for a stroll in the hills.<br />
The town has range of hotel<br />
accommodation on offer, wide<br />
19
Salto de la Novia (Bride’s Falls). Navajas<br />
enough to cater to spa-goers<br />
frequenting the Fuente de los<br />
Baños at the Hydrotherapy<br />
Centre, and to the hikers and<br />
mountaineers who rope up<br />
to tackle the Congosto de<br />
Chillapájaros and Maimona<br />
Gorges (gargantas).<br />
The Sierra Espadán Nature<br />
Reserve, situated a little further<br />
south, between the districts of<br />
the Upper (Alto) Mijares and<br />
Palancia River Valley, is another<br />
inland area well worth a visit.<br />
Its broken topography is<br />
home to secluded<br />
valleys, where some<br />
of the<br />
Mediterranean<br />
Basin’s bestpreserved<br />
groves<br />
of cork oaks survive<br />
in the company of<br />
pristine springs. Eslida<br />
and Aín are the most<br />
attractive towns hereabouts.<br />
Viver<br />
The Springs<br />
The Alto Palancia (Upper<br />
Palancia) district is bounded<br />
by the foothills of the Iberian,<br />
Espadán and Espina Ranges to<br />
the north, and the Calderona<br />
and Javalambre Ranges to the<br />
south. It forms the natural<br />
passage between the Aragon<br />
plateau and the Valencian<br />
seaboard. Segorbe, the district<br />
centre, lies on the N-234.<br />
The very name of the main<br />
square belonging to the new<br />
part of the town, the Plaza<br />
Agua Limpia (limpid or clean<br />
water), is in itself symbolic of<br />
the close relationship that the<br />
sites along this route have<br />
with water. Fronting onto this<br />
square is the Town Hall, housed<br />
in the former Medinaceli Ducal<br />
Palace, built in the 16 th century.<br />
St Mary’s Cathedral (Santa<br />
María), originally Gothic in<br />
style, underwent a thorough<br />
transformation in the 18 th<br />
Jérica<br />
Altura<br />
Navajas<br />
Segorbe<br />
20
century, which left it with its<br />
present Neo-classical look.<br />
Through the main door lies the<br />
entrance to the cloister, which<br />
boasts an interesting upper<br />
gallery. Leading off from this<br />
area, with its peaceful and<br />
soothing atmosphere, are<br />
seven small chapels. The<br />
Cathedral is home to two<br />
cultural treasures, namely, the<br />
Chapter Hall gallery along<br />
which the portraits of the<br />
Segorbe bishops are hung and<br />
the so-called Compromise of<br />
Caspe Codex in the archives.<br />
Outside the town proper, the<br />
clue to Segorbe’s origins are to<br />
be found in the hilltop ruins of<br />
the Fuerte de la Estrella<br />
(Star Castle). Other points to<br />
see are the Botxí and Prison<br />
Towers -vestiges of the old<br />
town wall- the aqueduct<br />
arches and the museums.<br />
Cathedral Museum (Museo<br />
Catedralicio). 964 13 20 20<br />
Santa María, 1. Segorbe.<br />
From Tuesday to Sunday,<br />
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Visits can be<br />
arranged by calling on<br />
964 71 32 54<br />
Archaeological and<br />
Ethnological Museum (Museo<br />
de Arqueología and Etnología)<br />
964 13 20 20. Colón, 98.<br />
Segorbe. Winter: Sundays,<br />
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Summer: Thursdays,<br />
11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturdays,<br />
11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5 - 7 p.m.;<br />
Sundays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.<br />
Three kilometres from Segorbe<br />
is the town of Altura, site of<br />
the ruins of the Cartuja de la<br />
Vall de Crist, a monastery<br />
founded by the Crown of<br />
Aragon. Restoration work is<br />
making it possible, in part, to<br />
recover the former splendour<br />
of the archaeological site.<br />
Altura is also home to another<br />
popular spiritual landmark, the<br />
Shrine of the Holy Cave (Cueva<br />
Santa). Indeed, the image,<br />
situated in a cave 20 metres<br />
(65 ft.) below ground level,<br />
represents the patron saint of<br />
all Spanish potholers.<br />
Segorbe<br />
21
Navajas is a traditional summer<br />
holiday resort. An elm planted<br />
in the main square in 1636 by<br />
the justicia, or governor and<br />
keeper of the peace, Roque<br />
Pastor, symbolises three<br />
hundred and fifty years of<br />
independent municipal<br />
existence. Numerous springs,<br />
brooks and cascades dot the<br />
course of the River Palancia.<br />
One of these, known as the<br />
Salto de la Novia (Bride’s Falls),<br />
