La Vall D'uixó: Caves, Trails and Heritage

La Vall D'uixó combines a visit to a karst cave with hiking and cycling routes, archaeological remains and annual festivals. If you are looking for a hotel in La Vall D'uixó, you can plan your stay around these themes: underground river, trails, heritage or festival dates.

The Coves de Sant Josep and Their Underground River

The Coves de Sant Josep are a karst cave formed naturally over thousands of years, with a navigable underground river. On the standard visit, you walk 250 metres through a dry gallery; you cover a further 800 metres of the route in a boat guided by hand. This divides the visit into a walk and a section on the water. Check the operational details before your trip.

Trails to Aqueducts, Churches and Viewpoints

The Camino del Agua begins at the Aigualit aqueduct complex and is 1.5 kilometres long. It follows a former Roman irrigation channel, a water system fed by the underground river of the Coves de Sant Josep. Along the way, the route passes the Church of Santo Ángel, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and the Palacio de Vivel manor house; these buildings are viewed from the outside. The route ends with the ascent to the 49-metre-high bell tower of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.

The PR-V-241 starts at Paraje de Sant Josep, where the Coves de Sant Josep are also located, and climbs to the summit of Pipa. Pipa is considered the most distinctive mountain in the town. The PR-V-164 offers a different focus on landscape and culture: this hiking trail passes Muslim towers, local springs and structures from earlier agricultural use. Check the condition of these trails before hiking them.

Another signposted hiking section in La Vall D'uixó is five kilometres long. It also begins at Paraje de Sant Josep and passes the Fortín de la Creueta, trenches, machine-gun nests and shelters. For a circular ride, the 28.64-kilometre Ruta a Alfondeguilla is another option: it starts at Paraje de Sant Josep and leads to Pont de l’Aigua. The hiking routes and the circular ride therefore differ both in type and in the distances given.

Archaeology and Architectural History

The section of the Línea XYZ preserved in La Vall D'uixó is part of a defensive belt built by the Republican Army in 1938. The belt extended from Almenara to Cuenca. The Iberian-Roman settlement of Sant Josep contains Roman settlement remains dating from the 4th and 5th centuries AD. There are also remains of an ancient wall, several towers, houses, stairways and other structures.

The Iglesia Parroquial del Santo Ángel Custodio (Parish Church of the Holy Guardian Angel) also features a distinct architectural design: it has a central nave and two side aisles. Frescoes adorn the domes and the presbytery area. Together with the churches viewed from the outside along the Camino del Agua, this offers a particular focus for anyone interested in architectural styles and local history during their stay.

Annual Festivals and Local Cuisine

The Fiestas Patronales San Vicente Ferrer take place every year in April and are supported by the residents of La Vall D'uixó. Les Penyes en Festes are patron-saint festivities held annually in July and August. The patron-saint festivities of the Sagrada Família and the Santíssim Crist are recognised as events of national tourist interest. The festival dates mentioned therefore span spring and midsummer.

Empedrao is one of the town’s traditional dishes. This stew is made with pork, rice, crushed beans and game meat, especially rabbit or hare. It should be part of every festive meal. This local dish complements the historical and landscape themes you can consider when planning your stay.

Getting Around and Getting There

The La Vall d’Uixó Tourist Info is located at the Paraje de Sant Josep car park, 300 metres from the Coves de Sant Josep. As the location of a visitor service may change, check it before your trip. Regular bus services connect La Vall D'uixó with Castellón de la Plana, Playa de Xilxes, Playa de Moncofa and Valencia; check the timetables before travelling. La Vall D'uixó has no railway station. Nearby railway stations are in Nules, Xilxes and Moncofa.

The Via Ferrata is freely accessible, but requires experience, the necessary equipment and membership of a mountaineering association. Without these prerequisites, the activity can be undertaken with active-tourism companies and accredited guides. Take these conditions into account if the Via Ferrata is among your planned activities.

Discover more destinations: Burriana, Castellón De La Plana, Algimia de Almonacid, La Serra D'en Galceran, Vall De Almonacid, Vilar De Canes, Cinctorres, Cortes De Arenoso

For the wider travel overview: Castellon.