Impressive Guadalest!

Spain is chock full of history and I think I will never tire of driving through the countryside and seeing castle after castle appear on the horizon. Especially in the interior of the country, the after-effects of the centuries-long Islamic and Catholic conflicts in the country are still fully visible. You will find it difficult to drive through Spain for more than an hour or two without seeing the top of a hill, occupied by an unknown fortress or an impressive stone construction. I often spend my Sundays in Spain asking "What is the name of that random castle on that hill" and immediately google where I can find the place and what it means.

Often these places don't even have names and are known to few people. In this article, I'll show you one of the most impressive mountain fortresses in Valencia called Guadalest!

About a 50 minute drive north from the city of Alicante, the small village of Guadalest sits on a high mountain plateau. To reach it you have to drive on many winding and steep mountain roads. The route there is very spectacular, many curves and breathtaking views. Not normal.

The Guadalest Castle is located above the city, which is surprisingly traditional and historical. Although many of the restaurants and shops in the city are very focused on catering for the tourists who come for a historical visit, they still manage to remain acceptable at normal prices. Tip, you can get very tasty traditional honey here, which is notorious among the Spaniards. There are plenty of historic sites so tourist-oriented that it can take you away from enjoying the history and location - but Guadalest Castle is not one of these. You can walk around the old outer walls of the castle without paying and you can also explore the city and do some shopping. If you want to enter the interior of the castle and look out from the interior walls and towers they charge a very small fee, which I think is worth it, the images you can take in are truly unbelievably beautiful!

Due to the height of the castle, the view over the surrounding mountains, rivers and houses is remarkable. The castle is located about 250 meters above the countryside and has a dominant position for those who used the castle as a lookout, source of protection and home. The Guadalest River flows past the castle, and into the Embassament de Guadalest (a kind of lake), and the lake is a big part of these spectacular views (which are almost always present in Spain's historic mountain castles).

Enjoy!

Image gallery