El Castell de Guadalest
- Driving time
- About 1 hour 40 minutes by car
- Area
- Marina Baixa
- Sight
El Castell de Guadalest is a small mountain village with a castle on the rock and views of a turquoise reservoir, and it is about 1 hour 40 minutes by car from Lago Rosa Apartment.
The highest point carries the castle of San José, built in the eleventh century under Moorish rule. Not much of it stands: earthquakes in the seventeenth century and an explosion in 1708 saw to that. That is exactly what makes it so photogenic, with the white bell tower seeming to stand alone on the rock.
You go up through Casa Orduña, the house built after the earthquake of 1644, where the governors of the marquisate lived for about three hundred years. That is also where you buy your castle ticket. The tiny village has eight museums, among them an ethnological museum and one devoted to salt and pepper shakers. It is listed among the most beautiful villages in Spain, which you will notice from the crowds.
Our tip: climb and wander
Climb the steps to the castle and the little church, then wander through the streets. There are plenty of small shops and terraces for a break.
Our tip: parking
There are large car parks below the village. From there you walk up the steps.
Combine it
Les Fonts de l'Algar is in the same area. Start at the waterfalls in the morning, and you have the afternoon for the village.
Frequently asked questions
How do you reach Guadalest castle?
You reach it on foot by steps from the village, with a ticket bought at Casa Orduña.
Does Guadalest work as a day trip?
Yes, particularly combined with Les Fonts de l'Algar, which is in the same area.
Is parking easy?
There are large car parks below the village. You will have the most choice at quiet times.
