Moorish Trails of Valencia | Walking Holiday in Spain | Self Guided Walking Holiday

This walk in Spain provides a wonderful opportunity to explore the Moorish trails, some dating back to the 11th Century, in the Mountains of Eastern Spain. Here, the Moors created their own kingdom, bringing their own culture and introducing crops including oranges, lemons, peaches, apricots, almonds and olives. They built their own vineyards, cultivating and developing the mountain sides by building terraces. The Moors defended region from many castles and watchtowers, the ruins of which still exist today.

The trails connect all the major valleys and villages and cross mountain ranges. We are offering a unique opportunity to walk over these trails, with panoramic views of the Mediterranean in the distance, the orange and lemon groves in the valleys below and almond and olive groves further into the mountain ranges. The stone walled mountain terraces are still cultivated with almond and olive trees, some of which are believed to be hundreds of years old.

Accommodation is mainly in small, traditional hotels with good facilities, plus one night in a beautifully restored village guest house. It is possible to add extra nights in Valencia at the start or end of your holiday. Valencia is a city of culture and architectural beauty with several museums including a dedicated scenic arts museum at the Arts Palace, The Prince Felipe Science Museum designed to house permanent and travelling theme exhibitions, the L'Hemisferic planetarium and the Oceanographic Park.

Grade: All the walks are graded as moderate giving you the opportunity to fully explore the area in this Mediterranean climate, where the sun shines 300 days a year, with temperatures seldom dropping below 16° at midday in the winter months.

Getting There: Fly to Valencia or Alicante Airport.

There are many flights to Valencia: British Airways/Iberia fly from Gatwick Airport; Easyjet flys from Stansted, Bristol and Gatwick Airports; Thomson fly from Coventry Airport; Jet 2 fly from Manchester and Leeds Bradford Airports.

There are scheduled and chartered, low cost flights to Alicante from virtually all airports in the UK.

Day 1 Arrive either Valencia or Alicante Airport.
From the airport you have a private transfer to your first night's accommodation in a traditional Spanish Guest House near to the pleasant town of Gandia. You are hosted by our British tour organisers who provide dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation with a private bathroom.

Day 2 Val D'Ebo to Benimaurell.
Transfer to Val D' Ebor for your walk to Benimaurell and the Hotel Alahuar. Ancient trails lead you from the typical Spanish village of Val D'Ebo, first along the banks of the Rio Ebo and then in the hills above before descending into the dramatic gorge of the Barranco del Infierno on a beautiful Moorish trail which is claimed to date back to the 11th Century. Beyond is the village of Fleix and a short walk leads to the village of Benimaurell. Your accommodation is the Hotel Alahuar, with dinner, bed, breakfast, with en suite facilities. ~ 10 miles (5 hours, or 6 hours with diversions)

Day 3 Circular Walk.
Today you walk from the Hotel Alahuar to the head of the Valle de Laguart where you will have views of the Valle de Jalon, draped in almond blossom in early Spring, and the Mediterranean beyond. You will also have the opportunity to view the Barranco del Infierno from the western side before returning to Benimaurell on  the best preserved Moorish trail in the region, which descends into another gorge and back up to the hotel . ~ 10 miles (4.5 hours)

Day 4 Serrella Castle to Castell de Castells.
You have a transfer to the mountain village of Castell de Castells and after a short coffee break transfer to the start of your walk at Serrella Castle. The castle is situated at over 1000m, however the ascent is gradual and once the peaks have been achieved you will have uninterrupted views of various mountain ranges including Sierra Helada at Albir, Ponoch above Polop and Puig Campana at over 4,000 feet, and below the Valle de Guadalest. You follow a downhill walk to the village of Castell de Castells to Hotel Casa Pilar, a beautifully restored village house with a vaulted dining room, where you will enjoy dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation with en suite facilities. ~ 8 miles (4 hours, or 5 hours with diversions)

Day 5 Circular walk from Castell de Castells.
Today's shorter walk allows you the opportunity of exploring this traditional Spanish village. There is a small Moorish Museum worthy of a visit. Your circular walk goes downstream along the Rio de Castells river bed and climbs along a Moorish trail by the side of La Espalda. The route circumnavigates the village and climbs to the peaks once more, offering distant views of various mountain ranges including the Sierra del Alfato and the Sierra Aixorta before descending back to Castell de Castells where you return to the Hotel Casa Pilar for dinner, bed and breakfast. ~ 8 miles (4.5 hours)

Day 6 Castell de Castells to Tarbena.
Today you walk from Castell de Castells to your final hotel in Tarbena. The walk is a mixture of pine clad valleys, almond and olive groves, moorland hillsides, the deep gorge of the Rio Villatona, distant views of mountain ranges and finally a dramatic view of the Barranco Tancat as you descend into the village of Tarbena. This last valley has probably the most dramatic scenery on the whole route. Tarbena was a last stronghold of Republicanism during the Spanish civil war. Your accommodation, a beautifully restored village house, is the family-run, 2* Hotel Tarbena. Near the hotel is the Casa Pilet bar and restaurant, decorated with Spanish civil war memorabilia, which serves excellent food. ~ 12 miles (6.5 hours)

Day 7 Circular Walk from Tarbena
Today you will explore the delightful valley seen yesterday on your walk from Castell de Castells. There are dramatic views of the Barranco Tancat, and in the distance the Costa Blanca resorts and Mediterranean Sea. The route meanders on to the Font del Olbis to descend and return to the Hotel Tarbena through the almond and olive groves of the Valle de Tarbena. ~ 9 miles (4-5 hours)

Day 8 Departure.
Private transfer to your destination Airport or to your hotel in Valencia.