Guadalest town, Guadalest Castle & Guadalest Bell Tower, Costa Blanca, Spain
This picturesque fortified town located on a massive rock is the most visited town in Spain,book yourexcursion to Guadalest
Panoramic view of Guadalest Old Fortified Town and lake Guadalest taken from Guadalest Castle
Guardalest Church is the building on the right
Guadalest Introduction and Entrance to the fortified town and castle
Guadalest is the most visited town in Spain with more than 2 million visitors a year. When you visit Guadalest you will soon realise the reason why. It is extremely picturesque located on a shear sided mountain overlooking and providing magnificent views of the river, the dam which forms a lake, the valley of Guadalest and more craggy mountains.
The picturesque Guadalest bell tower perched on a rock pinnacle is now the icon for the Alicante province of Spain and the Costa Blanca.
The town has been built in 3 major stages
The fortified town of Guadalest
Guadalest Entrance Tunnel
- The fortified town of Guadalest is the main attraction of Guadalest & was built by the Moors
- Access to the fortified town and castle is gained through a tunnel named the "Portal de San Jose", which is a 15 metres long tunnel carved through the mountain side solid rock. This is the only way into the fortified town
- The entrance to the old fortified town of Guadalest is located through a tunnel part cleft in the rock and part carved through the mountain side that leads to the far side of the mountain and not visible from the main road. Above the tunnel filling the cleft in the rock is a white house
- The walled town is built on a high flat plateaux that run along the long narrow mountain side, approximately half way up. The castle built before the town runs along the higher ridge. Both the castle and the town were built by the Moors
- When the limited space in the fortified town was full, the Moors built additional houses between the mountain base and the modern main road, I refer to this as the Moors town..
- Most of the portion of the town on the other side of the main road is fairly modern being built to support the tourist industry
Both the "Moor portion and the fortified sections of the town" are interesting to view, but the fortified section is the place to head for. Most of the residents have now moved out to local newer towns and have turned there old houses into restaurants, bars, tourist shops, museums and similar ventures to benefit from the tourist boom. Some of the shops have very interesting knickknacks, and craft made items besides the usual tourist goodies. Ideal as a personnel souvenir or as a gift for a relative or friend.
Guadalest from a distance
This photograph helps visualise the dramatic scenery in the Guadalest region. Just look at those fabulous rock formations.
Guadalest New Town & Guadalest Modern Town
Guadalest New Town built by the Moors is in the foreground and the Modern town is towards the top of the photo beyond the main road and car park
Guadalest Moorish New Town
The Guadalest Moorish New Town in the middle of the photograph. The ramparts of the castle are on the ridge of the mountain, to both sides of the white Guadalest Bell Tower. The entrance to the fortified town is at the foot of the crack to the left of the Bell Tower
Road near Tunnel to Guadalest fortified town
Guadalest gardens
Guadalest
The Famous Bell Tower of Guadalest
The Famous Bell Tower of Guadalest is located on top of a rock pinnacle and is the iconic logo for the Costa Blanca and the province of Alicante
Guadalest Bell Tower on a slim rock pinnacle
Guadalest Bell Tower and square tower of the Alcozaiba Castle in the background
Entrance to Guadalest below & to left of Bell Tower
On top of a round rock pinnacle, Penon de la Alcala, is a round watch tower, of which only the lower portion remains. Access to the tower is extremely difficult. making it a good defensive position for the castle.
Town Hall, Town Square and Dungeon
Guadalest Town Square, with Town Hall behind the statue and light feature.
The man under the tree is sat on top of the rear wall of the fortified town. There are fabulous views looking over the reservoir in the valley below, and the backdrop of hills on the far side of the valley. The rear wall is really a facing of stone over the solid rock face.
The Town Hall was formerly the towns prison and visitors can see one of the dungeons located underneath the Town Hall
Guadalest rear city wall and square
Guadalest Graveyard Church
Guadalest Graveyard
Guadales Square
Guadalest dungeon
Guadalest Street and Restaurant
Orduna House Museum - Entrance to St Joseph Castle (San Jose), Guadalest
- Access to the castle ramparts is gained through the Orduna House Museum the first house in the fortified town of Guadalest. A small fee is payable to view the house and the castle.
- The castle was built by the Moors in the 7th century on the highest part of the massive rock outcrop. Because of its location it was virtually impregnable and it's ruinous state was caused mainly by earthquakes and by gunpowder during an attack in the the War of Succession 1709.
