Discover Rojales: Cuevas del Rodeo, museums and water culture

Rojales combines underground dwellings, museums, historic hydraulic structures and a park characterized by Aleppo pines.

Cuevas del Rodeo and museums

The Cuevas del Rodeo complex marks the southern edge of Rojales. The underground residential area was excavated mainly during the 18th and 19th centuries and the first decades of the 20th century. At Cuevas del Rodeo, the Ecomuseo del Hábitat Subterráneo comprises 15 craft workshops, exhibition spaces and the Zoco Artesanal. Courses, extracurricular activities, fairs and exhibitions on handicrafts and traditional crafts are organized there. Handicrafts and traditional crafts are the shared subject of the courses, fairs and exhibitions.

The Museo de la Huerta presents traditional work in the Huerta, craft activities, household objects, traditional means of transport, tableware, and equipment for oxen and other draft animals. Oil and the grain cycle are also part of the exhibition. As an ethnological exhibition, the museum also presents elements of Rojales culture. Agricultural work, household life and traditional transport are therefore brought together in a single museum area.

The municipal Archaeological Museum of Rojales was founded in 1981 and is housed in the former town hall of Rojales. The parish church of San Pedro Apóstol was rebuilt in an eclectic style. The rebuilding of the parish church is also part of the architectural history of Rojales.

Hydraulic engineering and landscape

The hydraulic complex of Rojales comprises a weir, sluice inlets for irrigation channels, a waterwheel and a stone bridge dating from the 16th to the 18th century. The elements range from irrigation facilities to the stone bridge. The windmill El molino de viento was built in the 18th century; during its restoration in 1998, it was fitted with reconstructed traditional machinery and gears.

The Segura River and the fertile soils irrigated by its water have shaped the historical development of Rojales. The Aljibes de Gasparito fit into this context: The hydraulic system built in 1922 extends across the entire Cabezo del Molino and channels rainwater through two long open irrigation channels or feeder ditches. The open course of the two long channels or feeder ditches is part of this system.

With its dense Aleppo pine vegetation, Parque El Recorral is explicitly ideal for outings and picnics in the countryside. The dense Aleppo pine vegetation shapes the character of the park. When planning your stay, you can therefore set different priorities: museums and buildings for cultural days, hydraulic engineering and river history for historical interest, or the park for time spent in nature. The Rojales Tourist Information Office provides comprehensive information about the municipality and the surrounding region, making it easier to find your way around during your visit. Whether you prefer a hotel, holiday apartment or holiday home can be decided according to your daily routine and the visits you have planned.

The different places complement one another when planning your day: At the Ecomuseo, handicrafts and courses take center stage; the Museo de la Huerta combines agriculture, household life and traditional transport; and Parque El Recorral offers a clear focus on picnics and nature in the countryside.

If you would like to compare other places, you can also visit Ciudad Quesada, Benimar, Los Montesinos, Bigastro, El Verger, Orba, Bahía de Jávea and Orito.

For the higher-level travel overview: Alicante.