Hotels in Castell de Castells

Castell de Castells

Castell de Castells is a tiny municipality of about 440 people in the north of the province of Alicante, the last village of the Marina Alta comarca. It lies at the centre of the triangle between Alcoy, Dénia and Benidorm, reached through Famorca, Benichembla and Tàrbena. Within its territory lie the abandoned villages of Aialt, Bitla and Petracos. The town grew from the old Castle of Serrella, which is why it is also called Castells de Serrella. It belonged to the lands of Al-Azraq until James I added it to the Crown of Aragon in 1254. The Pla de Petracos sanctuary, discovered in 1980, has eight rock shelters, five of them with prehistoric paintings. The economy rests on dry farming of almonds, olives and carobs, and is being transformed by rural and inland tourism. The craft of weaving palm into baskets and handbags survives here. Patron saint festivities in late July and mid-August include processions and Moors and Christians parades. It suits walkers and travellers who want rock art, mountain trails and real quiet.