becomes a bewitching setting<br />
for concerts on summer nights.<br />
Further on, Jérica, with its<br />
Mudejar-style tower (Mudéjar<br />
being the term describing<br />
Moslem work executed under<br />
Christian rule), is a foretaste of<br />
the first examples of Mudejar<br />
art that were to spread<br />
throughout Aragon. This<br />
itinerary draws to a close in<br />
the town of Viver, a prized<br />
holiday destination thanks<br />
to the fifty or so natural<br />
fountains, some medicinal,<br />
that await the visitor.<br />
Cathedral Church of Santa María (St. Mary’s)<br />
Castellón,<br />
Capital of the<br />
Plain (La Plana)<br />
Castellón is a city closely tied to<br />
the traditional farming world<br />
that sprang up early in the 20 th<br />
century, in the wake of the<br />
economic euphoria triggered<br />
by the profits to be made from<br />
farming and exporting citrus<br />
fruit. Decades later, Castellón<br />
would still continue to expand<br />
as a result of its fast developing<br />
ceramics and petrochemical<br />
sectors. Now, however, it finds<br />
itself at a crossroads, faced<br />
with the prospect of in-depth<br />
retrenchment and<br />
restructuring. Over 25% of the<br />
province’s entire population<br />
live in this one city.<br />
A visit to Castellón should<br />
doubtless begin in the Plaza<br />
Mayor, a pedestrian precinct<br />
presided over by the El Fadrí (1)<br />
bell tower (el fadrí; “single” or<br />
“loner”), so dubbed because,<br />
despite forming part of the<br />
Cathedral Church<br />
complex, it was built as<br />
a separate entity. This<br />
eight-sided, Tuscanstyle,<br />
190-foot tower is<br />
the city’s landmark, its<br />
bells tolling the hours<br />
and heralding events<br />
of great importance.<br />
Normally closed to the<br />
public, it is only visited
on the occasion of the March<br />
festivities held in honour of<br />
the city’s patron saint, Mary<br />
Magdalene. The Cathedral<br />
Church of Santa María<br />
(St. Mary’s) (2) has been<br />
reconstructed in Gothic style,<br />
the reason being that, apart<br />
from the main and two of the<br />
side doors, the whole building<br />
was razed to the ground<br />
during the Spanish Civil War.<br />
Displayed inside are a number<br />
of anonymous canvases, a<br />
painting attributed to Ribalta,<br />
a carved image of the Virgin<br />
Mary (la Purísima) by José<br />
Esteve and a fine collection<br />
of gold- and silverwork.<br />
Opposite the church complex<br />
stands the Ayuntamiento<br />
(City Hall) (3), constructed in the<br />
18 th century in the Tuscan style<br />
and graced with a series of eyecatching<br />
arcades that provide<br />
the perfect place to meet<br />
and chat. It is by no means<br />
extremely large, yet its halls<br />
and passageways have enough<br />
space to exhibit an interesting<br />
collection of paintings by the<br />
city’s most prominent artists,<br />
such as Porcar, Agrasot,<br />
Doménech, Viciano, Benlliure<br />
and the like. This square has a<br />
further ornamental feature: a<br />
contemporary sculpture by the<br />
Valencian, Manuel Boix,<br />
popularised in recent years<br />
under the name, El Narcís<br />
(Narcissus). It represents a hand<br />
Ribalta Park<br />
picking up a ball, while being<br />
reflected in a pool, and is a<br />
tribute to the traditional local<br />
sport of pelota valenciana.<br />
Crossing the nearby Avenida<br />
del Rey Jaime brings one to the<br />
city’s main area of greenery,<br />
Ribalta Park (4), which is<br />
flanked by attractive examples<br />
of Modernist buildings as well<br />
as the railway station. It is<br />
in this part of the city that<br />
Castellón has undergone its<br />
most radical face-lift, with the<br />
railway lines being re-laid<br />
City Hall<br />
23
ava<br />
N<br />
City Map of Castellón<br />
n<br />
ult<br />
de la Barca<br />
Calle<br />
Calle Oviedo<br />
Plaza<br />
Aulas<br />
alle<br />
MAYOR<br />
aza<br />
Cor és<br />
Plaza<br />
Juez Borrull<br />
alle<br />
Pl. Na Violant<br />
d Hongria<br />
Plaza<br />
Fadrell<br />
Calle Segarra Ribes<br />
Plaza<br />
Juan XXIII<br />
Plaza<br />
María Agustina<br />
Calle<br />
Calle<br />
Calle Puig<br />
C. Puig Roda<br />
Calle Dr. Ferrán<br />
AVENIDA L DÓN<br />
Maestro<br />
Calle Maestro Falla<br />
Fortea<br />
uitarrista<br />
La Plana<br />
Alcalde<br />
Sanahúja<br />
Maura<br />
Guitarrista Tárrega<br />
Luis<br />
Calle<br />
Calle Artana<br />
