Discover Alfondeguilla: Cultural Heritage, Routes and the Sierra de Espadán
Accommodation in Alfondeguilla
Alfondeguilla combines cultural heritage with walking routes and nature. The St. Bartholomew Parish Church is a simple, small place of worship with a single nave and adjoining side chapels. The Pont de l’Aigua crosses the Belcaire River gorge on six arches, is still in use and can be viewed from the CV-230 road. Calvario is freely accessible; the associated Ermita opens for festive occasions on the third Sunday in November.
File:Acueducto de tipo romano comúnmente conocido como "l'Arquet" de Alfondeguilla.jpg
Photo: Juan Emilio Prades Bel via Source, CC BY-SA 4.0
Buildings with a History of Their Own
L’Arquet in Alfondeguilla is considered an important example of Roman hydraulic architecture. The Nevera de Castro is a reconstructed building used to store snow and later produce ice. It lies at an altitude of 800 metres; its circular shaft is 12.50 metres deep and has a capacity of 420 cubic metres. Els Pous de Cantallops is a former mercury mine from the 19th century in the Fontanelles area, with a vertical shaft approximately 30 metres deep carved into the rock.
The restored defensive structures of the XYZ Line on Mount Denàs include underground shelters and a bunker on the 535-metre-high summit; the bunker serves as a viewpoint over the surrounding area. An inscription inside records that the structures were built by the Pioneer Battalion No. 20 of the People's Army of the Republic in mid-July 1938. Castillo de Castro is considered an Arab fortification and former watchtower on the eponymous 789-metre-high summit. The surviving remains date from the Islamic civilisation, are abandoned and lie between two deep gorges. El Castellet is an important landmark in the municipality, with picturesque streets and an old town centre.
Routes for Different Day Plans
The L’Arquet Route in Alfondeguilla is a circular route that begins on Calle Molí. It is 5.7 kilometres long, has an elevation gain of 180 metres, takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes and is considered technically easy. The Parish Church of San Bartolomé in Alfondeguilla is connected to the L’Arquet Route and is considered an 18th-century church. The Aljibes Route leads to rainwater cisterns built using dry-stone construction techniques and combines local history, nature and tradition.
A linear route runs along the CV-230 between Alfondeguilla and La Vall d’Uixó. It recalls the former route taken to work at Fábrica Segarra and includes a rest area and an information board about the birds of Castelló Sud. The route is 3 kilometres long and takes about 45 minutes. Another route via Castillo de Castro, Mina de Cantallops and the trenches of Denàs begins at 9:00 a.m. at Alfondeguilla's church square and ends there at 2:30 p.m. The different times help you fit suitable excursions into your daily schedule.
Nature and Regional Culinary Culture
Part of the Parque Natural de Sierra de Espadán lies within the municipality of Alfondeguilla. More than 100 bird species from 30 different families occur in the Parque Natural. Alongside historic sites and walking routes, birdwatching is therefore another specific activity to consider when planning your trip.
SaboreArte is a gastronomic experience in Alfondeguilla. The kitchen and service team explains which products are used, where they come from and according to which criteria the restaurant purchases them. SaboreArte takes place on Fridays from 9:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and is open to hotel guests and restaurant guests upon prior reservation.
You can continue exploring other places in the same regional selection via Navajas, Vall De Almonacid, Tírig, Alcudia de Veo, Artana, La Pobla Tornesa, Forcall and Fanzara.
For the overview of the wider trip: Castellon.
