Things to do in Castellon de la Plana

You ask yourself what to do in Castellón de la Plana Why do you plan a trip to that Levantine city? In this case, you should know that several kilometers of white sand beaches and crystal clear waters await you, as well as a privileged natural environment.

But you can also enjoy a magnificent monumental heritage in which its gothic and modernist buildings stand out. Delicious gastronomy presided over by rice dishes, a festive program that combines the traditional with the avant-garde and an important cultural offer complete what this beautiful city of the Valencian Community can offer you. If you want to discover it in detail, we are going to explain it to you what to do in Castellón de la Plana.

Visit its rich monumental heritage

The great symbol of Castellón is the fadrí tower. It is the free-standing bell tower of the cathedral and was built in 1437. It responds to the Valencian Gothic style and it has an octagonal plan with four bodies. At the top are the eleven bells that announce the hours.

The tower is located in the Plaza Mayor, next to the Town hall and the co-cathedral of Santa María. The first is a beautiful Baroque building from the XNUMXth century that has a portico with five semicircular arches separated by Tuscan pilasters. For its part, the Co-Cathedral of Santa María is another jewel of Valencian Gothic, although later reforms have given it historicist touches. It has a Latin cross plan with three naves and a pentagonal apse.

Along with this, we advise you to visit other religious monuments in Castellón such as the Basilica Sanctuary of the Virgin of Lidón, which dates from the XNUMXth century, is Baroque and houses the image of the patron saint of the city; the hermitage of the Magdalena, which is excavated in the rock where the castle of Fadrell was, and the Episcopal palace, built in the XNUMXth century following the canons of neoclassicism.

But Castellón also offers you numerous civil monuments. We have already told you about the Town Hall, but we also advise you to visit the Hemp Market, a building from the early XNUMXth century that is also neoclassical. And, above all, the important modernist heritage of the city. As a sample of this, we will mention the post office building, work of architects Demetrius Ribes y Joaquin Dicenta, which is genuinely Neomudéjar. And likewise the precious Castellón old casino, a unique construction due to Francisco Maristany and Casajuana that combines Neoplateresque with typical elements of the Baroque.

Enjoy its beaches, a staple of what to do in Castellón de la Plana

Although Castellón is located four kilometers from the coast, its municipal area includes ten kilometers of coastline bathed by the Mediterranean Sea. This coastal area is called The Grao, which also includes the commercial port of the city.

But you will be more interested in knowing that it has three beautiful beaches, all of them with the best environmental qualifications. Attached to the port you have that of the pine forest, which has obtained the blue flag distinction for several years. It has a length of almost two kilometers and a width of about ninety. Below you will find the Gurugú Beach, also awarded with a blue flag. In her case, it measures one kilometer long by about one hundred and forty meters wide and there are several beach bars.

Finally, after passing the dry river of Borriol, you have the Serradal beach. It is around XNUMX meters long by about XNUMX meters wide. Also, behind her there is a dune space They are protected for their ecological value. Of course, all these beaches have fine white sand and crystal clear water.

Get to know its wonderful natural spaces

Without straying far from the coast, we want to talk to you about other of the natural wonders that Castellón offers you. We refer to the Columbretes islands, which are thirty miles away, but belong to your municipality. There are fourteen islets of volcanic origin that make up a parque natural since 1988 for its enormous ecological value. Among them, the grossa islandwhere there is a lighthouse the Ferrera, the hole y the brigantine.

Both its waters and the land are protected for their wealth of flora and fauna. Regarding the latter, species such as Eleanor's falcon and Audouin's gull stand out. If you like dive, doing it in this privileged environment will be an unforgettable experience due to the beauty of its seabed.

Very different character has the palm desert, declared a natural area. It is made up of almost three thousand hectares spread over the municipalities of Benicasim, Borriol, Castellón, Hut y Tornesa Rock. Likewise, it is dominated by bartolo peak, of little more than seven hundred meters of altitude. But there is no shortage of monuments in this natural jewel. Among them, you have an old monastery of the Carmelite order and a more modern one, as well as several hermitages.

