One of the best excursions that you can do in Spain in the inland of Castellón is the excursion to Vilafamés village and The San José Caves (Les Coves de Sant Josep).
Vilafamés – the most beautiful village in Spain
My day started early in the morning after a fresh breakfast and a wake up with a beautiful view. If you take your accommodation to Gran Hotel Peñíscola you can enjoy your morning coffee with a view, directly on the beach. The hotel is located on the first line of one of the most beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean and Costa del Azahar. There are more than 7 kilometers of uninterrupted beach connecting the towns of Peñíscola and Benicarló, in front of the new Paseo Marítimo.
North Beach, Peñiscola
North Beach, Peñiscola
After almost one hour driving, our bus stopped in a magnificent region – the winding road stopped in the middle of nowhere, some bushes and a castle was showing into the distance on a hill.
Bus parking area
From the bus parking area you will need to walk approximately 20 to 30 minutes to get to the small center of Vilafamés village.
Bus parking area
The quietness of the area was surrounded by green trees, hills and the time stopped a bit like we were in a medieval atmosphere. I felt like climbing a story where the small narrow streets were changing the landscape. From 20 to 20 meters you were in some other scenery. Like you were reading a new page of a book. Each scene was filled with exotic flowers, that were adding a spot of colour to each building.
Flowers in front of the houses in Vilafamés
The area is very well preserved, some of the houses look like hundreds of years ago and some of them are refurbished.
Basically you follow a climbing road that starts at the center of the village and goes up to the castle. Around 10.30 in the morning the coffee shops inside village are still closed some of them, the Spanish concept “no pasa nada” being here quite respected. It TRULY means that there’s no problem and the other person should brush it off―it’s all good! But “no pasa nada” means exactly RELAX. Some old locals of the village were sitting quietly in the middle of the small square looking at the tourists, but no shop was open.
Vilafamès town centre
Vilafamès town centre
As you climb the road to the castle the scenery is changing again. A small local winery drawn from fairytales, gorgeous houses with local trees, olives and flowers planted next to them and as you arrive to the main street of the castle, the smell of coffee invites you to stop for a refreshment and one Cortado coffee. Time stands still here.
Winery in Vilafamés
Refurbished house in Vilafamés
Main street going to the castle
As you walk the main small street that goes up to the castle you are welcomed by a large mass of reddish sedimentary rock known as ‘rodeno’. Although its formation occurred more than 200 million years ago, its current configuration dates back around 30 million years. It has an approximate weight of 2,163 tons. The current appearance of the area is the result of both natural and human action.
The legend says that the locals of the village attempted to drag the rock down for fear of being crushed; as they tied the rope to pull it, it broke without moving the rock, causing them all to fall to the ground and stain their backsides red. Since then, they have been known as “culrojos” (red-bottoms).
ROCA GROSSA
Roca Grossa gives the feeling that an invisible wedge holds it. It has become an attractive characteristic of Vilafamés.
Roca Grossa
Also, after you pass Roca Grossa, the winery, and you admire the beautiful houses each of them in a different style, you get to a crosswalk with a beautiful view over the small village. Most of the tourists stop here for a refreshment, to admire the view or simply to rest.
Scenic viewpoint – Vilafamés
And in about 200 meters of climbing you arrive to the beautiful Iglesia parroquial de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora – The Church of the Assumption, located at the foot of the castle and opposite what was once the Casa de la Villa. It is a medieval building that was renovated into a Baroque style in the 17th century.
The Church of the Assumption
The CASTLE
The evidence of the settlement dates back 5000 years in its surroundings (such as the Castell Shelter), its use as a fortified structure originates from the Andalusian period. The current appearance was shaped in the 19th century, when the central circular tower was constructed. The Castle in Vilafamés is designated as a Cultural Heritage Site.
Castle in Vilafamés, view from the center of the town
Climbing down the road coming back from the castle you will be welcomed by other fairytale streets with preserved houses. The architecture stood the same as hundreds of years ago and even if the town is currently inhabited by almost 2000 people in 2022 and many people left the area, Spain is declaring it one of the most beautiful villages in the country.
Fairytale street walking down from the castle
Overall, if you decide to take a holiday in Spain this autumn, do not miss this town drawn from fairytales. The excursion to Vilafamés has a second stop to Cuevas de San José, the largest navigable cave in Europe.
So do not miss the next post.
Soon…