Logbook · 10 places

What to see and do in Monòver/Monóvar

What to see and do in Monòver/Monóvar (El Vinalopó Mitjà, Alicante): 10 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 4 Monuments · 2 Activities · 1 Curiosities · 1 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

When to go to Monòver/Monóvar: festival calendar

February: Carnival of Monòver (February)

How far each place is from the centre of Monòver/Monóvar

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Spain › Valencian Community › Alicante › El Vinalopó Mitjà › Monòver/Monóvar

What to see and do in Monòver/Monóvar

Monòver
Village
Monòver is a city in the province of Alicante, in the Vinalopó Mitjà comarca, with 13,116 inhabitants, of whom about 12,500 live in the urban centre and the rest in hamlets and villages. From the Fondó aerodrome, within its municipal territory, the planes that carried Juan Negrín and the leaders of the Republican government into exile took off on 6 March 1939. After the Industrial Revolution it was a significant city in the footwear and manufacturing sector. Known as the city of Azorín, since the writer was born in its municipal territory on 8 June 1873, his birth house preserves a library of 14,000 books. The municipal coat of arms displays two rampant lions with a fleur-de-lis, three castles and the red bars of Aragon, added by James I in 1258.
Festivities of Monòver
Activity
Monòver's patronal festival, from 6 to 10 September, honours the Virgen del Remedio with processions, the Salve and the parade of Nanos i Gegants; in addition, each hamlet and the barrio de Santa Bárbara hold their own minor festivals between July and September.
Azorín House Museum
Monument
Birthplace of the writer Azorín in Monòver, in the Vinalopó Mitjà, restored by his brothers, residence of the Martínez Ruiz family since 1876. The three-story building houses an exhibition of the writer's objects and belongings, as well as his personal library, made up of a collection of 14,000 volumes, some from the 16th century, and his correspondence. It is a reference point for those studying Azorín's work and for those interested in the Monòver press of the period, preserved on microfilm. The institution that manages it publishes the journal Anales azorinianos and organizes the Coloquio Internacional de la Universidad de Pau, in France.
Church of San Juan Bautista de Monòver
Monument
Church originating in the 13th century, baroque in style with neoclassical influences, one of the main places of worship in the comarca of El Vinalopó Mitjà.
Ruins of the Almohad castle of Monòver
Monument
The Almohad castle of Monòver was built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries and remained in use until the early 17th century. Irregular in plan, similar to a triangle, with a central keep, it was part of the network of fortifications that lined the Vinalopó river and controlled the routes toward Murcia and Andalusia. Now in ruins, it preserves part of a recently restored tower, sections of wall and a smaller tower on the north side. Excavations have uncovered Almohad pottery from the 12th and 13th centuries, jewelry from the 15th and 16th centuries and pottery from after the 14th century. The castle was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Spain's highest level of heritage protection) on 7 July 2023.
Main Theatre of Monòver
Monument
19th-century theatre in Monòver, one of the town's most outstanding historic buildings.
Fondillón wine of Monòver
Curiosity
Fondillón is a historic wine made in Monòver, one of the best-known wine products of the Vinalopó Mitjà region. It is made exclusively from monastrell grapes, left to over-ripen on the vine and then dried for at least two weeks before fermenting for twenty to thirty days with the skins; it is then aged for a minimum of ten years in oak barrels of around 1,500 liters, using the static system or the solera system typical of Jerez wines. It reaches between 16 and 18 degrees without fortification, with a violet color that turns amber and then brick-red with age, a slightly sweet flavor and aromas of raisins and fine wood. It holds a Denomination of Origin protected by the European Union, alongside Jerez and Port.
Carnival of Monòver
Activity
The Carnival of Monòver, the first major festive event of the calendar year in the municipality in the Vinalopó Mitjà (Alicante), centers on a costume parade that goes through the town with a children's section and an adult one. The parade ends at the plaza de la Sala, where group photos are taken and a costume contest is held by category with prizes awarded, amid music and street festivities.
The Fondó airfield and Negrín's departure
Historical milestone
The El Fondó airfield, in the district of Monòver, was one of the last Republican aerodromes in operation. From its runway there took off on 6 March 1939 the aircraft that carried Juan Negrín and the leaders of the government into exile.
Mistelas and muscatels of the valley
Food and drink
Moscatel and monastrell are fortified with alcohol to obtain sweet mistelas that are served with the baking of Christmas and of the festivities. The wineries of the district keep up this production alongside the dry reds covered by the DOP Alicante.