- It was during the War of Succession that Britain captured Gibraltar. Spain formally ceded it to Britain under the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
- From the rear of Orduna House Museum (see photos below) runs a set of modern stairs through the shrubbery gardens to the castle on the crest of the ridge.
- The views from the top are stunning and coin operated binoculars are available to use.
- The way out from the castle is via route that takes you to the far end of the fortified town near the town hall.
- The final exit from the grounds controlled by a one way turnstile.
Guadalest Stairs to the Castle from Ordunas House
San Jose Castle on the mountain peak
Guadalest Castle taken from the lane that leads toward the mountain from the main road
Views from Guadalest Castle
The stunningly magnificent views from the castle are simply breathtaking and well worth the climb to the top.
View from Guadalest Castle
View from Guadalest
View from the descent from the Castle to the fortiefied town.
Guadalest
View of Lake Dam from descent from Castle
Guadalest descent Castle
Guadalest Museums
Miniatures Museum of Manuel Ussa
Orduna House Museum (Casa de Orduna) Guadalest Castle Entrance
Orduna House was built in XVII XIX century and is located just inside the entrance to the fortified town of Guadalest. Originally belonging to the Orduna family who served the castle owners as castle guardians and governors to the estate. The house was purchased by local council and turned into a museum in 1994.
You have to pass through the house for access to St Joseph Castle.
Orduna House has 4 levels. Keep a lookout for the following as you go through the house
- Madonna asleep alta piece
- Art Gallery with religious paintings
- Kitchen & dining room with interesting pottery collection
- Aristocratic rooms, furniture & decoration
- Library and document archive
The 15 metre long slopping tunnel carved through solid rock is the only way into the fortified town. Opposite the tunnel exit is Orduna House (Casa de Orduna)
Guadalest Casa de Orduna Museum
Orduna House the municipal museum is the first building inside the old town entrance. Entrance to the castle located above is through the house and its grounds to the rear of the house.
Guadalest internal view of Entrance and the only exit from the Fortified Town
Tourist and a young man delivering a gas cylinder continue up the slope from the tunnel towards Orduna House
Casa de Orduna Dining
Casa de Orduna Kitchen
Casa de Orduna Living Room
Dolls Houses Museum
Dolls House
Beautifully crafted doll houses with all the fantastic details made by Antonio Marco.
There is also a beautiful several ton Bethlehem Nativity scenario made from stone, brick, bonsai trees, plants & iron that took 20 years to make.
Located at Virgin Street, 2 in the moors town on the way to the entrance to the fortified town.
Ethnological Museum
The Ethnological Museum of the Valley of Guadalest
he Ethnological Museum of the Valley of Guadalest shows how people lived, what tools and implements they used, the clothes they wore.
Historical Vehicles Museum
Museum of old motorbikes, some with sidecars, scooters and cars.
Located on the road to Guadalest from the coast, after Callosa d'en Sarrian near to the El Riu Restaurant.
Open Summer: from 10:30am to 8pm.
Open Winter: from 10:30am to 6pm.
Micro and Gigantic Museum
With the aid of magnifying glasses you can marvel at this miniature world.
See objects such as:
- A bullring on a pinhead
- A flee riding a bicycle on a seed
- An ant playing a violin
- and more
Calle del Sol, 2
Miniatures Museum of Manuel Ussa
Another museum of miniature marvels requiring the use of a magnifying glass.
See objects such as:
- A copy of Picasso's painting Guerica painted onto a seed.
- A model of the statue of Liberty inside the eye of a needle
- A Goya painting on a rice grain
- and more
Ribera Girona Museum
The Ribera Girona Museum
The Ribera Girona Museum is a contemporary art gallery displaying displays art, architecture and landscapes of various 20th century artists. Also at this venue is the Magic Garden of figures
Closed saturdays
Open Summer: from 10am to 8pm.
Open Winter: from 10am to 6pm.
Calle Pena, 1. Postal Code: 03517 Telephone: 965 885 062
Torture Museum
Barbaric medieval to almost present times instruments of torture and execution gathered from Europe.
Calle Honda, 2. Located in the Old town
Coach Trip to Guadalest
Day Trip to Guadalest from Benidorm or Albir More information
Coach Trip to Guadalest & Algar Waterfalls
Day Trip to Guadalest & Algar Waterfalls from Benidorm More information
