Last Tuesday 38 members left Jávea on the Spanish Culture & Cuisine tour, travelling to Cofrentes where, after time for refreshments, we boarded the tourist train for a guided route along the Cabriel River. The Cabriel can boast of being one of the rivers with the highest water quality in all of Europe.
We arrived at the small village of Casas del Río where we had a short walk to see the old wooden hydraulic waterwheel from the 18th century, the only one that is currently in operation in the Valencian Community.
After a buffet lunch, we then went on to the Hotel Monasterio de Tejada, our base for the next 2 nights. Once checked in, a guided visit followed to the church of Nuestra Señora de Tejeda, adjacent to the Monastery.
As it was Halloween night, we donned our witches’ hats and dressed in black/red for the occasion!
Next morning we made our way to Ademuz, a picturesque town laid out along the slopes of Mount Zafranes. From a distance, it is possible to make out the mantle of houses nestled together on the mountain, with Ademuz Castle at the top. The Arab origin of Ademuz becomes evident when you enter its narrow and winding streets.
One of the symbols of the municipality is the esperiega apple, a variety native to Ademuz that is defined by its hard flesh, large size and unique sweetness. Many bags of apples were purchased before moving on to the Chiringuito de Los Arenales de Ademuz for a tapas lunch.
On our final day we travelled to Aras de los Olmos which is located at an altitude of 936 metres above sea level. The town is famous for the fossil of a Losillasaurus, the largest dinosaur to be found in the Valencia Region weighing over 25 tonnes. The group divided into 2 for a guided tour of the village, and the Ecomuseo. Unfortunately rain prevailed for group two, which was a great shame as Aras de los Olmos is a really pretty town, decorated with many flower pots, baskets and roses.
We then made the short journey to the Centro Big History for a daytime star gazing experience under the dome, with everyone seated in reclining chairs to make the viewing a more comfortable experience! Aras de los Olmos is named a Starlight Reserve, where natural night sky light conditions are intact and local communities have committed to protect the quality of the night sky and maintain a dark zone.
Lunch then followed in the spacious and comfortable Restaurante Las Sabinas in the Aras Rural Hotel, before our return to Jávea.
Our many thanks to everyone for making it such an enjoyable and fun trip, and to Piotr Azia for posting great photos and videos on Facebook, and his translation skills! Angela & Tony
