Bocairent, the living rock

The Valencian village of Bocairent can count on a wide-ranging historical and natural legacy that makes it a quality inland tourist destination. Its historic quarter is a protected national heritage site made up of houses stacked on top of one another and steep winding streets that invite the visitor to explore its many hidden corners.

Its Islamic past has left impressive formations such as the Moorish Caves: these are made up of a group of over 50 small caves on various levels excavated into the rocky hillside and originally thought to have been used as storage rooms and defensive refuges. There are other constructions excavated out of the rock such as the Bull Ring, the oldest in the Valencian region, or the Augustine rock monastery, where the underground level has been made into a parallel world.

The Sierra de Mariola

The Sierra de Mariola natural park forms part of the municipal area of Bocairent. It is rich in flora and fauna, and also contains many remnants of the ancestral usage given to the sierra’s many raw materials. An example of this are the various ice caves that were built to store snow in order to make ice, and which was later commercialised throughout the towns and villages in the region.

The source of the Vinalopó river can be found in the Sierra de Mariola, as can one of Valencia’s most emblematic peaks: the Montcabrer mountain. There are many paths and routes criss-crossing the sierra making it the perfect place to go for excursions on foot, by bike or on horseback.