Jacarilla: Gardens, Architectural Heritage and Trails along the Río Segura

Jacarilla can be explored from three perspectives: the Fontalba Gardens with their neo-historicist design, the architectural heritage surrounding the Marqués de Fontalba, and routes through the town or countryside. This gives you a varied choice between garden settings, cultural interests and physical activity, without these experiences having the same character.

Gardens with a Variety of Design Elements

The Fontalba Garden and the pine forest cover 20,000 square metres within a walled estate. Their design combines neo-historicist elements with neoclassical, Arabic and Renaissance ornaments. On entering the Jardines del Marqués de Fontalba through the Puerta de los Leones, you come to an avenue of slender palms modelled on La Vereda de las Palmeras.

The Fontalba Garden also contains sculptures, fountains and a sundial. There is a pagoda by the pond. This sequence of a palm avenue, architectural forms and individual garden features gives visitors interested in culture and design several specific elements on which to focus their attention.

Palace and Church as Cultural Highlights

The Casa-Palacio del Marqués de Fontalba is considered the last aristocratic building in the comarca. The Palacio del Marqués de Fontalba was built in 1920 and has two storeys, a portico, a balustrade and a tiled facade. Its construction date, representative architecture and decorative details therefore come together in a single building.

The Iglesia Parroquial de Nuestra Señora de Belén also features clearly recognisable architectural characteristics: the bell tower is located in the centre of the facade, and the church also has stained-glass windows.

Routes between the Town and the River Landscape

The Ruta verde Camino de la Cueva is a moderately difficult, well-signposted hiking trail with a total length of 6.6 kilometres. The Ruta de la Cueva starts in the area of the Casa-Palacio del Marqués de Fontalba in Jacarilla. For planning your day, this allows you to combine a defined hiking route with a starting area that is also one of the town's cultural highlights.

The Ruta 1, Tramo Básico, is a circular route through the town of Jacarilla. It passes places considered particularly significant or interesting from a tourist or cultural perspective. The Ruta 6, Tramo Básico – Vereda las Palmeras – Camino del Copo, is also a circular route and runs through the recreational area by the meander of the Río Segura. The two routes therefore differ clearly in terms of their surroundings: one focuses on the town, while the other takes in the river landscape.

Orientation for Your Stay

Jacarilla is located on the CV-920 road, which connects Orihuela with Rojales and Guardamar del Segura. This documented road connection is part of the local orientation, while the gardens, palaces, church and routes offer different focal points for planning your trip. When choosing a hotel in Jacarilla, you can therefore first decide whether gardens and architectural heritage, a moderately difficult hiking trail, a circular town route or the landscape along the Río Segura should shape your stay.

Vistabella Golf offers nine- or 18-hole rounds and was designed by Manuel Piñero. For visitors who would also like to include golf alongside culture and hiking routes, this adds another clearly defined interest.

Other Places

Agost, Tibi, Benigembla, Novelda, San Miguel De Salinas, Rojales, Gata De Gorgos, Villena

For the higher-level travel overview: Alicante.