Orxeta – Rock Art, Mountains and Ancient Paths
Accommodation in Orxeta
Orxeta lies in a fertile valley on the Sella River and near striking mountains. Two rock shelters with post-Palaeolithic depictions are provisionally dated to the 4th to 3rd millennia BC and belong to the styles known as schematic and Levantine art, respectively. The post-Palaeolithic rock art sites discovered in Orxeta add to the number of rock art sites in the Mediterranean arc of the Iberian Peninsula, whose art was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
File:Garden landscape in Orxeta, Alicante, Valencia, Spain, 2020 January.jpg
Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Landscape
The L'Estret gorge is considered a habitat for large birds of prey and numerous endemic plant species. The Amadorio Reservoir is one of the scenic places that can be reached on hikes starting from Orxeta along old livestock trails. The different landscape settings of valley, gorge and reservoir can be considered side by side when planning your day individually.
Culture and History
The historic packhorse trail Camí del Peix ran through eight municipalities: Alcoi, Benifallim, Orxeta, Penàguila, Relleu, Sella, La Torre de les Maçanes and La Vila Joiosa. The Ermita de Santo Tomás was built in 1665 and forms the final point of reference on Orxeta's traditional Calvario route. Orxeta's Cruz de Término consists of circular steps, a shaft and a wrought-iron cross. The Iglesia Parroquial de San Jaime Apóstol was built between 1759 and 1761, is dedicated to the Apostle James and features a neoclassical floor plan.
Hiking and Trails
The PR-CV 353 hiking trail can be reached via the CV-770 road between Villajoyosa and Sella; there is public parking at the entrance to Orxeta next to Restaurante Paco. The Rutas Verdes project in Orxeta envisages a network of paths for pedestrians and cyclists that runs entirely along traditional paths and livestock trails. For planning purposes, you can consider the individual hiking trail, the tours starting from Orxeta and the planned network of paths as different trail options.
Festivals and Gastronomy
The Fiestas Patronales en Honor a Santo Tomás y San Nazario take place every year in the penultimate week of September, begin on Thursday afternoon and end during the night into the following Monday. The programme includes, among other things, a Correfoc, a large communal barbecue, masses, processions and the ascent of Santo Tomás to the Ermita. The various editions of Orxeta's Fira Gastronòmica combine gastronomy with tastings, family activities, hiking excursions, competitions, music and theatre.
When searching for a holiday apartment in Orxeta, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies. Depending on whether rock art, historic paths, hikes, buildings or festivals are the main focus, you can direct your attention to different types of listing information. The desired length of stay and the focus of each day can also stand side by side as personal planning considerations.
Further destinations: Benissa, Calpe, Muntanya de la Sella, Guardamar Del Segura, Beniarbeig, Gata De Gorgos, Villena and Santa Clara.
For the overview of the wider travel region: Alicante.
