Discover Borriol: Culture, Rock Art and Holiday Apartments

The Borriol Valley follows the course of the Borriol River and connects the coastal plain with the inland areas. The terrain around Borriol is predominantly mountainous; land suitable for agriculture and livestock farming is found mainly in the river valley.

Culture

La Moreria was the neighbourhood where Borriol’s Moriscos lived until their expulsion in 1609. Excavations in La Moreria have uncovered paved streets, simple multi-storey houses, an irrigation channel, cisterns, a cement kiln and an underground granary.

The Church of Sant Bartomeu was built in the 16th century on the site of an earlier 13th-century building. The ceiling of its presbytery features Baroque murals from the late 17th century depicting episodes from the life of the saint.

The Ermita de Sant Vicent Ferrer is a 17th-century building. It stands at the place where the Valencian saint preached in the 15th century and offers panoramic views of Borriol town centre, the Castillo and La Moreria.

The mountain areas contain numerous dry-stone structures, including terraces, stone huts, shelters, cisterns, and lime or cement kilns. The tradition of dry-stone construction forms part of Borriol’s culture, history and landscape and is still passed down from generation to generation. Borriol’s historic irrigation heritage includes, among other features, channels, basins and other structures for using the water around the Borriol River.

The rock paintings of La Joquera were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998, together with dozens of sites featuring Levantine rock art.

History

The Museu d’Història de Borriol (MUHBO) is located in the Casa de la Vila, a late-18th-century building in the Neoclassical style. A Gothic pointed arch from the 15th-century Casa del Consejo has been preserved there. The Roman hall of the MUHBO contains the Mil·liari de Borriol, a stone milestone with an epigraphic inscription. The second floor displays ethnological objects related to Borriol’s traditional stonecutting craft.

The visible remains of the Castillo de Borriol are of Arab origin. A path leads from Borriol town to the Castillo de Borriol.

Trails and Activities

The Ruta de la Joquera is a circular route that features numerous cultural and natural points of interest along its entire course. Bilingual panels provide information about the scientific names of the plants and animals; translations into English and French are also available.

A cycling route in Borriol is suitable for families and children because its gradient is not particularly steep. A mountain-bike route in the municipality is the longest mountain-bike route in the municipality. This allows different types of paths and route characteristics to be compared when planning your day.

Getting There

The municipality of Borriol has a public bus connection to Castelló, operated by Autos Mediterráneo. Borriol’s bus stops are located along Avenida de Zaragoza.

Other Places

Vallivana, Sueras, Peníscola, Cinctorres, La Serra D'en Galceran, Soneja, Castellnovo, Villanueva de Viver

For the overview of the wider region: Castellon.