La Vall De Gallinera: Foradada, Hiking Trails and Cultural Heritage

La Vall De Gallinera is a destination for you if you do not want to view nature and cultural history separately. The striking Foradada, paths between the villages, castle ruins, rock shelters with cave paintings and the terraced landscape give the valley several concrete points of interest for days of hiking, scenic views and regional cuisine. This allows you to explore the character of the place without reducing it to a single experience.

Foradada, Nature Reserve and Panoramic View

La Foradada is a large rock arch at an altitude of 737 m that defines the Vall de Gallinera. The Les Llomes del Xap protected area covers 4.456 hectares. With its rocky cliffs and outcrops, it lies between Benirrama, Benialí and Benitaia. Because of its botanical richness, it was designated a flora micro-reserve by the Generalitat Valenciana on 6 November 2000; access is difficult.

The Mirador del Xap is located between Benialí and Benissivà; it can be reached via a signposted paved forest track and has protective railings and an information board. From there, you can look out over the Vall de Gallinera, the Sierra Foradada, the Sierra de L'Albureca, the Sierra de L'Almirant and La Safor, as well as villages, cultivated areas and wild vegetation.

Hiking Trails with Different Route Profiles

The Vall de Gallinera has 14 hiking trails. The classic Ruta de la Foradada begins in Benitaia, passes the Franciscan convent of Sant Andreu and climbs via the Cova d'en Moragues to the summit. It is a moderately difficult hiking trail measuring 9.8 km. The Ruta dels 8 pobles connects the two Font de la Mata springs, each located at one end of the Vall de Gallinera, and is an easy one-way route of around 14.2 km. The Passet de Benirrama is the natural route that connects Benirrama in the Gallinera valley with the Vall d'Ebo.

Three hundred markers help hikers stay oriented along their route in the Vall de Gallinera. The botanical educational trail complements the hiking experience: each sign uses a QR code to provide information about the characteristics of the respective plant, its flowering period and its habitats. The Bassa de la Llacuna is a small pond formed by clay deposits in a depression; it collects and retains rainwater throughout the year, although its water level fluctuates.

Franciscan Heritage and Castle Ruins

The cultural history includes the Convento de Benitaia and the Castell de Benissili. The Convento de Benitaia was founded on 11 June 1611 for the Discalced Franciscans under the patronage of the Duke of Gandia, following the expulsion of the Moriscos. On 4 October, the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, and on 9 March, the feast day of Saint Frances of Rome, shortly before sunset, sunlight passes through the opening in the Foradada and illuminates the remains of the former Franciscan convent of Benitaia.

The Castell de Benissili preserves the ruins of the residence of the leader Al-Azraq and is considered the last stronghold to surrender to King Jaume I. The path there begins in Benissili, leads between centuries-old olive trees to the regional road and continues from there to the castle. Les Basses del Racó is considered the most significant ravine in the Vall de Gallinera in terms of its rock shelters with cave paintings. One rock shelter with cave paintings opens towards the southeast and lies at the foot of the Sierra de l'Almirant, a few metres from the Gallinera River.

Terraces, Shepherd Life and Seasonal Produce

The difficult topography of the Vall de Gallinera was transformed, using dry-stone walling, into a countless succession of terraces and cultivated areas. Seasonal produce includes cherries, vegetables, almonds, walnuts, saffron milk caps, game and olives; the olives are used to produce the area's own oil at the oil mill in Benialí. The Corrals de la Carroja circular route provides good examples of the lives of the shepherds who used these mountains until around half a century ago.

Further destinations for exploring the region include Patró, El Ràfol d'Almúnia, Villena, Sax, El Fondó De Les Neus, San Fulgencio, Callosa De Segura and Parcent.

For the broader travel overview: Alicante.