0871 423-5058
Only £25 deposit per room
- Spain Sub Region Menu
- Spain
- Cities
- Costa Brava
- Costa Blanca
- Costa del Sol
- Costa Dorada
- Other Spain
0871 423-5058
Only £25 deposit per room
The Costa Del Azahar stretch of coast from Vinaros in the north down to Chilches and Almenara sits within the Valencia region. The area includes resort hotspots such as Peniscola, Alcossebre and stunning Benicassim. Outside of these lively resorts the area remains for the moment still relatively undiscovered. Castellon's Airport is set to open in 2008 so the area is expected to get a lot busier in the near future.
Costa Azahar capital Castellon has a heritage in textiles and tiles/ceramics. Find out more at the Museu Belles Artes in Castellon where a huge display of the city's ceramics are on display. The Costa del Azahar is renowned for its stunning beaches, particularly at Benicassim which is as popular with the Spanish as increasingly international visitors.
The Costa del Azahar, the Orange Blossom Coast, stretches south of Tortosa and the Ebro Delta towards Valencia. Officially the Costa Azahar begins at Vinaros at the northern end and finishes at Chilches and Almenara just before you push into Sagunto and Valencia city. Indeed this beautiful stretch of coast with central historic hotspot Castellon is part of the Valencia region.
Still relatively quiet, but attracting increasing interest the Costa del Azahar is set to boom further when Castellon's controversial airport opens in 2008. For the moment Valencia Airport is the main entrance into this region. Centre Castellon offers much of interest including its historic heritage in Spanish tiles and ceramics - still a thriving industry providing around 80 percent of the tile and ceramics industry in Spain. Castellon de la Plana is a lively city, with pretty good beaches, great nightlife and a choice of superb museums including the acclaimed Museo de Bellas Artes.
Push inland from Castellon up the winding and stunning CV20 and discover the spa village resort of Montanejos. Free bathing is popular the warm waters of the Fuente de Los Banos just 1km north of Montanejos. Checkout Montanejos' webguide right for details.
Main resort hotspots on the Costa del Azahar include Peniscola and Alcossebre/Alcoceber (see separate guides for these hotspots elsewhere on the Costa Dorada pages). Other popular bases on the Azahar coast include historic Benicarlo with its Arabic origins. Benicarlo has a beautifully long beach, alongside a medieval town centre and delightful fishing port. Torreblanca further south again has a superb beach area with a selection of restaurants. Growing all the time, Torreblanca is picking up speed as a tourist resort. The natural park area of Cabanes is easily accessed from Torreblanca. For in-depth details on more top locations along the Costa del Azahar coast see the Costa Azahar webguide right for details.
Benicassim's popularity as a seaside resort stretches back to the 19th century - local wealthy Valencians had a habit of holidaying here and it's still very popular with the Spanish. Not surprising - the beaches here are sublime and they run in one long line south towards Castellon's beaches which they join up with.
Beautiful beaches combine with a history of Arabic roots. The name of El Cid crops up here in Benicassim - he too the fortress in 1094, later recovered by the Christian Jaime I in 1234. There's a Villa Route in the town, viewing some of the villas built by wealthy Valencian families in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Of real architectural interest, most of the villas line the Levante's Biarritz bay area of Benicassim. See the Benicassim webguide right for details and photography.
Benicassim is a fiesta town - Easter Week, Saint John's Night, Santo Tomas de Villanueva Feast in September and Paella Night are just a few of this town's annual celebrations. Golf fans would do well to base themselves here as a number of golf courses are in the area (listed on Benicassim's webguide). The backdrop mountains of Desierto de Las Palmas also offer superb opportunities for hiking and outdoor leisure. Check with Benicassim's tourist information centre for walking guides and maps.
Benicassim Tourist Information Office, Ayuntamiento de Benicassim, Medico Segarra, 4 - 12560 Benicassim/Benicasim Castellon. Tel. 964300962.
Castellon's outskirts are quite industrial, but as with Tarragona as you push into the historic centre a wealth of culture, art and historic sights await. The growth of both the textile and ceramic tile industry in Castellon in the 20th century saw an influx of immigrants coming to work in the factories.
The area around Plaza Mayor, where you'll find Castellon's tourist information centre, is the main hub. Art Museums include the Contemporary Art Museum and the Museo de Bellas Artes on Avenida Hermanos Bou. Here you'll find a superb collection of ceramics heralding from the town's major industry, alongside some big art names like Zurbaran. Seek out too the El Fadri bell tower which dates from 1604 and the Santa Maria Cathedral, restored after it was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. Out of the centre towards the coast (around 4km) sits the harbour and Castellon's beach area.
Further attractions within Castellon include ample restaurants, discos, pubs, a planetarium and the delightful Parque del Pinar/Pine Grove Park in the centre.
Castellon Tourist Information Centre, Plaza Mayor, 1 - 12001 Castello de la Plana/Castellon. Tel. 964355100.
Top