Corbera: Castle, Caves and Trails

Corbera can be explored through several specific themes: the fortress on the hill, religious buildings and paths through a limestone-rich landscape. This offers different approaches to planning your trip: you can focus on historic sites, architecture, or nature and hiking.

The Castillo de Corbera and its history

The Castillo de Corbera is a fortress of Islamic origin, built in the 11th century. It stands on Roman remains. The fortress was owned by the rebel Al-Azraq until its conquest by Jaume I in 1248. This sequence takes you from the Roman remains through its Islamic origins to a specific event in medieval history. The Castillo is listed as a monument in the General Inventory of Valencian Cultural Heritage; the listing was published in 2023.

The Castillo is on a hill, about 3 kilometres from the town centre. A route to visit the Castillo, about 5 kilometres long, starts at Plaza Mayor de Corbera. It is important for orientation to distinguish between these two figures: the first indicates the approximate distance between the fortress and the town centre, while the second is the length of a route. They describe different measurements and should not be confused.

Churches, a monument and patron-saint festivities

The Ermita de Sant Miquel in Corbera is a simple church dating from the Reconquista period, in a transitional style between Romanesque and Gothic. This style places the building between two architectural periods, offering a different perspective on the town’s history from the fortress. The Arab tower of the Ermita de San Miguel is listed as a monument in Spain’s Registro General de Bienes de Interés Cultural.

The patron-saint festivities in honour of the Virgen del Castillo de Corbera are held from 1 to 8 September. If you would like to include these festivities in your trip, check the specific event dates before making plans.

Limestone landscape and trails

The mountainous terrain of Corbera consists of limestone. This has resulted in numerous caves, galleries and springs. Les Fontanelles is a protected municipal natural area within the municipality of Corbera; it was granted legal protection in 2009. The Serra de Corbera is also one of the area’s natural attractions: along its course, it borders six municipalities, including Corbera. The Serra is suitable for climbing and hiking and offers impressive views.

The PR-CV-335, named “Cavall Bernat,” is one of the trails in the Les Fontanelles area. A route from Les Fontanelles continues to La Murta in the municipality of Alzira. There is also a trail through the Collao de Les Fontanelles connecting Corbera with the Convento de la Murta.

Other routes can be distinguished by the landscape themes described. The Ruta de la Naranja runs alongside irrigation channels and mills. The Ruta de Les Coves starts at the Ermita del Santísimo Cristo de la Fe and leads to caves. The first route features channels and mills along the way, while the second focuses on the caves at its destination. The routes therefore offer different thematic points of interest, without confusing their respective starting points and courses.

A culinary highlight

Local cuisine is also one of Corbera’s attractions: arròs al forn is a local dish. Along with the historic buildings and nature and hiking attractions, it adds a culinary dimension to your experience of Corbera.

Discover more destinations: Oliva, Jarafuel, Castielfabib, Silla, Navalón, Guadasequies, Paterna, Benicolet.

For the broader travel overview: Valencia.