What to see in Oropesa del Mar

talk to you about what to see in Oropesa del Mar supposed to refer to spectacular coastal and mountain landscapes. But also to beautiful monuments located in its Old town of Muslim origin where you will also find numerous bars and restaurants.

All this makes this small town in the province of Castellón one of the main tourist destinations from the Levantine coast. In summer, it is filled with travelers who exponentially increase its population of ten thousand inhabitants and who also want to enjoy its good weather. To encourage you to get to know it, we are going to show you what to see in Oropesa del Mar.

Oropesa Castle

It is the great symbol of this Levantine town. It is located at its highest point, dominating it and offering wonderful views of the Costa del Azahar. You can also appreciate from it the orange groves that extend between the town and the town of Marina d'Or, which we will talk about later.

The castle was built in Muslim times and had a polygonal plan with six towers to which was added a larger one. But currently only its external structure is preserved with the wall and four of those towers. However, more recent archaeological excavations have revealed other rooms in the complex. have even been found remains of a Bronze Age settlement in the same area.

If you visit it, you will feel that you are part of its rich history. He was snatched away king alhagib by Cid Campeador. Thus, it passed into Christian hands and, already in the XNUMXth century, it achieved great strategic importance during the reign of James I. In summer you can access the castle from 9 a.m. to 20 p.m., while in winter it closes earlier, specifically at 18 p.m.

On the other hand, attached to the castle walls, you can see the remains of the old prison, built in the XNUMXth century and with great heritage value. But we were talking about archaeological findings from the past in the area. Precisely, near the marina you have the remains of Oropesa la Vella, an important Iberian town with more than two thousand years old that lived from fishing. Unfortunately, it is currently privately owned and you cannot visit it. You will only be able to see it through the walls that delimit it.

Old town and religious heritage of the town

One of the great pleasures that you will find in Oropesa is to visit its old town narrow, cobbled streets and small, hidden squares. But these are not the only jewels that the primitive part of the town houses. Within it, you can find, in addition to white houses, surprises such as the Playing Card Museum, with curiosities such as the largest deck of cards in the world, as it measures one meter in length and weighs fourteen kilograms.

You also have another museum in the town of Castellón. It's about the call from Oropesa del Mar, which introduces you to the history of the town through models, archaeological remains and videos. Thus, you will discover unique and curious facts such as, for example, that he suffered the attack of the famous barbarossa pirate.

But more important is the religious heritage What to see in Oropesa del Mar. It is basically made up of two temples. The st james church It was built in 1965 and presents modern forms. However, more beautiful is the iglesia of the Virgin of Patience, despite its simplicity, since it only has a central nave with side chapels. But inside you can see a beautiful sample of tiles from Alcora Created in the XNUMXth century and a carving of the virgin which gives it its name dated in the XVI.

Defensive towers to see in Oropesa del Mar

Another of the monumental elements to see in Oropesa del Mar is the set of its defensive towers. Among them, two stand out. The most spectacular is the King's, which he ordered to build Ferdinand I of Aragon in the XNUMXth century as part of a larger fortress that no longer exists. It was reformed one hundred years later and has a quadrangular plan, two floors and a roof with a walkway for surveillance.

It was built with masonry on the outside and stone on the inside. From its corners two caponeras or bunkers come out at ground level that are complemented, in the upper part, with sentry boxes. Likewise, it includes among the surveillance elements several embrasures and peepholes.

The other tower that we highlight is the one of the Corda, although it is much more humble. It dates from the XNUMXth century and was built in stone and lime mortar. It has a slightly conical circular shape and has a staircase to access the roof. Likewise, in this there are several loopholes or vertical openings for its defense.

Marina d'Or

We cannot talk to you about what to see in Oropesa del Mar and leave out the vacation complex of Marina d'Or. And not only because of the various hotels and villas available to stay, but mainly because of the different attractions that it offers you. It is a whole urbanization with bars, restaurants and shops. But it also has sports and leisure spaces such as the sea water spa, the Polinesia Water Park or the Emotion Park.

However, we want to highlight the Enchanted Garden, in which your children will enjoy a lot. It is a natural space that is home to some two hundred thousand flowers and plants from all over the world. But above all, it is enlivened by talking trees, gnomes, fairies, fauns, and other mythological creatures.

Also, inside are held different shows that end with shows of lights, music, dance and even special effects. Admission for the little ones is free, while the older ones have to pay. However, we advise you to inform yourself before going to visit it, because its hours depend on the summer or winter season and change every so often. Hence we cannot show them to you.

Oropesa del Mar Beaches

Another of the great attractions to see in Oropesa del Mar are its beaches and coves. They are numerous, but we want to talk to you about those that, in our opinion, are the most beautiful. It is the case of the La Renegà beach, almost wild, surrounded by vegetation and more than a kilometer long. Actually, it is about several united coves and its width is barely three meters. It is perfect for you to take a bath, since it is shallow and there are few waves.

We also recommend the shell beach, which is located in the center of the town and presents a beautiful bay shape. It has an approximate length of seven hundred meters and a width of eighty. Its conformation protects it from the winds and it also has a moderate swell. Its sands are fine and golden and, as an urban beach, it has sunbeds, umbrellas and slides for children. Even in summer you can rent water skates and participate in collective activities such as yoga. It is also framed by a beautiful promenade with bars and restaurants. It has a distinctive Blue flag.

This same recognition of its quality has the magnificent Amplaires beach, with its more than two kilometers of sand, rocks and crystalline waters. As for its width, it is about thirty meters and it is located within the aforementioned complex Marina d'Or. However, you can access it and you even have parking for your vehicle.

But, perhaps, the highlight of this sandy area is that it is surrounded by gardens of Les Amplaires, a green area with vegetation that comes from all continents and that is adorned with waterfalls and fountains. Finally, with this it limits the Morro de Gos beach, which also exceeds two thousand meters in length and bears the hallmark of Blue flag.

On the other hand, if you like DivingUnderwater you also have beautiful places to see in Oropesa del Mar. We advise you to practice it in the areas of Retor's Cove, Cape Oropesa and in their own environment La Renegà beach.

The Oropesa Greenway

Finally, as for what to see in Oropesa del Mar, we recommend this route that connects it with the no less beautiful town of Benicasim. It is a route of almost six kilometers that runs through wonderful vegetation. Part of promenade and reaches the rest area of ​​the old halt of The villas.

you can do it both on foot and by bike and, during the journey, you can see some of the monuments that we have already mentioned. For example, the cordà tower. But you will also find natural wonders such as the Bellver plains or donut ravine. You will also cross the symbolic metal bridge and see beaches, coves and imposing coastal cliffs.

this is not the only one hiking route What can you do in the area? The Sierra de Oropesa offers you others. Among them, we want to highlight those of the Camí de la Serra and the devil's ravine. Both have some difficulty, but, as we told you, there are others that are easier. In addition, they are all well signposted.

In conclusion, we have shown you what to see in Oropesa del Mar. As you have been able to appreciate, there are many attractions that this beautiful town in Castellón offers you. And, if you visit it, we advise you to also try the oropesin, a delicious sweet that is made with almonds. Finally, dare to meet other nearby towns like Morella o Peñíscola.