Plaza<br />
L´Espígol<br />
Calle Lérida<br />
Tárrega<br />
Gracia<br />
Plaza<br />
rdona Vives<br />
P<br />
P<br />
Gobernador<br />
Calle<br />
Plaza Bisbe<br />
Pont i Gol<br />
Plaza<br />
Doctor Marañón<br />
Calle Benárabe<br />
Romaní<br />
Estatut<br />
i<br />
Avenida Capuchinos<br />
Calle<br />
Castro<br />
de<br />
Bermúdez<br />
Calle<br />
Camino San José<br />
Calle Rafalafena<br />
Calle Carcaixent<br />
Calle<br />
Bellver<br />
Calle<br />
Calle María Rosa Molas<br />
Calle<br />
Peñíscola<br />
Calle Tarragona<br />
Crevillente<br />
Calle<br />
Calle<br />
Calle Benicarló<br />
Ciscar<br />
Calle Cronista<br />
Revest<br />
Plaza<br />
Escu tor Adsuara<br />
Ca le Prim<br />
Marqués de la<br />
Calle Olivera<br />
Calle<br />
Obispo Salinas<br />
Ensenada<br />
Lagasca<br />
AVENIDA HERMANOS BOU<br />
Palacio<br />
de Justicia<br />
10<br />
Calle 268<br />
C. Juan Herrera<br />
0 200<br />
400 m<br />
CARTOGRAFÍA GCAR, S.L. Cardenal Silíceo, 35<br />
Tel. 914167341 - 28002 MADRID - AÑO 2001<br />
Gaibiel<br />
Calle Pérez Dolz<br />
Museros<br />
Calle Oropesa<br />
Plaza<br />
Cometa Haley<br />
Calle Villavieja<br />
Tenerías<br />
Ripollés<br />
Calle Ulloa<br />
Calle Fernando el Católico<br />
Calle Moncofar<br />
AVENIDA DEL<br />
MAR<br />
Calle<br />
Lluna<br />
Ca le La Llosa<br />
Calle Martín Alonso<br />
Calle Pablo Iglesias<br />
Calle Pintor Soler Blasco<br />
5<br />
7 8<br />
Calle dels Ginjols<br />
1 El Fadri<br />
2 Cathedral Church of Santa<br />
María (St. Mary´s)<br />
3 City Hall<br />
4 Ribalta Park<br />
5 Shrine of the Virgin of Lledó<br />
6 Chapel of La Magdalena<br />
(Mary Magdalene)<br />
7 Pinar Park<br />
8 Pla<strong>net</strong>arium<br />
9 Principal Theatre<br />
10 Modern Art Gallery<br />
11 Fine Arts Museum<br />
Symbols used<br />
i<br />
H<br />
P<br />
Tourist Information Office<br />
Hospital<br />
Car park<br />
Railway Station<br />
Bus & Coach Station
trees. Along with the Plaza de<br />
Independencia and Plaza de<br />
Tetuán, the park was officially<br />
declared of artistic interest<br />
in 1981.<br />
Shrine of the Virgin of Lledó<br />
below ground, in order to<br />
prevent the present layout<br />
from being partitioned by a<br />
series of level crossings. In the<br />
park, a series of paths trace a<br />
geometrical pattern and finally<br />
converge at the centre, with its<br />
statue of the artist, Ribalta.<br />
Here too, a bandstand, pond,<br />
flowers and obelisk<br />
commemorating the Carlist<br />
Wars mark out an area of<br />
collective memory, shaded by<br />
a number of impressively aged<br />
Plaza del Teatro<br />
From the Plaza de María<br />
Agustina, take the Avenida del<br />
Lidón to get to the Santuario<br />
de la Virgen de Lledó (Shrine of<br />
the Virgin of Lledó) (5), patron<br />
saint of Castellón. According to<br />
tradition, in 1366 the Virgin<br />
Mary appeared to a shepherd<br />
at a point some two kilometres<br />
outside the town. The shrine’s<br />
interior provides the perfect<br />
atmosphere for quiet<br />
introspection, and speaks<br />
eloquently of the local fervour<br />
surrounding the figure of the<br />
Virgin. A tile mosaic in one of<br />
the aisles describes the<br />
different local chapels that plot<br />
the route of an old Roman<br />
road known as El Caminás.<br />
Some distance away, on the<br />
opposite side of the national<br />
road and motorway, is another<br />
religious site. This is the<br />
Chapel of La Magdalena<br />
(Mary Magdalene) (6), which<br />
sits atop a hill marking the spot<br />
where Castellón was first settled.<br />
In March, a popular romería takes<br />
place here to commemorate the<br />
settlers’ decision to moved from<br />
this hillside to the new town<br />
on the plain. Visible behind<br />
the chapel are the surviving<br />
remains of the Moorish castle.<br />
26
Castellón feels a special<br />
attachment to the sea, to which<br />
one gets via a broad avenue.<br />
Pinar Park (7), the Pla<strong>net</strong>arium (8),<br />
the long seafront promenade,<br />
the Plaza del Mar –a new leisure<br />
area facing the marina- the<br />
good-sized harbour facilities,<br />
the town’s beaches and new<br />
residential estates, all provide<br />
visitors with the chance of<br />
enjoying wide open spaces<br />
cooled by refreshing sea breezes.<br />
The city’s cultural future is in<br />
the process of becoming a<br />
reality, thanks to an ambitious<br />
scheme which has seen the<br />
