Old villages

OLD VILLAGES TRAIL GU LA NUCIA POLOP ALTEA

INTRODUCTION Costa Blanca is an area on the coast of the province of Alicante, in Valencian Comunity (Spain). Its economic city is Benidorm.

It is a coastal region, but it is also very mountainous. It can be divided into two zones: the coastline and inland valleys. It has high mountains, including Puig Campana, and native rivers as Amadorio, Algar or Guadalest. The predominant language spoken in this region is Valencian language.

OBJECTIVES To know the cultural, natural and social aspects of the region.

To raise awareness about the importance of their care.

To know its resources for the tourism development.

CONTENTS Agricultural Products Vegetation Traditions Festivities Gastronomy Natural resources Problems

ITINERARY

1- GUADALEST: It is located within the province of Alicante, in Valencia. It has only 215 inhabitants but it is an important turistic destination, well known for the picturesque castle overlooking the valley of Guadalest.

The municipality is located in the valley of Guadalest, and bordered by the highest peaks of the province. Aixorta mountain (1,126 m) is in the north, Aitana mountain (1,558 m) in the south, and Serrella mountain (1,361 m) in the west.

Guadalest river flows from west to east, collecting the water in the reservoir of the same name.

2- LA NUCIA:

La Nucia is located in a valley of fruit trees between Benidorm and Callosa Ensarriรก and 3 km from the coast of Altea. The village itself is located on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The name of the town comes from the Arabic word Naziha, which means

"delicious."

La Nucia was established as an independent municipality in 1705, after emancipation of the Barony of Polop.

The Parish Church, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, was built during the eighteenth century.

Monuments and sites • University headquarters belonging to the University of Alicante. The project, designed by local architect Jose Luis Campos Rosique is a gamble that reconciles the old and new, and is destined to become a benchmark in the region.

• Chapel of St. Vincent Ferrer, dating to 1803, is located in a beautiful natural and historic Ermita de San Rafael.

• Source of Favara, a large garden where you can see trees and plants typical in the Mediterranean climate. Its great waterfall and fountains make it a great place of repose during hot summers where many people gather to eat under their trees.

• The old laundry (1924).

• Mediterranean Auditorium, cultural centre, opened in 2007, with a total area of 4,448 square meters.

There is a market, popular among tourists, that is held every Sunday in the Plaza of the Nights.

3- POLOP: The territory of this barony, situated in the district of La Marina, extends from Guadalest and Algar river to the end of Villajoyosa, with the meaning of the beaches of Albir and Benidorm.

Today, the town of Polop has 4112 inhabitants.

Its economy has been traditionally based on agriculture: almond, olive trees, citrus and persimmons.

Monuments and sites • Medieval Wall: its remains can be seen from the highest point of the town, where the old cemetery was located.

• St. Peter's Church and Shrine of the Divine Aurora: The Church of San Pedro was built in 1723. Next to it is the Sanctuary of Divine Aurora.

• Castle of Polop: Muslim fortress built in the early twelfth century, situated on a hill next to the town.

4- ALTEA: Apparently the name comes from the Greek “Altahia” - Altea, which means "I heal." The remains were found in the Iberian and Roman era.

During the last phase of Muslim rule, Altea belonged to the Taifa of Denia.

It was conquered in 1244 by James I of Aragon obtaining the settlement charter in 1279.

In 1705 he sent to the bay of Altea an Anglo-Dutch squad who supported the Archduke Charles of Austria, led by General Juan Bautista Basset Valencia, in the context of the War of Succession, which favored the subsequent decision by Denia and the austrocistas from Valencia. The eighteenth century was a boom in agriculture, fishery, trade and population, ending the century with 5,000 inhabitants. During the nineteenth century the official and commercial life moved to the village near the sea.

Demography Altea has a population of 23,532 inhabitants, of whom 34.6% are foreign people, mainly from other European Union countries (5543 census, 24.5% of the census) and Latin America Monuments and sites • Old village, with remains of the castle and the church of Our Lady of Consolation.

•The Beach, the promenade and the port are the main attributes of this tourist town. In addition, Altea is proud to be qualified by important personalities (such as artists, politicians, singers, etc..) for being one of the most beautiful villages of the Costa Blanca, and Spain in general.

• Carmelites Church and Monastery.

• Tower of Galera. Declared of cultural interest.

• Tower of Bellaguarda. Old watchtower is now located next to a picturesque park in the neighborhood of Bellaguarda (the oldest quarter of the current city of Altea).

• Parish Church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo. The main church of Altea, •The Old Town. This is one of the most beautiful areas of the city.

• Palau Altea. Culture and Congress Centre . In this building you can admire a painting of Picasso, enjoy a magnificent opera show by the soprano Ainhoa Arteta, see a play or simply accompany the artist Julio Iglesias.

•The promenade. The place where you can stroll, enjoying a pleasant sea breeze in one of the many terraces, restaurants and pizzerias.

• The beaches. Altea has more than 6 km of coastline in alternating areas with cliffs and small coves. Among these are: 

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• Pot. The pot has a long tradition of summer resort of the century.

In front of the pot the "Isleta" rises from the sea - a small island, located 500 meters from the beach, like a big shell that emerges from the waters, attracts boaters who admire the beauties of this corner. When it gets colder, in this part of town there is a place in this beautiful beach where the water starts boiling, hence the name.

Cap Negret. Gravel and clean water, The Mascarat. An enclave under the towering Sierra de Bernia.

Les rotes. It is the most popular beach, in the town of Altea.

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Cap Blanch. The largest beach in Altea, increases considerably in width until it joins the Albir beach, which belongs to the municipality of Alfaz.