Villas to rent Spain
JALON VALLEY
The Jalon Valley (also known as Vall de Pop) is situated inland from the coastal towns of Denia, Javea and Moraira and is a beautiful respite from the coastal resorts.With some areas on the Costa Blanca coast becoming somewhat built up and overcrowded the Jalon Valley attracts a more discerning visitor and resident who appreciates more of a country feel although the coast and it's beautiful beaches are still only 30 minutes drive away.
The Jalon Valley has some of the best scenery in Spain. There are magnificent mountains which surround the plains of olive trees, orange groves, vineyards, raisins and almonds. Peppered in the Jalon Valley are unspoilt villages including Alcalali, Jalon, Lliber and Parcent.
The Jalon Valley is a walker's paradise ranging from a very gentle stroll to a six hour walk around the Sierra Bernia mountains to the south of Jalon. In late January and early February the whole of the Jalon Valley is covered with pink and white almond blossom and is the best time to see it.
Jalon is the main town in the valley, which is still largely agricultural and very rural. It is a beautiful setting, with a highly fertile valley bottom surrounded by beautiful mountains on both sides. It is situated only 15km or so inland from Moraira, and is easily accessible. The discerning visitor to the area thus has the choice of spectacular coast, beaches and Mediterranean; interspersed with the unspoilt beauty and grandeur of this wonderfully rugged rural area with mountains nearing 5000 ft high.The valley has a well-earned reputation for the quality of its wines, and being very fertile produces in addition olives, almonds and a variety of citrus fruits as well as honey. There are at bodegas (wine cellars) where you can sample the various types before buying. Not surprisingly the town is a lively shopping centre selling local produce, particularly on market day, each Tuesday. Shops, bodegas, bars, and restaurants abound.
At the Old Square there is a fountain around which there is an open market held on Tuesday mornings. Seen from the square is the famous Jalon Church with its blue dome. Every Saturday morning the promenade along the riverbank is the venue for a secondhand fair, ‘rastro’, which usually has on offer an intriguing mixture of potentially valuable antiques and interesting rubbish. Jalon is also a cultural centre in that it hosts a music festival, concerts, and a poetry competition, and is known as the Gateway to the Bernia, the beautiful mountain range, which separates the Jalon Valley from the coastal region around Altea. As a centre for walking, Jalon is excellent, and the tourist information office is a good source of information.
The Costa Blanca Mountain Walkers have organised walks twice a week covering terrains of differing difficulties, and a temporary membership of this experienced and enthusiastic group only costs about 2 euros.
Jalon was under Arabic domination for over five hundred years. The Arabians built two castles, one for the Solana (the Aixa) and another in the Bernie. Both fortresses controlled the Jalon Valley and the numerous settlers. The Arabians left behind the typical house style, for which Jalon is famous today, i.e. houses of stone and old bricks with large wooden doors as well as decorated walls.
The Arabic culture influenced life in Jalon up to its final displacement in the year 1609. After that the trade with raisins became the major economic activity. Many farmers from Majorca settled in Jalon in the 18th and 19th centuries and started cultivating the land, concentrating on grapes and raisin production.
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