Guadalest

The village of Guadalest only has about 200 inhabitants and needless to say most of these work in tourist related jobs. You will find many shops selling souvenirs, crafts and local produce such as honey, wine, handbags etc. Guadalest also has a number of small museums many of them converted from little caves in the mountainside.

The castle at Guadalest was built by the Moors over 1,300 years ago. In 1609 King Felipe the third ordered all the Moors to be expelled leading to an uprising after which the Moors were defeated and left Spain. Make sure you look to the right of Guadlest and you will see beautiful views of the valley which contains a dam and reservoir – the Embalse de Guadalest, built between 1953 and 1963.

The other famous building that you will often see photographed or on postcards is the white bell tower of Penon de la Alcala which rises up seemingly precariously perched on the mountainside.

A trip to Guadalest with our guides need only take half a day and you can then be back on the Costa Blanca’s beaches or by your pool but do make the effort because it is a worthwhile sightseeing trip and adds another dimension to your Costa Blanca holiday.