Teatro Principal (Theatre) (9)<br />
salvaged, refurbished and<br />
refitted with a structure typical<br />
of the exquisite theatres of the<br />
19 th century, and the Espai d’Art<br />
Contemporani (Gallery of<br />
Modern Art) (10) inaugurated<br />
as a venue for avant-garde<br />
international art exhibitions.<br />
Also projected are the<br />
construction of a new Concert<br />
Hall, capable of doubling as a<br />
Convention Centre, and the<br />
re-opening of the Museo<br />
de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts<br />
Museum) (11) in a space that<br />
has been remodelled to do<br />
justice to the fine classical<br />
paintings stored in its<br />
permanent collection.<br />
Gallery of Modern Art (Espai<br />
d’Art Contemporani - EAC)<br />
964 72 35 40. Prim, s/n.<br />
Castellón. From Tuesday to<br />
Sunday,11 a.m.- 8 p.m.<br />
Fine Arts Museum (Museo de<br />
Bellas Artes)<br />
964 35 96 00, ext. 711.<br />
Avenida Hermanos Bou s/n.<br />
Castellón. Winter, from<br />
Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-2<br />
p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m. Summer,<br />
from Monday to Friday,<br />
9 a.m.-2 p.m. All year round:<br />
Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.<br />
Municipal Ethnological<br />
Museum (Museu Municipal<br />
d’Etnologia).<br />
964 22 04 08. Chapel of<br />
Sant Jaume de Fadrell.<br />
Castellón. From Monday to<br />
Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.<br />
Monument to King James
Leisure &<br />
entertainment<br />
Sports<br />
Scattered along the length of<br />
the Province of Castellón’s<br />
shoreline, seven marinas, as<br />
well as port and nautical<br />
facilities of all kinds, offer<br />
visitors the possibility of taking<br />
full advantage of the sea,<br />
whether as a Mecca for<br />
watersports or merely as an<br />
immense scenic arena to<br />
spend time in a leisurely and<br />
enjoyable way. The marinas are<br />
based in the towns of Vinaròs,<br />
Benicarló, Peñíscola,<br />
Alcossebre, Oropesa del Mar,<br />
Castellón and Burriana.<br />
In many instances, they share<br />
facilities with fishing harbours,<br />
where the daily dockside<br />
auction, with its competing<br />
bids and freshly caught fish,<br />
provides a true spectacle.<br />
Aquarama aquapark. Benicàssim<br />
Marina. Benicarló<br />
The combination of such<br />
an infrastructure and the<br />
complementary facilities<br />
available to beachgoers on<br />
a good number of beaches,<br />
especially those entitled to<br />
fly the European Blue Flag<br />
(the official guarantee of<br />
environmental quality), means<br />
one thing, namely, that on<br />
the Castellón coast, sailing,<br />
windsurfing, jet skiing, fishing,<br />
water-skiing, scuba diving,<br />
rowing, as well as competitions<br />
and regattas, are all well within<br />
the reach of travellers coming<br />
to enjoy this part of the world.<br />
The good weather and<br />
availability of suitable facilities<br />
make the Costa Azahar an<br />
attractive destination for all<br />
sports lovers. Golfers can choose<br />
from any of three courses along<br />
the coast. The Costa de Azahar<br />
Golf Club is located in the green<br />
zone of Castellon’s port area and<br />
has a team of instructors geared<br />
to teaching learners. The<br />
Mediterráneo Country Club (Club<br />
de Campo), in Borriol, also has<br />
28
modern facilities and offers<br />
private classes for those wishing<br />
to perfect their game. The same<br />
service is provided by the<br />
Panorámica Golf Club, in<br />
San Jorge, just a little<br />
further to the north.<br />
For enthusiasts of aerial sports,<br />
such as hang-gliding and<br />
parachuting, there is the<br />
Aeroclub de Castellón<br />
964 28 35 21 and<br />
964 28 01 39, based<br />
at Grau de Castellón, on<br />
the capital’s seafront.<br />
Culture<br />
Summer is the ideal time of the<br />
year to enjoy open-air cultural<br />
events. In August, the Castle of<br />
Pope Luna in Peñíscola comes<br />
alive with attractive recitals<br />
forming part of the Ancient<br />
and Baroque Music Festival,<br />
as well as a series of plays and<br />
stage productions. Some weeks<br />
prior to this, in June, Peñíscola<br />
plays host to the International<br />
Comedy Film Festival.<br />
In another seaside town,<br />
Benicàssim, two music dates<br />
might just be suggested. In<br />
August, the most radically<br />
alternative and non-commercial<br />
