Discover Castellnovo: Castle, Church Art and the Sierra

On the hill of San Cristóbal, in the immediate vicinity of Castellnovo's town centre, stands the Castillo de Beatriz de Borgia, designated as a Bien de Interés Cultural. Those choosing a holiday apartment in Castellnovo can consider the town's main features as neutral points of comparison: architectural history, landscape, festivals and regional cuisine each offer their own distinctive highlights.

Culture

In the mid-15th century, at the instigation of Beatriz de Borgia, the castle was given the form of a palace with Renaissance influences. The Castillo de Beatriz de Borgia is also attributed with Roman origins. During Muslim rule, it was rebuilt on older remains; this history gave rise to the names Castillo Nuevo and Castellnou.

The Cisterna Árabe is a Hispano-Arab structure that remained essential to Castellnovo's water supply until the 1960s. It comprises a staircase, an underground chamber and a circular basin with a capacity of approximately 200,000 litres. In the Alto Palancia comarca, the Cisterna de Castellnovo is considered one of the best-preserved examples of Islamic water engineering of its kind.

The Iglesia de los Santos Reyes is a Renaissance church with a Latin-cross floor plan, Corinthian and Doric columns, a chapel and two coupled domes. The church preserves 17th-century wall paintings, particularly in the chapel. The first construction phase was completed on 24 September 1662.

The religious buildings on the hills are also part of the town's history. The Ermita de San Antonio de Padua was built in 1724 at the beginning of the ascent to Cerro de San Cristóbal and has an atrium to protect worshippers and visitors. The Ermita de San Cristóbal stands on the 571-metre-high summit of Cerro de San Cristóbal, dates from the 15th century and was completely restored in 1977.

Nature and trails

From the square by the Ermita de San Cristóbal, views extend across the Río Palancia basin towards the Mediterranean; the Sierra Calderona Natural Park lies in the background. A moderately difficult cycling tour is designated R18. It is 57 kilometres long, runs through the forests of the Sierra de Espadán and along the Pantano del Regajo and the Río Palancia, with the first five kilometres starting from Castellnovo.

From the area around the Fuente de la Mina, a trail leads through the Sierra de San Roque to the Río Chico and the Poza de los Gitanos, which is suitable for bathing. The cycling tour and this trail already differ in their means of travel and destination; such clear characteristics make it easier to plan your day according to your preferences without reducing the town to a single activity.

Festivals

The events calendar combines religious references with local traditions. The celebrations of Santa Cruz in Castellnovo include a traditional Chocolatada. The Fiesta de la Mina takes place in July and includes the distribution of filled sandwiches as well as a dance event. Las Mozas honours the Virgen del Rosario; the streets are decorated and a fancy-dress parade takes place.

For further discoveries in the wider surrounding area, you can visit Calig, Argelita, Torre la Sal, Vilar De Canes, Culla, Sant Jordi, Alcalà De Xivert and Cirat.

Local cuisine

Olla de col is considered a typical dish of Castellnovo. Other recommended local specialities include Olla de pencas, Cocas and artisanally produced cheeses.

For the broader travel overview: Castellon.