Discover Caudiel: Baroque, mountain trails and Vía Verde

Caudiel between mountains and history

The municipality of Caudiel includes hilly and mountainous terrain, with elevations such as the 1,150-metre-high Pico de las Palomas. Its ecological diversity includes, among other species, Pinus rodeno, holm oaks and oaks. The town's history also goes back a long way: Caudiel was already inhabited in the Bronze Age. Archaeological sites include the Cueva de la Alcabaira, the Cueva de la Rocha, the Cueva del Generoso and the Abrigo y Sima de Fuente la Higuera.

Baroque spaces and historical traces

One of the defining buildings is the Iglesia San Juan Bautista. It has a spacious cruciform nave with interconnected side chapels and a hemispherical dome. The complex is designed in the Baroque style. Until the beginning of the 19th century, the church was part of an Augustinian monastery founded in the 17th century.

The Valencian Baroque is particularly vivid in the Camarín de la Virgen del Niño Perdido. The Camarín was created between 1701 and 1704. Its altarpiece is entirely decorated with gold, giving it a distinctive emphasis within Caudiel's sacred furnishings.

The Convento de las Carmelitas Descalzas has also shaped the townscape since 1685. The choir is richly decorated with Valencian Manises tiles from the 17th century. Because of the conventual life of its residents, the Convento can only rarely be visited. In 1496, the Ermita del Socós served as the site where Fray Juan Exarch and his fellow friar Fray Antonio de Padilla founded an Augustinian monastery.

Further historical traces can be found at the Muralla urbana de Caudiel. Few remains of the town wall have survived; they date from before the Reconquista. The wall remains at the Tramo de las Monjas preserve loopholes for rifle fire that were added later. The Torre de Aníbal is also known as the Torre del Molino. During Muslim rule and the early phase of the Christian Reconquista, it was used as a defensive tower; it was also connected to the boundary of the castle of Jérica. The exterior of the Torre de Aníbal is freely accessible.

Routes for hiking, cycling and nature

The Vía Verde de Ojos Negros passes through Caudiel and is 167.5 kilometres long. It can be used on foot, by bicycle or in a wheelchair, with the exception of individual ramps outside the original route. Alongside the historic buildings, this makes a route with clearly described options for different means of transport a central element of local travel planning.

Several routes pass through characteristic landscapes and trail sections. The Barranco de Juésar route begins at the El Barrio washhouse and follows the stream towards Paraje de la Grieta. The Barranco del Estajo route leads from the Camino de El Cerrado to the Senda del Estajo and returns to Caudiel via the Fuente de la Alcabaira.

The Viaductos de la Fuensanta route passes through a tunnel and by the former mining station before reaching the viaducts and the Fuensanta spring. The mining station's historical status remains part of the route. Caudiel is also part of the Conquista de Valencia route of the Camino del Cid, intended for hiking or mountain biking with BTT-MTB.

For more sporting pursuits, the Contrabandistas trail is 16 kilometres long and includes 600 metres of ascent. In the vicinity of Caudiel, the Collado de Pino Rey section of the Camino del Cid climbs 560 metres over 6.5 kilometres. In the wider surrounding area, Collado de Pino Rey lies within the LIC ES5222004 Special Area of Conservation (Curs Alt del riu Millars) and the ZEPA ES0000468 Special Protection Area for birds (Serra d'Espadà).

Another specific route connection is provided by the Fuente de la Heredad: it is 400 metres from Caudiel and can be reached via the Camino Real de Aragón.

Festivals, cherries and religious traditions

The Feria de la Cereza takes place in Caudiel in June. It includes cherries, recipes, handicrafts, other products and folk performances. In 2017, the Feria de la Cereza received the designation Fiesta de Interés Turístico Provincial. The Fiestas Patronales en Honor a la Virgen del Niño Perdido include, among other events, a festive Mass, a procession, a floral offering and the singing of the Gozos.

Discover more destinations

La Llosa, Pina De Montalgrao, Xilxes, Argelita, Traiguera, Fanzara, Almenara and Jérica

For the higher-level travel overview: Castellon.