Bocairent

The Muslims called the city Bekirén because of the dominant architectural style in the town which has a form looking like beehives. Bocairent is a town built in to the rock. This monumental town is practically surrounded by gullies and precipices. As the land is so rugged, some houses have to be entered from the second or third floors. The Town Hall Square is overlooked by these higgledy-piggledy houses.

Today, Bocairent continues to project a peculiar image, its streets are seeped in centuries of history, the inhabitants have a commendable respect for their traditions and it is located in an enviable environment, with the Sierra Mariola as its principal neighbour. Steep slopes, abundant vegetation, and the sources of two rivers, the Vinalopó and the Clariano, have marked the structure of the towns’ nucleus, which has been moulded respecting the natural environment.

The unique bullring, carved into the rock, is the oldest in Valencia dating back to 1843.

There are two museums, the Archaeological Museum which has pieces from the Sarsa Cave, one of the most important Neolithic sites in the Mediterranean and the Moors and Christians Museum which gives you an insight into their history.

The church of the Virgin of the Assumption is perched atop the town and the attention lavished on its interior is worth getting a chance to see.

Covetes Dels Moros is a group of caves made up of around 50 rooms with holes like windows. It is thought these caves would have been formed around the 10th or 11th century. The original use of the caves is uncertain though there are various interpretations from granary stores to funeral chambers.

If you love the countryside, Bocairent has got it all here for you - many fantastic walks, cycling (road and mountain biking) and rock climbing can be found in abundance here. Horse riding enthusiasts are well catered for as are the tranquility-seekers. For those a bit more adventurous you can enjoy hot air ballooning and micro-light flying.