scenic viewpoint
El Castell de Guadalest
A tiny mountain village entered through a rock tunnel, its bell tower perched on a crag above a turquoise reservoir.
58 km · about 65 min drive
EuropeSpainValencia
Villena
Valencia, Spain · Europe
About Villena
Villena sits on the route: 10 minutes from Cañada, 58km from El Castell de Guadalest.
Villena is in Valencia, Spain, with about 35,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Cañada, about 6 km away.
Villena is a city and municipality in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, to the north with the province of Valencia and to the east and south with the province of Alicante. It is the capital of the comarca ofRead more
the Alto Vinalopó. The municipality has an area of 345.6 km² and a population of 34,144 inhabitants as of INE 2023.
There is evidence of settlement in the area from Middle Paleolithic. However, it is on dispute if the current city dates from visigothic times or before, though certainly it existed in the 11th century, during the Muslim period. After the Christian conquest, it became Seigneury, Principality, Duchy and finally Marquisate, until the people, encouraged by the Catholic Monarchs, revolted against the marquis. In 1525 Charles V conceded the title of City to Villena. This is the most economically prosperous period, as shown by the monuments that survived to nowadays. Although a railway station was inaugurated in 1858, economy kept being mainly agricultural until the rural exode that took place in the 1960s. Then, the economic model changed rapidly so that currently economy is based mainly on tertiary sector and industry, chiefly footwear, construction and furniture.
The historical city and surroundings contain an important group of historical remains, including two castles and several churches, hermitages, palaces and squares, as well as a number of museums, standing out the Archaeological Museum "José María Soler". Among the main cultural events are the Moors and Christians festival and the Concurso de Jóvenes Intérpretes "Ruperto Chapí" (Young Interpreters Contest).
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Villena?
Within an hour or so of Villena: El Castell de Guadalest (58 km).
Where is Villena?
Villena is in Valencia, Spain, about 6 km from Cañada.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 35,222
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Valencia
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 38.6373, -0.8657
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for SpainTags
Worth the detour from Villena
1 notable place within an hour's drive.
Driving roads near Villena
- 58 kmEl Castell de GuadalestA tiny mountain village entered through a rock tunnel, its bell tower perched on a crag above a turquoise reservoir.
Driving in Spain
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€4.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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