On the other hand, among the things to do in Castellón de la Plana, you can also visit the Municipal Natural Area of ​​the Hermitage of La Magdalena. There are fourteen hectares dominated by a pine forest and undergrowth. It also houses the remains of the old Fadrell's castle and hermitage of the Magdalena, which we will talk about later.

It is not the only pine forest in the area. In El Grao you have another larger one, specifically almost two kilometers long. As in the previous case, it is dominated by Aleppo pine and is home to important populations of goldfinches, owls and squirrels. Finally, other privileged places where you can get in touch with nature and go hiking are the Meridian Park, with its almost eleven thousand square meters and the area of ​​the Queen's Fountain.

Visit its museums

Another interesting activity to do in Castellón de la Plana is to visit its abundant museum heritage. Stands out in this Museum of Fine Arts, almost two centuries old and which has a wonderful set of ceramics. It is also interesting Municipal Ethnological Museum, which is in a XNUMXth century manor house and reveals what traditional life was like in the area.

Similar content, but about the life of fishermen, offers you the Museo del MarWhile the military it houses numerous historical documents about the army in the province. For his part, he Cultural Center the Classrooms it is an exhibition hall. And more modern is the Planetary from Castellón, located on the Paseo Marítimo del Grao. Here, samples and courses on astronomy, physics and chemistry are held. Don't miss the projections on its giant dome. Finally, you have the Contemporary Art Space, dedicated to exhibitions of current artists.

Participate in parties

We have already mentioned the hermitage of the Magdalena. Precisely, the most important festivals that you can enjoy in Castellón are linked to it. Because, to commemorate the descent to the coast of the ancient inhabitants, the current ones go up to the hermitage to celebrate the Les Canyes pilgrimage. The festivities take place between the third Saturday of Lent and the fourth Sunday of Lent. Therefore, they can be held in February, March or April.

They are also a fundamental element of the holidays the gaiatas. These are monuments created by each association or neighborhood to compete with the others. They are exhibited throughout the week of festivities and then go on to decorate the respective headquarters of the groups that make them. Likewise, there is no shortage among the festive acts homage to the Virgin of Lidón, which, as we have told you, is the patron saint of the Levantine city.

Also, those days mascletas, fireworks displays and concerts. Finally, as a closure, the act of Madeleine Vito!, choral exclamation that dismisses the festivities. As for the celebrations in honor of the patron saint of the city, the aforementioned Virgin of Lidon, take place the first weekend of May. Among the outstanding acts of him is the one that pays homage to his coronation as such.

Taste its delicious gastronomy

To finish our proposals on what to do in Castellón de la Plana, we want to talk to you about the delicious gastronomy of the area. A fundamental ingredient of this, as in the rest of the Valencian Community, is rice. Among the dishes that are prepared is the popular paella, which at Christmas is prepared with balls (a kind of meatballs). but also the plenty of rice, soupy or cooking with the technique of rossejat (brown it before adding water). The latter is also used for the Fideua.

Another dish that you can taste in Castellón is the Plana pot, which has beans or chickpeas, cabbage, pork and some sausages. Precisely, as regards the meats, the rabbit in garlic oil, grilled chops with alioli or chicken truffle. And, regarding fish and shellfish, you have the Vinaros prawns, polepet or pulpit, the Operetta and eel salami. But they are consumed a lot espardenyes or sea cucumbers.

Finally, the gastronomy of Castellón offers you sweets as delicious as pá-noli, a kind of cake filled with sweet potato or pumpkin jam. You should also try the malfeta coke, a kind of cake that has potatoes instead of flour, and the clothe and carvings, which is a kind of thick syrup (the clothe) in which pumpkin, plum or peach slices are dipped (the carving). But, perhaps, even more typical are rosigones or rosegons, small hard cakes made with egg, flour, sugar and almond pieces. Curd or curd is also a traditional dessert. which one, although this is more typical of Morella.

In conclusion, we have shown you what to do in Castellón de la Plana. Now you only have to visit this city of the Valencian Community and enjoy all the wonders it has to offer. Also, do not forget that it enjoys a magnificent climate all year round.