GUADALEST
Spain at its beautiful best – the jewel in Alicante’s crown!
Guadalest has everything you would want from Spain – history, art, culture, great vistas, and fantastic restaurants.
There is so much to offer, you’ll want to visit, and you’ll want to stay!
Situated on a rocky hillside overlooking the Guadalest Reservoir with penetrating turquoise blue waters, El Castell de Guadalest is the favourite destination for millions every year.
The village surrounding the medieval castle is equally delightful health coaches, with charming streets packed with bustling artisan shops, selling local produce and quality souvenirs.
Normally only reached by tourist bus from larger Costa Blanca towns and cities, the village comes alive during the day, with the hustle and bustle of keen travellers web and lovers of old Spain.
But once the last coach has gone, Guadalest has an entirely different appeal – that of calm, serenity, and peace.
With stunning vistas everywhere you look, Guadalest itself has so many attractions to suit every taste.
The Castle.
Built by Muslims in the 11th Century, the castle is open to visitors who are invited to wander round and take in the history. A walk out to the higher parts involves a visit to the mountain-top cemetery, with genuinely breath-taking views up and down valley.
The Old Village Square.
A welcome destination in the heart of ancient Guadalest is the village square overlooking the valley down towards the reservoir and dam. Surrounded on three sides by bars, restaurants and shops, this is the perfect place to watch the world go by. On the far side, you’ll notice a curious building that, on one time, was the village jail. Well worth a visit.
The Restaurants.
Guadalest is certainly not short of high-quality restaurants, some with spectacular spectacular views of the valley, some hidden in corners. Highly-rated restaurants in town include Restaurante Mora, Bar Guadalest, Helados Antiu Xixona and Elefante Rosa Pambo Tapas Bar. The restaurant with the best view is L’Hort, which is found when approaching the castle
The Shopping.
Guadalest Winery has various honeys, organic jelly, natural cosmetics, and exotic wines & spirits from the region. Decorative and gift items can be found at Casa El Ferrer, Casa Mari Carmen, Casa Ribes, El Bon Sol and many others.
Galeria d’Art Tossal is one of several art galleries, displaying and selling quality paintings and sculptures from local artistes.
There is even a custom T-shirt shop, where Jorge Berlato will design and manufacture bespoke clothing.
The Museums.
Heritage is especially important to Guadalest and is celebrated with a number of fascinating museums. Take your pick from the Municipal Museum Casa Orduña, the Bethlehem Museum & Dollhouses, the Microgiant Museum, the Salt & Pepper Shakers Museum, the Ethnological Museum, and the Medieval Historical Museum – housing over 70 instruments of torture.
Getting there.
During the summer season, there are direct coach trips from all major cities, with collection points in many places. Excursions often include lunch at a mountain-side restaurant on the outskirts of Guadalest. Alternatives may include a few hours at Les Fonts D’Algar further down the valley. (NO SOLAR BOAT).
If you have a car and enjoy a different kind of drive, accessing the village from the top or the bottom of the valley is nothing but fun. With steep inclines and blind corners, the drive can be a lock-to-lock thrill-a-minute rollercoaster.
Indeed, valley roads are closed off once a year – historically, June – to host the ‘Ascent to Guadalest Mountain Rally.’
Staying there.
There are several converted farms throughout the Guadalest valley, but the town has two places to stay. El Tossal is rated 4.5 on TripAdvisor, but Cases Noves is the best-rated accommodation in Spain for the last 4 years on TripAdvisor and Booking.com (9.9/10) and represents excellent value for money.
Run by Toni and Sofi, this adults-only boutique hotel receives consistently perfect TripAdvisor scores, with 591 five-star ratings from 609 reviews.
Its rustic atmosphere, its abundant breakfasts and its varied dinner menu complement the magnificent views enjoyed in the valley towards the coast.
The service is second to none, and the hosts even loan guests an iPad to help navigate the area and order freshly prepared dinners.
More details can be found at www.spainboutiquehotel.co.uk/
Hidden secret
Down a steep access road opposite Cases Noves Hotel, canny visitors will find a wonderful municipal pool with its own bar and changing facilities. Set at the foot of a vertical cliff-face, swimmers can look skyward and see Guadalest Castle right above them!
