La Vall de Laguar is an area situated in the Marina Alta region near Benidorm where you can enjoy numerous outdoor activities accompanied by unbeatable views. It is comprised of three villages – Benimaurell, Fleix and Campell – which are all between 300 and 437 metres above sea level.
This area is home to incredible places, including the Barranco del Infierno hiking route, which is one of the region’s greenest natural landscapes. There’s more to the area than nature: you can also visit its historic castle and Casota Tower. Would you like to find out more? We’ll tell you everything you need to know in this post!
La Vall de Laguar’s history
La Vall de Laguar’s history starts in the 13th century under the governance of the Moorish commander, Al-Azraq, when it revolted against the conquering attacks of King James I of Aragon. In 1276, Al-Azraq died in a rebellion, and between 1277 and 1278, Alfonso, the son of King James I, finished with the uprising once and for all following the death of his father.
The areas were shared among the Moors who supported King James I. This caused another rebellion by the Christians, which led to the Moors’ expulsion.
La Vall de Laguar was the last area to be abandoned by the Moors and finally, in 1611, it was repopulated by farmers. Today, all of its history, its charming places and its peaceful natural setting ensure tourism is one of the area’s strong points.
Things to do in La Vall de Laguar
A visit to La Vall de Laguar is synonymous with a love for hiking and the outdoors. Attempting a hiking route through this valley, while taking in its incredible views, is something you need to try. Take note of the places you simply must visit.
The Barranco del Infierno
The Barranco del Infierno is a spectacular canyon that has been carved by the Girona River over the course of thousands of years. This trail is also called ‘Hiking’s Cathedral’ as it involves more than 6,800 steps. Impressive, right?
The trail is based on a circular route that will allow you to explore its cultural and historic heritage. You will discover a large number of caves and numerous cave paintings. If you love adventures, you’ll be happy to know that you can also try canyoning at certain points. Of course, along the way you can enjoy the incredible surrounding scenery.
Las Adzaharas Castle
This Islamic castle is situated near Benimaurell, atop a rocky spur standing more than 500 metres above sea level. It is formed by two parts, each with a rectangular floor plan, that have been partially excavated into the rock. Some remnants of its walls can still be seen, in addition to an old Arabian underground reservoir and part of a tower.
Additionally, the remains of pottery items from different eras have been found around the castle. It’s well worth a visit!
Casota Tower
This is a 12th-century defensive tower situated near Campell. From here, you can see all of the area’s fortresses, such as Las Adzaharas Castle and Denia Castle. If it’s a clear day you may even see the island of Ibiza.
It is a rectangular building with walls 1.19 metres thick, for which reason it is considered a military construction: a tower with a strategic location used to watch over and defend the area.
El Cavall Verd’s mountains
In 1609, the last Moors in the valley were defeated in El Cavall Verd’s mountains, which is why they are so important historically. They include a peak that is 793 metres tall, pertaining to the Serra del Penyó Mountain Range in the southern part of La Vall de Laguar.
If you’re more daring, you enjoy hiking, and you decide to climb this peak, you can enjoy almost a bird’s eye view of the mountain landscapes and Alicante’s coastline. You won’t forget the experience in a hurry!
Campell, Fleix, Benimaurell and their churches
The area of La Vall de Laguar comprises three villages. Campell has around 300 inhabitants and it’s worth visiting its church, Santa Ana. Fleix, where La Valle de Laguar’s local government is located, is home to approximately 200 people. This village has been built around the Church of Santa Teresa and San Pascual. Lastly, Benimaurell contains 260 inhabitants and is presided over by the 16th-century Church of Los Santos Cosme and Damián. Which one will you be visiting first?
Hiking in La Vall de Laguar
La Vall de Laguar is definitely a hiker’s paradise. What makes us say that? The fact this valley has numerous trails.
The PR-CV 147 trail, ‘Hiking’s Cathedral’ through the Barranco del Infierno, is around 14.5km in length and of medium difficulty. The PR-CV 181 trail, Felix – Penyó Roig, is a difficult 25km trail. Alternatively, you can try the Vuelta a la Laguna, which is a circular trail from Benimaurell covering around 8km of average difficulty. If you would like a shorter route that is no less important, try the Sierra de Garga trail of 6.5km or the descent to the Ísber Strait via Campell, which is around 6km. Will you be trying one of them?
Now you know all about La Vall de Laguar and its history, there’s no excuse not to visit.
In addition to everything we’ve mentioned, La Vall de Laguar is close to beautiful places like Benidorm. Here at Hotel Don Pancho we can’t wait to offer you quality service. We’re sure a massage sounds great after a busy day hiking. What are you waiting for?
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