Mirador del Castell Ridge Walk
The path that runs along the outer walls of the castle complex offers a sequence of natural viewpoints — locals simply call the best of them the mirador — where the entire Valencian plain fans out to the horizon and, on clear winter days, you can pick out the glint of the Mediterranean some 60 kilometres away.
What you see from the top
To the north the Serra Grossa rises sharply, its flanks covered in pine and holm oak. Below you the terracotta rooftops of the old town cluster around the collegiate church, and the geometric green rectangles of orange and pomegranate orchards stretch south into the La Costera comarca. It is the kind of view that makes you reach for your phone and immediately run out of storage.
In winter and early spring, almond trees on the lower slopes burst into white blossom, adding a Japanese-woodblock-print quality to the scene. Photographers specifically time visits to late February for this fleeting combination of blossom and castle silhouette.
Sunrise and sunset visits
Sunset from the western-facing sections of the walls turns the plain a deep saffron and silhouettes the castle towers dramatically — arrive 30 minutes before sunset and stay until the lights of the city flicker on below. The castle gates close at dusk, so check closing times before planning a sunset visit.
For sunrise, the eastern ramparts catch the first light and the mist in the valley below can create a sea-of-clouds effect that feels utterly removed from the busy coastal resorts just an hour away.
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