pop groups –both Spanish and<br />
foreign- gather in this beach<br />
resort over a period of several<br />
days in a real celebration of<br />
rhythm and sound. Within the<br />
space of a few years, the<br />
International Indyrock Festival<br />
(Festival Internacional de<br />
Benìcassim -FIB) has managed<br />
to work its way into the select<br />
group of summer festivals that<br />
are a firm favourite with young<br />
audiences. The other music<br />
date is in September. This, the<br />
Francisco Tárrega International<br />
Guitar Competition, is a major<br />
event drawing contestants<br />
from all around the world.<br />
The end of summer is the time<br />
chosen by Vila-real to offer an<br />
international festival designed to<br />
present traditional folk dances,<br />
Golf<br />
29
whilst a few months earlier,<br />
in May, the entire town becomes<br />
the setting for street theatre.<br />
Other leisure time opportunities,<br />
particularly for children, are to<br />
be found at the Castellón<br />
Pla<strong>net</strong>arium 964 28 25 84,<br />
opened in 1991 near Pinar<br />
beach, with permanent<br />
exhibitions and daily shows<br />
projected onto the artificial<br />
night sky in the dome. A very<br />
different scenario is the water<br />
extravaganza to be enjoyed at<br />
the Aquarama aquapark<br />
964 30 33 21 in the<br />
Benicàssim area, or the<br />
40-minute boat trip along the<br />
subterranean waterways of<br />
St. Joseph’s Caverns (Cuevas de<br />
Sant Josep; 964 69 05 76<br />
at La Vall d’Uixó. The Torre del<br />
Rey (King’s Tower) in Oropesa<br />
964 31 22 41 is yet another<br />
of the Costa Azahar’s many<br />
attractions.<br />
Nightlife<br />
For most part of the year<br />
Castellón nightlife tends to<br />
Peñíscola<br />
Pla<strong>net</strong>arium. Castellón<br />
centre on fashionable clubs and<br />
bars where people meet, chat<br />
and listen to music over a drink.<br />
But with the arrival of the good<br />
weather, and the summer<br />
months in particular, the “scene”<br />
moves to the seaside, to the<br />
discothèques and pubs situated<br />
on the Benicàssim and Burriana<br />
beachfronts and Castellón<br />
dockside. One of the liveliest<br />
areas in Benicàssim is Las Villas, a<br />
stretch of coast lined by some of<br />
the loveliest and oldest of the<br />
town’s summer houses, a few of<br />
which have now been converted<br />
into night spots. Along the<br />
beaches, both in Castellón and<br />
in the neighbouring towns,<br />
chiringuitos tend to spring up;<br />
these are temporary side-walk or<br />
beach bars where one can sit out<br />
and enjoy a drink in the open air.<br />
Discothèques and music venues<br />
fill to overflowing with crowds of<br />
young pleasure-seekers ready<br />
to dance the night away.<br />
30<br />
Fiestas<br />
Castellón’s fiesta calendar is an<br />
intriguing balance between<br />
traditional romería-style
pilgrimages, inspired by a<br />
religious outlook on life, and<br />
festive celebrations that are a<br />
genuine explosion of vitality, fun<br />
and gaiety. The first event in the<br />
year takes place in mid-January,<br />
with the Feast of San Antonio<br />
Abad (St. Anthony Abbot), the socalled<br />
Santantonà, which involves<br />
the lighting of bonfires, troupes<br />
prancing and masquerading as<br />
demons, and street enactments of<br />
and about the saint’s life, etc.<br />
The most spectacular bonfires are<br />
to be found in Forcall, Vilanova<br />
d’Alcolea, Borriol and Todolella,<br />
though it must be said that<br />
almost all the inland towns<br />
celebrate their own fiesta<br />
during this period.<br />
The most popular celebration is<br />
held in Castellón itself, as from<br />
the third Saturday in Lent. These<br />
are the fiestas in honour of Mary<br />
Magdalene, marking the city’s<br />
second foundation, when it was<br />
moved to the plain from its<br />
original location on Magdalena<br />
hill, site of the Chapel of the<br />
same name to which the<br />
townsfolk make their pilgrimage.<br />
The romería de les Canyes<br />
(canyes: cane rods adorned with<br />
green ribbon), a pilgrimage to<br />
the hermitage of St. Mary<br />
Magdalene, and the procession of<br />
les Gaiates (richly garlanded and<br />
illuminated floats) revive legends<br />
and myths that have come to<br />
form an integral part of the local<br />
imagination. Groups of fiestalovers<br />
(colles) gather and draw up<br />
