Guadalest town, Guadalest Castle & Guadalest Bell
Tower, Costa Blanca, Spain
Guadalest Introduction Fortified town of Guadalest Guadalest
Castle Views from Guadalest Castle
Book Sightseeing Tour to
Guadalest
Guadalest Museums
Orduña House Dolls Houses Museum Ethnological
Museum Historical Vehicles Museum Micro-Gigantic Museum
Miniatures Museum of Manuel Ussa Ribera Girona Museum Torture
Museum
Panoramic view of Guadalest Old Town and lake Guadalest taken from Guadalest Castle
Guadalest Introduction
Guadalest is the most visited town in Spain with more
than 2 million visitors a year. When you visit Guadalest you will
soon realise the reason why. It is located on a shear sided mountain overlooking and providing magnificent views of the river, the dam which forms a lake,
the valley of Guadalest and more craggy mountains.
The picturesque Guadalest bell tower perched
on a rock pinnacle is now the icon for the Alicante province of Spain.
The town has been built in 3 major stages
- The old fortified town located through a tunnel carved through the mountain side that leads
to far side of the mountain and not visible from the main road. The walled town is built on a high flat plateaux that run along the long narrow mountain.
The castle built before the town runs along the higher ridge. Both the castle and the town were built by the Moors
- When the limited space in the fortified town was full, the Moors built additional houses between the mountain base and the modern main road, I refer
to this as the new town..
- The portion of the town on the other side of the main road is fairly modern being built to support the tourist industry
Both the "Moor portions of the town" are interesting, most of the residents have now moved out to local newer towns and have turned
there old houses into restaurants, bars, tourist shops, museums and similar ventures to benefit from the tourist boom. Some of the shops have very
interesting knickknacks besides the usual tourist goodies.
Guadalest from a distance
This photograph helps visualise the dramatic scenery in the Guadalest region. Just look at those fabulous rock formations. |
Guadalest New Town & Guadalest Modern Town
Guadalest New Town built by the Moors is in the foreground and the Modern town is towards the top
of the photo beyond the main road and car park |
Guadalest Moorish New Town
The Guadalest Moorish New Town in the middle of the photograph. The ramparts of the castle are on the ridge of the mountain,
to both sides of the white Guadalest Bell Tower. The entrance to the fortified town is at the foot of the crack to the left of the Bell
Tower |
Guadalest-near-Tunnel |
Guadalest-gardens |
Guadalest |
The fortified town of Guadalest
Access to the fortified town and castle is gained through a tunnel named the "Portal de San Jose", which
is a 15 metres long tunnel carved through the mountain side solid rock. This is the only way into the fortified town.
The Famous Bell Tower of Guadalest
The Famous Bell Tower of Guadalest is located on top of a rock pinnacle and is virtually the logo for the Costa Blanca
On top of another rock pinnacle is a round watch tower, (Penon de la Alcala) of which only the lower portion remains. Access to the tower
is extremely difficult. making it a good defensive position for the castle.
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Guadalest |
Guadalest Church |
Guadalest Graveyard |
Guadalest Street |
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Guadalest Street |
Guadalest-Square |
Guadalest-dungeon |
Guadalest Street |
Guadalest Castle
Access to the castle ramparts is gained through the Orduna House Museum the first
house in the fortified town of Guadalest. A small fee is payable to
view the house and the castle.
The castle was built by the Moors in the 7th century on the highest part of the massive rock outcrop. Because of its location it was virtually
impregnable and it's ruinous state was caused mainly by earthquakes and finished by gunpowder during an attack in 1709
From the rear of Orduna House Museum (see photos below) runs a set of modern stairs through the shrubbery gardens to
the castle on the crest of the ridge.
The views from the top are stunning and coin operated binoculars are available to use.
The way out from the castle is vie a route that takes you to the far end of the fortified town the final
exit from the grounds controlled by a one way turnstile.
Guadalest Museums
Orduña House Dolls Houses Museum Ethnological Museum Historical Vehicles Museum Micro-Gigantic Museum
Miniatures Museum of Manuel Ussa Ribera Girona Museum Torture Museum
Orduna House Museum (Casa de Orduna) Guadalest
Orduna House was built in XVII XIX century and is located just inside the entrance to the fortified town of Guadalest. Originally belonging
to the Orduna family who served the castle owners as castle guardians and governors to the estate. The house was purchased by local council and turned into
a museum in 1994.
You have to pass through the house for access to St Joseph Castle.
Orduna House has 4 levels. Keep a lookout for the following as you go through the house
- Madonna asleep alta piece
- Art Gallery with religious paintings
- Kitchen & dining room with interesting pottery collection
- Aristocratic rooms, furniture & decoration
- Library and document archive
Guadalest Entrance Tunnel
The 15 metre long slopping tunnel carved through solid rock is the only way into the fortified town. Opposite the tunnel exit is Orduna
House (Casa de Orduna)
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Guadalest Casa de Orduna Museum
Orduna House the municipal museum is the first building inside the old town entrance. Entrance
to the castle located above is through the house and its grounds to the rear of the house. |
Guadalest Entrance
Tourist and a young man delivering a gas cylinder continue up the slope from the tunnel towards Orduna House |
Casa de Orduna Dining |
Click on a thumbnail
photograph to view
an enlargement |
Casa de Orduna Kitchen |
Casa de Orduna Living |
See our write up of
Casa de Orduna
above |
Casa de Orduna Art |
Dolls Houses Museum
 Beautifully crafted doll houses with all the fantasic details made by Antonio Marco.
There is also a beautiful several ton Bethleham Nativity scenario made
from stone, brick, bonsai trees, plants & iron that took 20 years to make.
Located at Virgin Street, 2 in the moors town on the way to the entrance to the fortified town.
Ethnological Museum
 The Ethnological Museum of the Valley of Guadalest shows how people lived, what
tools and implements they used, the clothes they wore.
Historical Vehicles Museum
 Museum of old motorbikes, some with sidecars, scooters and cars.
Located on the road to Guadalest from the coast, after Callosa d'en Sarrian near to the El Riu Restaurant.
Open Summer: from 10:30am to 8pm.
Open Winter: from 10:30am to 6pm.
Micro & Gigantic Museum
 With the aid of magnifying glasses you can marvel at this miniture world.
See objects such as:
- A bullring on a pinhead
- A flee riding a bicycle on a seed
- An ant playing a violin
- and more
Calle del Sol, 2
Miniatures Museum of Manuel Ussa
Another museum of miniture marvels requiring the use of a magnifying glass.
See objects such as:
- A copy of Piccassos painting Guerica painted onto a seed.
- A model of the statue of Liberty inside the eye of a needle
- A goya painting on a rice grain
- and more
Ribera Girona Museum
 The Ribera Girona Museum is a contemporary art gallery displaying displays art, architecture and landscapes of various 20th century artists. Also at this
venue is the Magic Garden of figures
Closed saturdays
Open Summer: from 10am to 8pm.
Open Winter: from 10am to 6pm.
Calle Pena, 1. Postal Code: 03517 Telephone: 965 885 062
Torture Museum
Barbaric medievil to almost present times instuments of torture and execution gathered from Europe.
 Calle Honda, 2. Located in the Old town
Guadalest, Algar Waterfalls
& The Arc Animal Santury Sightseeing Tour at 10% Discount
This excursion from Benidorm is called Costa Blanca Nature and Sightseeing Tour and includes Guadalest,
& Algar Waterfalls.
Book via this site and Obtain a 10% Discount
More information
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