Benigembla: Mountain Trails, Architectural History and Regional Cuisine

Benigembla combines distinctive trails through the mountainous landscape of the Vall de Pop with architectural history, river heritage, festival traditions and regionally influenced cuisine. Those who want to combine different interests on their trip will find concrete points of reference here: historic buildings, trails with clear distances and requirements, views from Penyó, as well as Cocas and olive oil from the town.

Church Architecture and Living Local History

The Església de Sant Josep was built in three phases: the bell tower was completed in 1833, the church in 1895 and the interior in 1913. The church is neoclassical in design. The Baroque bell tower has a square ground plan, three sections and a double-pointed finish; a sundial is located on the main façade.

El Sindicat also combines architecture and local history. The building of Benigembla's former agricultural cooperative is now the sociocultural centre. It is neoclassical in design and contains elements of Rococo and French Baroque. Various events and festivals take place there, including the Sant Antoni festival in January. At El Safareig in Benigembla, women used to meet to wash bed sheets, blankets, towels and clothes. On the riverbank, a containment and protection wall also commemorates a severe flood in October 1957, which led to its construction.

Hiking Trails with Different Profiles

The route to the Cova de la Cistella is 2.99 kilometres long and moderately difficult. It begins at Plaça de Baldomero Vega in Benigembla; at the end, the cave is accessed via ropes. The Camí dels Moros also starts at Plaça de Baldomero Vega, at the Carena del Penyó. The 2.52-kilometre-long, moderately difficult linear route was used by the Moriscos to reach Cavall Verd during the resistance against the king, when the expulsion of all Moriscos from the Kingdom of Valencia had been ordered.

The Camí dels Moros reaches El Penyó at an altitude of 720 metres. From there, there are views of the Coll de Rates, Montgó, the Sierras de Seguili and Segària, as well as the road between the Vall de Guadalest via Tàrbena and the Vall de Pop. The PR-CV 427 route begins in Benigembla and leads to the summit of Cocoll, where a geodetic point is located at the summit. The circular PR-465 Senda del Badall i les Fonts hiking route runs along the southwestern slope of Benigembla.

For an interactive way to explore the trails, the Va de sentits route uses QR codes and turns the Vall de Pop into an interactive open-air museum. The Camí de Pedra i Aigua connects Benigembla with Benissa, Senija, Llíber, Xaló, Alcalalí, Parcent and Murla in the Vall de Pop. It reaches Benigembla along the riverbed, passing through a section with nature and fauna. Cyclists will also find a connection to the town: the Vall de Laguar mountain-bike route forms a circuit around Cavall Verd, passes through Benigembla, is approximately 30 kilometres long and features significant changes in elevation. The different distances, route types and elevation profiles help you assess which excursions best suit your day of travel.

River Landscape, Cocas and Festivals

The Río Gorgos is a defining feature of Benigembla and is connected with the water-management heritage preserved there, including aqueducts, water basins and springs. In culinary terms, you can try various Cocas: fried Cocas with tomato and anchovies, oven-baked Cocas, as well as Cocas escaldadas, also known as Minxos, prepared on a griddle with different fillings. Olive oil from Benigembla is traditionally tasted with a piece of bread or with tomato.

The festival calendar includes the celebrations of Sant Honorat and Sant Antoni on 16 and 17 January. The local festivals in honour of Sant Josep, Sant Agustí, Sant Francesc and the Mare de Déu de l'Assumpció take place between 12 and 17 August. In this way, trails, landscape, architecture, memory and regional flavours come together in Benigembla.

Discover More Places

Discover more places: Lliber, Sant Vicent Del Raspeig, La Murada, Benilloba, Margarida, El Bacarot, Salinas, Muro De Alcoy.

To the overarching travel overview: Alicante.