Vall d'Alba

Castellón and the La Plana Alta area, is a chance to enjoy a quieter pace of life while exploring walking routes and hiking trails through the surrounding landscape. Start planning your visit.

Things to see and do in Vall d’Alba 

We recommend starting your visit in the centre of Vall d’Alba, where you can get a feel for the town before heading out on foot to explore the small village of La Barona and discover some of the surprises waiting in the surrounding area.

• Parish Church of San Juan Bautista: built in 1902, this church lies at the heart of Vall d'Alba’s heritage and houses valuable cedarwood altarpieces alongside the revered image of the Virgin of Lledó. 

• Senieta Well and waterwheels: this ethnological site includes a traditional stone well and two old waterwheels with their pools, showing how groundwater was once collected and used to irrigate the surrounding farmland.  

• Mas del Gallo Waterwheel: this restored example of traditional hydraulic engineering still preserves its pool, washhouse and network of irrigation channels, making it an excellent place to understand how water was traditionally managed in the Valencian countryside. 

• Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles: built in 1959 on the site of earlier 17th-century chapels, the church houses an important historical archive and a notable 18th-century Baroque painting. You will find it in La Barona, a small village within the municipality of Vall d’Alba. 

• Rambla or Pelachana Mill: built in 1850 beside the Rambla de la Viuda, this former mill is particularly notable for its remarkable irrigation channel carved into the rock and a reservoir designed to follow the natural contours of the land, both of which offer a valuable glimpse into the traditional rural heritage of inland Castellón. 

• Hermitage of San Cristóbal: set in an area of considerable natural interest and known for its traditional pilgrimage to the muntanyeta, the hermitage also enjoys far-reaching views over Vall d’Alba. The surrounding recreational area has facilities for cooking paella, as well as a children’s playground, swimming pool and hotel-restaurant. 

Walking routes in Vall d’Alba, Castellón 

Once you have explored the town and its heritage, there are several routes that take you deeper into the surrounding countryside: 

• Ruta dels Aljubs: an easy 7 km route that passes several cisterns of Moorish origin, which were designed to collect and make use of underground water. 

• Ruta de les Muntanyes de Vall d’Alba: stretching for more than 16 km, this moderately difficult route crosses an idyllic landscape of dry riverbeds, dry-stone structures and traditional water features including springs and washhouses. It culminates at the viewpoint of the Hermitage of San Cristóbal, where you can enjoy panoramic vistas across Vall d'Alba. 

• Ruta de les Sènies: this easy 5 km route explores the area’s agricultural heritage and the hydraulic systems that once helped turn dry farmland into irrigated fields. Along the way, you will pass restored historic waterwheels, wells of Moorish origin and small rural settlements before climbing to the Hermitage of San Cristóbal, with views towards Penyagolosa. 

• Art Route: a short, accessible urban walk of just over 1 km that introduces some of Vall d'Alba’s most important artistic and cultural landmarks from the 20th and 21st centuries. Through a series of works, including sculptures, the route tells the story of the town’s development, everyday life and the memories that have shaped the local community. 

Make Vall d’Alba your next rural escape and discover a corner of Castellón you will want to return to. While you are there, leave some time to explore the area’s wine culture through enotourism and discover varieties from the Vins de Castelló Protected Geographical Indication.