Discover Senija: Art, History and Paths into the Countryside

In Senija’s townscape, you will encounter outdoor art and religious buildings; outside the town, paths lead to viewpoints and destinations in the countryside.

Outdoor Art and Religious Heritage

The Museu Obert de Senija (MOS) is an open-air museum featuring artistic designs on façades and walls in Senija. Admission is free, and you can explore the museum while walking through Senija’s streets. The artworks often reflect the way of life of the local residents. The present-day Santa Caterina church represents a different historical period: it dates from the 18th century and was built on the site of an old Arab mosque.

History in Buildings and Images

The interior of Santa Caterina also contains tangible traces of art and religious history. The church houses a Baroque polychrome wooden sculpture of La Mare de Déu dels Desemparats. It also preserves an image of La Mare de Déu de La Misericòrdia from the 14th century, which came from the former church. In the townscape, the L’Arc Gòtic stands nearby, a pointed Gothic brick arch. It very probably dates from the period when Senija was elevated in 1535 to a Morisco vicariate dependent on Benissa and established as its own parish in 1569.

Walks with Different Profiles

For a themed walk, “Senija. Va de sentits” is a suitable option, with clear orientation markers. The route is 1.09 kilometres long and has a low level of technical difficulty. At each station, there are panels with QR codes providing interactive historical information. Another destination is the Cova de la Garganta: from Senija, it can be reached via the Camí dels Murtalets in the direction of Les Bassetes; the path continues to a summit with the iron cross Creu Alta. The cave is not very deep, has a horizontal extent of 50 metres and is considered a rock shelter.

Destinations in the Countryside around Senija

The La Creu de Senija route leads to a cross at an altitude of 405 metres. From there, the panoramic view extends across the entire Gorgos basin to its mouth at the foot of Montgó. The PR-CV 53.5 Camí dels Morterets takes a different approach: it runs along valuable masonry heritage and old terraced fields on the slopes. This gives you a choice for your planning between a viewpoint destination and a route featuring masonry heritage and terraced fields.

Agriculture, Chapel and Festivities

The former importance of agriculture is also part of the local history: historically, the residents of Senija devoted themselves mainly to producing raisins and growing grapes for export. The Mare de Déu Negreta chapel was built in 1965 and is located in the La Cometa district of Senija. Senija’s patron-saint festivities are held in honour of the Virgen de los Desamparados and Santa Catalina Màrtir on the first weekend of May.

More Places for Your Planning

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For the higher-level travel overview: Alicante.