Experience Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre: your guide to visiting

Experience Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre, in El Baix Maestrat, Castellón, on a getaway between the mountains and the sea, where stories of the Knights Templar are never far away.

We’ll begin our route in the town centre of Alcalà de Xivert, which sits right next to the Sierra de Irta Natural Park, before crossing through it and making our way to Alcossebre, on the coast. Discover everything that awaits on an experience that deserves at least a couple of days.

Day 1: what to see in the historic centre of Alcalà de Xivert? 

Start at the parish church of San Juan Bautista, a Valencian Baroque gem with one of the tallest bell towers in the Region of Valencia. Right beside it, you’ll find the Casa de la Cultura, a former Renaissance building with a prison on its ground floor. 

You can also join a guided tour of the Casa del Metge, a 19th-century building where you can enjoy some really interesting exhibitions, before stopping by the commemorative rock in Plaza de San Juan. 

The 1921 market should also be on your list, and, as you wander through the streets, make sure you look out for the ceramic panels that can still be seen on some façades. Then, before you finish, remember to take a photo of the old wells that still remain in the town centre. 

Next, it’s time to visit one of the most important historic sites in Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre: its Templar castle. 

How to get to Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre Castle? 

Perched on the Sierra de Irta, the Templar castle is a must-see. This fortress, which has Muslim origins dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, offers exceptional views of the whole coastline from its walls. You can drive up to the car park and then complete the final stretch on foot in around 15 minutes. 

Day 2: what to see in Alcossebre? 

Start your second day with a visit to the Hermitage of Santa Lucía and San Benito, which has one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Castellón. From there, you can experience Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre in all its intensity, with the mountains, the coast and the Mediterranean all laid out before you. 

This will be your starting point for discovering what there is to see in Alcossebre, the seaside town area that has Torre de Cap i Corp to the south and Torre de Ebrí to the north. 

Beaches and coves 

Las Fuentes beach, with its freshwater springs beneath the sand, and Romana beach, which is of great ecological value, are the main sandy beaches here. You’ll also find plenty of places to eat very close by. 

For wilder surroundings, and as you make your way into the natural park, we recommend visiting Mundina cove and Ribamar cove. They can only be reached on foot or by kayak, and their seabeds are fantastic for snorkelling. 

Trails and heritage in the Sierra de Irta 

Your route into the Sierra de Irta from Alcossebre can follow the coastal path that leads to the northern coves, with sea views all the way. It can also be combined with sections of one of Castellón’s Blue Trails, the path from Cargador beach to Romana beach. 

How to get to Alcalà de Xivert-Alcossebre? 

• By car, take exit 44 from the AP-7, or travel via the N-340. 

• By train, take the C-5 Cercanías Renfe line from Castellón or Valencia. 

• The inland town and the coast at Alcossebre are barely 7 km apart.