special programmes to make the<br />
fiesta bigger and better every year.<br />
The Fallas (from the Latin<br />
“facula” or “fax”, meaning<br />
torch), a typical celebration found<br />
throughout the Valencian Region,<br />
which consists of constructing<br />
huge cardboard tableaux and<br />
setting these alight on the night<br />
of 19 th March (St. Joseph’s Day),<br />
has its followers in Castellón. In<br />
this regard, special mention must<br />
be made of the towns of La Vall<br />
d’Uixó, Benicarló and Burriana,<br />
which at this time of year are a<br />
riot of exploding crackers and<br />
fireworks. However, the<br />
pilgrimage season continues all<br />
the while. On the last Friday<br />
in April, twelve pilgrims and a<br />
guide leave the small town of<br />
La Santantonà. Forcall<br />
31
Rush figures<br />
Les Useres and make for the<br />
Monastery of Sant Joan de<br />
Penyagolosa, there to do penance<br />
and return the following day<br />
after trudging many a mile in a<br />
silence broken only by hymn<br />
singing. Some weeks later, in Catí,<br />
at four in the morning on the<br />
first Saturday in May, ancient<br />
religious airs are sung, calling<br />
on the townsfolk to make the<br />
pilgrimage to Sant Pere de<br />
Castellfort (St.Peter’s), clothed in<br />
flowing black capes. During the<br />
course of the year, well-attended<br />
Segorbe pottery<br />
romerías of this nature depart<br />
from over fifty towns and villages<br />
to churches and chapels linked to<br />
their religious past. The Morella<br />
romería to the Virgin of Vallivana,<br />
normally held on the first<br />
Saturday in May, changes every<br />
six years (el Sexeni), when, during<br />
the second fortnight in August,<br />
the Virgin is borne aloft to<br />
Morella and the town’s streets<br />
and building frontages are<br />
bedecked with thousands of<br />
rainbow-coloured streamers.<br />
The year preceding the Sexeni<br />
is marked by the holding of<br />
l’Annunci, a splendid occasion<br />
in its own right, when the<br />
forthcoming six-yearly fiesta is<br />
formally announced. On the last<br />
Sunday in April, another<br />
important pilgrimage takes place,<br />
this time from Altura to the<br />
Virgin of the Holy Cave (Cueva<br />
Santa). Curiously, this same<br />
mountainside church receives the<br />
townsfolk of Jérica in September<br />
and those of Segorbe in October.<br />
January too has its romerías, e.g.,<br />
on 20 th January the people<br />
of Vinaròs take the relic of<br />
St. Sebastian from the parish<br />
church to the chapel crowning<br />
the summit of El Puig.<br />
There is hardly any town or<br />
village in the province that<br />
does not celebrate its local<br />
fiesta with bullfights, dances,<br />
processions and a chance<br />
to sample the best local<br />
specialities.<br />
32
Shopping and Handicrafts<br />
Without doubt, ceramic and<br />
cloth handicrafts are the two<br />
activities that enjoy the longest<br />
tradition in the towns and<br />
villages of Castellón. L’Alcora,<br />
Traiguera, Onda, Ribesalbes,<br />
La Vall d’Uixó and Segorbe<br />
have been the main source of<br />
skilled potters for hundreds of<br />
years. The textile tradition is<br />
particularly strong in Morella,<br />
where the local looms serve<br />
to revive a style of weaving<br />
reminiscent of a time when this<br />
singular craft was at the<br />
pinnacle of its splendour. Other<br />
towns, especially those situated<br />
in the Palancia Valley, turn<br />
carpentry and woodwork into<br />
a genuine art form. In addition,<br />
the wickerwork of Benassal<br />
and the esparto grass serónand<br />
capazo-type baskets of<br />
Castellnovo make it possible<br />
for the traveller to acquire<br />
traditional items made with<br />
the wisdom of old.<br />
In another very<br />
different sphere -that<br />
of farming and farm<br />
produce- drivers on<br />
some routes should<br />
keep an eye out for<br />
roadside stalls selling<br />
locally-grown citrus<br />
fruit, as well as the<br />
tempting prospect of<br />
the home-made honey<br />
and typical local<br />
Oranges<br />
sweetmeats and pastries on<br />
sale at traditional shops.<br />
Local Cuisine<br />
Castellón’s twin nature is<br />
reflected in the two different<br />
kinds of menus to be found in<br />
the province’s cuisine, depending<br />
upon whether one is on the<br />
coast or inland. The day’s catch<br />
provides seaside towns with<br />
