Property Net Spain - L alt Vinalopo - Towns and Maps

Lált Vinalopo

To the west of the Alicante province, the region of L’Alt Vinalopó includes the urban centres of Villena and Sax. The area has a combination of steep mountain ranges and fertile, cultivated plains created by the Vinalopó River which runs through L’Alt Vinalopó. This inland region is far less visited than those closer to the coast and there are some lovely towns and villages waiting to be discovered. Being a crossroads of sorts, lying at the borders of Valencia, Murcia and Castile, the region has a rich history and towns are often characterized by the presence of Moorish castles.

Villena
The capital of L’Alt Vinalopó with a population of 32,000, Villena is an important communications centre, serving as a crossroads between Castile, Murcia and Valencia. Due to its position, the city has a rich history and continues to thrive today. There are several historic buildings of interest to be found here amongst the architecture of modern day Villena. The town is spread out around an ancient Moorish castle, L’Atalaya, an imposing building with battlements and a double enclosured wall that has witnessed many historic battles. A combination of Gothic and Renaissance architecture can be found at the church of Santa Maria, with its tall vaulted domes supported by graceful twisted columns. The Chapí Theatre, named after the musical genius Ruperto Chapí who was a native of Villena, is a quirky building. It was built in the early twentieth century over a number of years in a variety of architectural styles, the result is an art deco kind of flavour. An interesting Festival Museum is located in Santiago Square, displaying collections of old costumes and posters from the traditional Moors and Christians Festival that is played out annually in towns and villages across the entire region.
5km from Villena is the village of Canada with a population of 1500. Its white houses are clustered around a hill, the top of which is a sanctuary to the Virgin del Carmen, the patron saint of sailors. In July, a fiesta in her honour takes place. The Mystery Play is also celebrated enthusiastically in Canada.
Villena has all the amenities you would expect from a large and modern town, with a national railway and good road connections.
It is 59 km to Alicante Airport on the N330 Motorway.
The nearest golf course is Alenda Golf Club, 40km away.
Paragliding is popular is the Sierra de la Villa nearby.
A weekly market takes place on Thursdays.

14km northeast of Villena, the village of Benejama was originally an Arab farmstead. Its now a large village with about 2000 inhabitants. There are Moorish towers in the area, the Atalaya and the Negret, which would have served to protect the farmhouse. The proximity of Sierra Solana means that there are many opportunities for hiking as well as paragliding and hang-gliding and nearby caves are used for potholing.
Benejama has shops, hostels and a museum. The large towns of Villena and Alcoi are both about 20km away.
Alicante is 72km away, Benidorm is 112km away, the road links to the nearest motorways are efficient.
Nearest golf courses are Alenda Golf Club: 50km, or Club de Golf Bonalba and Alicante Golf: 70km.

Sax
The town of hugs the base of a striking outcrop of rock, the summit of which bears a fourteenth century castle. The name of the town itself is derived from the Latin word Saxum, meaning rocky place. The castle is heavily fortified with battlements and towers; it is an impressive landmark by day or by night, when it is lit up. An enormous snow well was built in the rocks in the 17th Century, it was used to store snow to provide the town with water in the summer months.
Sax is situated next to the N330 motorway which runs straight into Alicante, 32km away.
The nearest golf course is Alenda Golf Club, 15km away.
Shops and other amenities are adequate, the large urban centres of Elda and Petrer are 11km away.

Salinas
The village of Salinas is in a fairly isolated position, near the Sierra Salinas, 22km west of Sax. The village used to lie on the shores of the nearby Laguna de Salinas, a salt lake. The village was rebuilt in its present location in the 18th century when the lake rose, flooding Salinas and killing most of the inhabitants.
Salinas is 20km from the urban centres of Villena, Elda and Monovar and 49km from Alicante.
It is reached by a winding highway that runs between Sax and Monovar.
A market is held every day except Tuesday, Friday being the best day to visit.
Nearest golf course is Alenda Golf Club, approximately 40km away.