On our last day in Valencia, we really didn’t know what to do. We had come back from our short trip to Zaragoza the night before. Now we were looking for something a bit closer to Valencia for a new trip. We could, of course, have spent the day in Valencia, but we felt that three days was enough. In other words, we wanted to see something new. That is how we eventually ended up on a train to Xàtiva.
This is part 5 of 5 in our series Stories from Sunny Spain. Join us in remembering our visit to Valencia and Spain in 2014.
Our Trip to Xàtiva
That is how we once again turned up at Valencia Estación del Norte, this time for a half an hour train ride to the town of Xàtiva. Our main goal for visiting Xàtiva was the Castillo de Xàtiva – the local castle. The castle is located on two hilltops overlooking the town below. This means that we had a nice walk uphill from the train station, as we set off towards the castle directly upon arrival.
After a short walk through the town, we arrived at a serpentine road leading up towards the castle. The distance was quite a lot longer than what it had initially looked like as the road went back and forth. Not to mention the hot temperature this day. It was extremely hot at the time of the year when we visited at the end of October 2014.
The castle itself was really impressive when we entered it and walking around did take quite some time. We were soon joined by a large group of school kids and the sound from them talking (?) and playing around was quite loud. Actually, we even heard them once back down in town. Well, we got to enjoy the view and history at least and Susann even had some time to get afraid of a snake.
After a few hours, we began our descent back to the town. Finishing our visit of Xàtiva with a short stroll through the town again before heading to the train station and a train back to Valencia.
Recommendations for Visiting Xàtiva
Xàtiva, Spanish spelling Játiva, may be small (it has a population of fewer than 30,000 people) but its history is impressive. In Roman times it was famous for its linen fabrics. Believe it or not, even Ovid and Catullus talked about the town. In the 12th century, the town manufactured paper. And two popes were born here.
It is easy to reach Xàtiva with train from Valencia, Murcia, and Alicante. In other words, it’s an easy day trip destination while in this part of Spain. While in town, we can really recommend just walking around and enjoying the atmosphere. There is plenty of history in the town and much to see, not to mention the small cozy cafes and restaurants. Many of the churches and religious buildings in the town are very old. Many of them date to the 13th and 14th centuries. There is, however, one major attraction that no visitor should miss, that is the Castillo de Xàtiva.
Castillo de Xàtiva
The Castillo de Xàtiva or the Castle of Xàtiva is a large castle complex that stands on two hilltops of the Sierra del Castell hill, overlooking the town. The castle was first established by the Iberians and has since seen many wars and kingdoms. It consists of two castles, one minor and one major. The minor castle sits on the remains of previous castles of Iberian and Roman origin. The castle was included in Hannibal’s campaigns and has later been important during the Kingdom of Valencia. It has seen several wars against Castile, as well as the Revolt of the Brotherhoods and the War of the Spanish Succession.
Read more at Xàtiva Turismo >>
Looks like a lovely place to visit. Want to jump on a plane and go there right now. Thanks for sharing and giving us inspiration.
It is lovely indeed, and not far from the airport in Alicante 😉 Thanks for your comment!