infinite possibilities. In Vinaròs,<br />
red mullet (salmo<strong>net</strong>es), Norway<br />
lobster (cigalas), shrimp<br />
(gambas)and king prawns<br />
Paella<br />
33
Benicàssim<br />
(langostinos) are the main<br />
attractions among the<br />
mouthwatering range of foods<br />
on offer, with pride of place<br />
going to mixed seafood platters -<br />
whether boiled or fried<br />
(mariscada), stewed (zarzuela<br />
de pescado) or grilled<br />
(parrillada)- charcoal-grilled<br />
sardines, and an endless variety<br />
of fish and seafood dishes.<br />
Rice dishes, particularly paella,<br />
in its traditional meat or mixed<br />
chicken-and-shellfish versions,<br />
is another “must”. Other<br />
rice-based variations are also<br />
possible. For instance, there is<br />
arroz a banda (rice cooked in<br />
the water used for the fish, but<br />
served as a separate dish),<br />
el caldoso, al horno (oven-baked),<br />
con verduras (with vegetables)<br />
and the like.Typical in Castellón’s<br />
festive cuisine are the coques<br />
(pizza-style bases), generally<br />
open, with a filling of tomatoes,<br />
vegetables, onions, etc.<br />
As the coastal geography<br />
gradually gives way to the<br />
mountainous interior, local meat<br />
and farm produce begin to<br />
assume an ever more marked<br />
presence. In the Maestrazgo,<br />
charcoal grilled meat, such as<br />
rabbit (conejo) and partridge<br />
(perdiz), cured ham and jerky<br />
(cecina), home-made cheeses,<br />
preceded by starters such as sopa<br />
morellana and sopa forcallana,<br />
will satisfy the traveller’s hunger.<br />
A further staple of the inland<br />
cuisine are the so-called ollas,<br />
a vegetable (mainly greens and<br />
legumes) and meat casserole.<br />
Among the desserts, full<br />
advantage is taken of the quality<br />
of the local cattle and orchards<br />
to prepare cuajada (ren<strong>net</strong><br />
pudding), flan de almendras<br />
(cream caramel with almonds)<br />
34
and requesón (cottage-style<br />
cheese) with honey, along with<br />
the many varieties of sweetmeats<br />
and pastries, a blend of Moorish<br />
heritage and Christian traditions.<br />
Further south, the excellent<br />
quality of the spring water<br />
makes the district olla a<br />
delicious and exquisite dish.<br />
Roast lamb and rabbit in thyme<br />
are other possible entrées, and<br />
for dessert, there are sweet<br />
cherries (cerezas), loquats<br />
(nísperos) or persimmon<br />
(caquis), which grow in the lee<br />
of the hillsides, protected from<br />
the wind and biting cold.<br />
The Mediterranean marketgarden<br />
sector in the Province<br />
of Castellón also produces<br />
exceptional fruit (e.g., the local<br />
varieties of citrus that have<br />
become famous around the<br />
world) and vegetables,<br />
the Benicarló artichoke<br />
(alcachofa) in particular.<br />
Accomodation<br />
Ranked by quality, hotel<br />
accommodation in the<br />
Castellón area ranges from<br />
medium to medium-high,<br />
with over 14,000 beds<br />
available. The greatest single<br />
concentration of guest<br />
accommodation is to be<br />
found in Peñíscola, followed<br />
by Benicàssim and Castellón<br />
itself. For those who prefer<br />
camping, camp sites have<br />
place for over 25,000.<br />
Spread throughout the<br />
province are some 6,700<br />
holiday flats, with a<br />
capacity to sleep 35,000.<br />
In the interior, Castellón also<br />
has a sizeable range of rural<br />
accommodation, as is evident<br />
from the more than one<br />
hundred hotels, hostels and<br />
country cottages on offer.<br />
In addition, there is a Tourist<br />
Parador (state-run hotel)<br />
in Benicarló.<br />
Benicarló Parador
USEFUL INFORMATION<br />
International Dialling Code: 34<br />
Tourist Information<br />
Turespaña 901 300 600<br />
www.tourspain.es<br />
Costa Azahar Provincial Tourist<br />
Board 964 35 98 83<br />
Tourist Info Castellón<br />
964 35 86 88<br />
Castellón Municipal Tourist<br />
Information Office<br />
964 06 93 33<br />
Tourist Info Alcossebre<br />
964 41 22 05<br />
Benicàssim Municipal Tourist<br />
Information Office<br />
964 30 09 62<br />
Benicarló Tourist Info<br />
964 47 31 80<br />
Burriana Tourist Info<br />
964 57 07 53<br />
Morella Tourist Info<br />
964 17 30 32<br />
Moncófa Tourist Info<br />
964 58 85 57<br />
Montanejos Tourist Info<br />
964 13 11 53<br />
Navajas Tourist Info<br />
964 71 39 13<br />
Oropesa Tourist Info<br />
964 31 22 41<br />
