Guadalest - Spain

Guadalest or the "Eagles Nest" is located about 25 kms inland from Benidorm and just over an hour from Alicante.  It enjoys one of the most spectacular location of any village in Spain.  It is set high up on a pinnacle and carved out of a mountain top in the midst of truly stunning scenery.  Even though Guadalest is a small village, it has been declared a Historic artistic monument in 1974.  It has a population of only 200 and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Spain. 

Arriving at Guadalest 

Guadalest is of Islamic origin and at the time of its construction, it was considered a very  valuable fortification.  It was conquered by Jaime the first and given to Vidal de Sarria whose family owned it up until 1335 and then later to Prince Pedro of Aragon.

 

  The Town of Guadalest and its many Museums

 

Guadalest is a picturesque village crowned by a castle atop a huge rock outcrop.  The remnants of the Castle of Saint Joseph, hanging on the cliff played an important part in the structural defence of the old city.  It was originally constructed in the 12^th century, was reformed in the 15^th and 16^th centuries.  The castle was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1644 and left to what it is nowadays.

 

The Remnants of the Castle of Saint Joseph 

One of its most famous landmarks is the Peñon de La Alcala tower rising high above the village to watch over the valley below.

 

The Peñon de La Alcala  

The castle village is reached through a tunnel to find craft and souvenir shops, cafés and museums and some breathtaking views of the surrounding valley and down to the Bay of Altea.  There are many works of art on display all over the place as well as shops displaying some of the many curiosities in life.

 

Street Leading to the Castle

We also took time to visit what I believe was the most attractive hotel in the place.  Cases Noves in Guadalest is a traditional Alicante-style village house that enjoys wonderful views across open countryside right down to the sea.  The images I took of the hotel did not reflect the uniqueness of the place so I have instead included an URL which will give you a good idea of what a gorgeous hotel Cases Noves truly is.  http://www.splendia.com/en/cases-noves-el-castell-de-guadalest.html

Care has been taken to retain the typical character of a village house, its wooden beams and sturdy stone walls, while still providing modern comforts.  The lounge is a comfortable place to relax, with an open fireplace for the winter.  There is a reading room where there is Wi-Fi and a computer for guests to connect to the internet, and a television room where board games are also available.  Outside, the terrace has fantastic views stretching across the village, the Guadalest valley and the Mediterranean Sea.

The house was built in 1932, and although it has been restored to include todays modern comfort and conveniences, all of the original characteristics of a rural mountain house have been retained.  It has a combination of solid stone walls, high ceilings, wooden beams, and stone floors, which are typical of the area.  Whilst retaining its original charm, it has all the latest comforts that you would expect from a recently constructed establishment.  With its situation at the edge of the village, all of the bedrooms have wonderful views of the sea and the Valley of Guadalest.

 

View of the Valley from Guadalest