Richard van Kruchten
organizer
Walking along the Mediterranean Sea and through the mountains around Valencia
Discover the lovely and rugged hinterland of Valencia. You walk for 6 days with a local guide through protected nature areas, both in the mountains and along the coast. The coastal plain is full of oranges and typical Mediterranean vegetation. Behind them, steep mountains rise with jagged rocks of red sandstone, forests full of cork oaks, olive and almond groves, white medieval villages with age-old irrigation canals and Moorish castles on the horizon. You will stay in special places, including an "eco hotel", in an old olive oil mill, in typical mountain villages and on the edge of the famous fortified town of Peñiscola, on a rock on the Mediterranean Sea. I know this area very well, I often come with my own family. And I would like to show you my favourite places. In winter, spring and autumn the weather is ideal for hiking. Daytime temperature may be 20 degrees (celsius), and the sun shines here 300 days a year. The perfect climate to enjoy pink almond blossoms under a clear blue sky!
DATES&RATES
Bring your hiking friends and choose the date that best fits your group.
(min. 6 persons for guided tours)
or any date that fits you, using GPS
(minimum 2 people)
9 days / 8 nights
€ 829 per person (low-mid season)
e.g. Bed & breakfast
in a double room
Single room: + € 229
extension possible in Valencia
Discover the lovely and rugged hinterland of Valencia, on the Mediterranean Sea.
You walk for 6 days with a local guide through protected nature areas, both in the mountains and along the coast.
The coastal plain is full of oranges and typical Mediterranean vegetation. Behind them, steep mountains rise with jagged rocks of red sandstone, forests full of cork oaks, olive and almond groves, white medieval villages with age-old irrigation canals and Moorish castles on the horizon.
You will stay in special places, including an "eco-hotel", in an old olive oil mill, in typical mountain villages and on the edge of the famous fortified town of Peñiscola, on a rock on the Mediterranean Sea. In the Valencia region, the sun shines 300 days a year and can also reach 20 degrees in the winter (during the day).
It is a round trip with 6 brisk hikes accompanied by local - English speaking - guides and the necessary transfers and luggage transport.
Stay in various characteristic accommodations based on bed and breakfast.
Minimum number of participants for this trip is 6, maximum is 16.
You walk 4 to 6 hours a day, sometimes on the coastal plain, but especially in a mountain landscape. The height difference varies from 100-600 meters. Sometimes you go up steeply and descend on narrow paths.
A few times over stairs with sometimes deep steps. Suitable for the sporty energetic walker with mountain hiking experience.
Day 1, Monday
Arrival in Valencia,
(flight) travel not included.
Welcome meeting and stay at **** hotel Eurostars Acteon, within walking distance of the famous park by the Turia River and the futuristic buildings of architect Santiago Calatrava.
Day 2, Tuesday
The walking week starts with a relatively easy walk through the valley of the river Mijares, with high chalk cliffs on the horizon. The tour goes through the mountain village of Fanzara, an open-air museum where towering murals and installations by international artists rival traditional art in the 16th-century church.
Watch the video of this stage here.
Stay at * the Verdia hotel in Sueras, located in a former olive oil mill, with huge millstones in the interior.
Day 3, Wednesday
A first introduction to the Sierra de Espadán, a protected natural area with rugged red sandstone rocks and extensive forests. During the Spanish Civil War, a defensive line of endless trenches was built here, resulting in a severe battle. We literally walk through the trenches, on the flanks of the mountains. An impressive combination of history and unspoiled nature. Overnight at * hotel Verdía.
Day 4, Thursday
Via the enormous "organ pipes" and the reservoir of Benitandus we walk through olive groves to the white mountain village of Aín. This 17th-century village with picturesque streets is surrounded by old orchards and cork oaks on terraces and an age-old irrigation system with canals and aqueducts.
View the video of this stage here.
Accommodation in one of the Bed & Breakfasts in the village of Aín or neighbouring Eslida, depending on the size and composition of the group.
Day 5, Friday
After spectacular gorges full of cork oaks around Eslida, a descent follows between the almond orchards to Alfondeguilla. In February they are full of bright pink blossoms.
On our way, you will find a medieval refrigerator and the ruins of Castro Castle, built in red sandstone.
View the video of this environment here.
Hidden among orchards is the **** eco-hotel Mar de Fulles, a special hotel with a sustainable philosophy and a fantastic slow-food restaurant.
Day 6, Saturday
Walking tour from the eco-hotel to La Dehesa, a protected nature reserve with a small lagoon and stunning views over the almond and olive groves. We also find millstones here, which were previously carved from the rocks at this place. The almond trees also bloom exuberantly here in February.
Stay in **** eco hotel Mar de Fulles.
Day 7, Sunday
Walk through the Sierra de Irta, a protected nature area with steep mountains on one side and "virgin coast" on the other, without modern buildings. We stroll along rocky bays with crystal clear water and the original Mediterranean vegetation. The endpoint is the white fortified town of Peñiscola, with a medieval castle towering high above the sea.
View the video of this stage here.
You stay here in **** hotel RH Don Carlos, within walking distance of the historic centre.
Day 8, Monday
A large part of the day you have free time to further explore the fortress and endless alleys of Peñiscola or take a long beach walk.
In the afternoon we leave for Valencia, where you will stay again in **** hotel Acteon.
Day 9, Tuesday
Our package ends after breakfast.
You can extend your stay in Valencia city by one or more nights.
The (flight) trip back home is not included.
ACCOMMODATIONS
**** Hotel Sercotel Acte
on, Valencia.
This hotel with newly renovated rooms is within walking distance of the futuristic "City of Arts and Sciences", with good bus connections to the sea and the historic center of Valencia.
* Hotel Verdia, Sueras. Simple but attractive hotel in a former olive oil mill, in the middle of a nice village. The huge millstones still stand in the restaurant.
Bed & Breakfasts in Aín and / or Eslida.
In these mountain villages you will be accommodated in one of the many "casas rurales" or guesthouses, mostly located in historical buildings. Depending on the size and composition of the group, participants are divided into various accommodations, each with their own charm.
**** Ecohotel Mar de Fulles, Alfondeguila.
The most sustainable hotel that we've seen before, with its own energy supply, water source and recycling, organic cotton in the rooms, and a restaurant without a freezer. Cooking is done with fresh products, as much as possible from the own garden or the immediate surroundings. The hotel has its own walking park with centuries-old cork oaks and lots of seating areas, spread over the enormous grounds.
**** RH Hotel Don Carlos Peñiscola or RH Portocristo
These comfortable 4-star hotels are not far from the historic center
Mentioned accommodations are subject to availability.
The order or parts of the program can be changed due to weather conditions or to guarantee availability.