Beach office 964 76 66 12<br />
Peñíscola Tourist Info<br />
964 48 02 08<br />
Sant Mateu Tourist Info<br />
964 41 66 58<br />
Segorbe Tourist Info<br />
964 71 32 54<br />
Vilafranca Tourist Info<br />
964 44 14 32<br />
Torreblanca Municipal Tourist<br />
Information Office<br />
964 42 12 12<br />
Vinaròs Tourist Info<br />
964 45 33 34<br />
Viver Municipal Tourist<br />
Information Office<br />
964 14 10 06<br />
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS<br />
Castellón Cultural Planning Board<br />
(Proyecto Castelló Cutural)<br />
964 72 36 05<br />
Emergencies 112<br />
Renfe (Spanish Rail)<br />
902 24 02 02<br />
Autos Mediterráneo<br />
964 26 09 95<br />
Radio Taxi Castelló<br />
964 22 74 74<br />
Tele Taxi 964 25 46 46<br />
Traffic: Road & Highway<br />
information 900 12 35 05<br />
TOURIST PARADORS<br />
(State-run hotels)<br />
Central booking office:<br />
C/ Requena, 3. 28013-Madrid<br />
91 516 66 66<br />
Fax 91 516 66 57<br />
www.parador.es<br />
Benicarló Parador<br />
Avda. Papa Luna, 5<br />
964 47 01 00<br />
Fax 964 47 09 34<br />
36
SPANISH TOURIST OFFICES ABROAD<br />
Canada. Toronto<br />
Tourist Office of <strong>Spain</strong><br />
2 Bloor Street West Suite 3402<br />
TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2<br />
1416/ 961 31 31<br />
Fax: 1416/ 961 19 92<br />
e-mail: toronto@tourspain.es<br />
www.tourspain.toronto.on.ca<br />
Great Britain. London<br />
Spanish Tourist Office<br />
22-23 Manchester Square<br />
LONDON W1M 5AP<br />
44027/486 80 77<br />
Fax: 44027/486 80 34<br />
e-mail: londres@tourspain.es<br />
www.uk.tourspain.es<br />
www.tourspain.co.uk<br />
Japan. Tokyo<br />
Tourist Office of <strong>Spain</strong><br />
Daini Toranomon Denki Bldg.4F<br />
3-1-10 Toranomon<br />
Minato-Ku. TOKYO-105<br />
813/ 34 32 61 41<br />
Fax: 813/ 34 32 61 44<br />
e-mail: tokio@tourspain.es<br />
www.spaintour.com<br />
Russia. Moscow<br />
Spanish Tourist Office<br />
Tverskaya - 16/2 Business Center<br />
“Galería Aktor” 6º floor<br />
MOSCÚ 103009<br />
7095/ 935 83 99<br />
Fax: 7095/ 935 83 96<br />
e-mail: moscu@tourspain.es<br />
www.tourspain.ru<br />
Singapore. Singapore<br />
Spanish Tourist Office<br />
541 Orchard Road. Liat Tower# 09-04<br />
238881 SINGAPORE<br />
657/ 37 30 08,<br />
Fax: 657/ 37 31 73<br />
e-mail: singapore@tourspain.es<br />
United States of America<br />
Los Ángeles<br />
Tourist Office of <strong>Spain</strong><br />
8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960<br />
BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211<br />
1323/ 658 71 95<br />
Fax: 1323/ 658 10 61<br />
e-mail: losangeles@tourspain.es<br />
Chicago<br />
Tourist Office of <strong>Spain</strong><br />
Water Tower Place, Suite 915 East<br />
845, North Michigan Avenue<br />
CHICAGO, ILL 60-611<br />
1312/ 642 19 92<br />
Fax: 1312/ 642 98 17<br />
e-mail: chicago@tourspain.es<br />
Miami<br />
Tourist Office of <strong>Spain</strong><br />
1221 Brickell Avenue<br />
MIAMI, Florida 33131<br />
1305/ 358 19 92<br />
Fax: 1305/ 358 82 23<br />
e-mail: miami@tourspain.es<br />
New York<br />
Tourist Office of <strong>Spain</strong><br />
666 Fifth Avenue 35th.<br />
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103<br />
1212/ 265 88 22<br />
Fax: 1212/ 265 88 64<br />
e-mail: nuevayork@tourspain.es<br />
www.okspain.org<br />
EMBASSIES IN MADRID<br />
Canada<br />
Nuñez de Balboa, 35<br />
91 431 43 00. Fax: 91 431 23 67<br />
Great Britain<br />
Fernando el Santo, 16<br />
91 319 02 00. Fax: 91 308 10 33<br />
Japan<br />
Serrano, 109<br />
91 590 76 00 Fax: 91 590 13 21<br />
Russia<br />
Velazquez, 155<br />
91 562 22 64. Fax: 91 562 97 12<br />
United States of America<br />
Serrano, 75<br />
91 587 22 00. Fax: 91 587 23 03<br />
Written by:<br />
Jaime Millás<br />
Translated by:<br />
Michael D. Benedict<br />
Photographs:<br />
Turespaña Photographic Archives<br />
Design:<br />
PH color, S.A.<br />
Published by:<br />
© Turespaña<br />
Secretaría de Estado de Comercio y<br />
Turismo<br />
Ministerio de Economía<br />
Printed by:<br />
GAEZ, S.A.<br />
D.L.: M-34951-2001<br />
NIPO: 380-01-014-8<br />
Printed in <strong>Spain</strong><br />
1st Edition
Castellón<br />
Costa Azahar <strong>Spain</strong><br />
MINISTERIO<br />
DE ECONOMÍA<br />
SECRETARÍA DE<br />
ESTADO DE COMERCIO<br />
Y TURISMO<br />
SECRETARÍA<br />
GENERAL DE TURISMO<br />
TURESPAÑA<br />
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY<br />
European Regional<br />
Development Fund<br />
I