Page 254 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

252  EASTERN SP AIN

7 Onda as well. The town is overlooked
by the Pico del Remedio
Castellón. * 25,700. @ n Calle
Ceramista Peyró, 964 60 28 55. (1,054 m/3,458 ft), from the
( Thu. _ Feria del Santísimo summit of which there is a fine
Salvador (5 & 6 Aug). ∑ onda.es panoramic view of the region. In
a valley near Chelva, at the end
Onda, home to a thriving of an unsurfaced but drivable
ceramics industry, is over looked track, are the remains of a Roman
by a ruined castle, which was aqueduct, Peña Cortada.
known to its Moorish founders The most attractive and
as the “Castle of the Three inter esting village in Alto Turia is
Hundred Towers”. The castle Alpuente, situated above a dry
houses a museum of local history. gorge. Between 1031 and 1089,
However, the main reason when it was captured by El Cid
to visit Onda is to take a look (see p374), Alpuente was the
at the Museo de Ciencias Boat ride through the winding Coves de capital of a small taifa, a Moorish
Naturales El Carmen, a natural Sant Josep kingdom. In the 14th century
history museum belonging to it was still important enough
a Carmelite monastery. 8 Coves de Sant for the kingdom of Valencia’s
The collection was begun in Josep parliament to meet here. The
1952 by the monks for their own town hall is confin ed to a small
private scientific study. It was Vall d’Uixó, Castellón. Tel 964 69 05 76. tower over a 14th­century
opened to the public a decade @ Vall d’Uixó. Open daily. Closed 1 & gateway, which was later
later. The clever use of subdued 6 Jan, 25 Dec. & 8 compulsory. extended in the 16th century
∑ riosubterraneo.com
lighting lends dramatic effect to by the addition of a rectangular
the 10,000 plant and animal council chamber.
specimens which are exhibited The caves of St Joseph were first Requena, to the south is
over three floors. Objects include explored in 1902. The subterr­ Valencia’s main wine town.
large stuffed animals placed in anean river that formed them Further south, Valencia’s other
naturalistic settings, butterflies and that still flows through principal river, the Xúquer
and other insects, shells, fossils, them, has been chart ed for (Júcar), carves tremendous
minerals and grisly, preserved almost 3 km (2 miles). However, gorges near Cortes de Pallas
anatomical specimens. only part of this distance can be on its way past the Muela de
explored on a visit. Cortes. This massive, wild
E Museo de Ciencias Naturales Boats take visitors along the plateau and nature reserve is
El Carmen serpentine course of the river. crossed by one small road and
Carretera de Tales. Tel 964 60 07 30. You may have to duck to avoid a lonely dirt track.
Open daily (winter: Fri–Sun only). See projections of rock on the way.
website for details. Closed 20 Dec–7 Sometimes the narrow caves
Jan. & museodelcarmen.com open out into large chambers La Tomatina
such as the Sala de los Murcié­ The highpoint of the annual
lagos (Hall of the Bats – the bats fiesta in Buñol (Valencia) is a
left when the floodlights were sticky food fight on the last
installed). The water is at its Wednesday of August, which
deepest – 12 m (39 ft) – in the attracts thousands of visitors
Lago Azul (Blue Lake). You can dressed in their worst clothes.
explore a further 250 m (820 ft) Lorry loads of ripe tomatoes are
along the Galería Seca (Dry provided by the town council at
11am for participants to hurl at
Gallery) on foot. The caves are each other. No one in range
often closed after heavy rain. of the combatants is spared:
foreigners and photographers
9 Alto Turia are prized targets.
The battle originated in
Valencia. @ Chelva. n Plaza Mayor 1, 1944. Some say it began
Chelva, 96 210 01 65. with a fight between friends.
Others say irreverent locals
The attractive wooded hills of pelted civic dignitaries with
the upper reaches of the Río tomatoes during a procession.
Turia in Valencia (Alto Turia) are Increasing national and
popular with hikers and day­ international press coverage
trippers. Chelva, the main town, means that more people
has an unusual clock on its attend, and more tomatoes
Two butterfly exhibits in the church, which shows not only are thrown, every year.
Museo El Carmen the hour but the day and month
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp567–8 and p591

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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Date 5th December 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm