Logbook · 10 places

What to see and do in Orpesa

What to see and do in Orpesa (La Plana Alta, Castellón): 10 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 5 Monuments · 1 Activities · 1 Curiosities · 1 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

How far each place is from the centre of Orpesa

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Spain › Valencian Community › Castellón › La Plana Alta › Orpesa

What to see and do in Orpesa

Orpesa
Village
Orpesa, officially Oropesa del Mar, is a coastal municipality of La Plana Alta, in Castellón, with 12,640 inhabitants. The Sierra de Oropesa dominates the territory to the west, while to the east it descends towards the coastal plain, with beaches and coves; the historic centre rises 35 metres above the sea. There are traces of occupation since the Lower Palaeolithic in the Serra d'Orpesa, and from the Bronze Age the Tossal Redó, a coastal fortification, and Orpesa la Vella, a walled settlement next to the Concha beach, are preserved. Iberian pottery and drachmas from Ampurias, used to finance the Roman troops, have been found, along with remains of Roman amphorae at Las Playetas. The municipality preserves the castle and the defensive tower that watched over the sea.
Castle of Orpesa
Monument
The castle of Orpesa, of medieval architecture and built between the 13th and 14th centuries, occupies the top of the town's historic centre, with views over the coast and the interior of La Plana Alta. It was conquered by Jaime I of Aragón in 1233 and later passed into the hands of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, which placed a commander at the head of the castle. In October 1811, during the Peninsular War, it put up strong resistance to the French army of Marshal Suchet, who ended up destroying the fortress.
Tower of el Rey
Monument
The Torre del Rey, or Torre del cabo de Oropesa, stands next to the lighthouse of Cabo de Orpesa (Castellón), 40 metres from the sea. Its construction was authorised in 1413 by Ferdinand I of Aragon, financed with alms from across the Crown of Aragon, and it was finished around 1428; the lord of Oropesa, Joan de Cervelló, reinforced it in 1534 against attacks by Barbary pirates. In 1568 it passed into the hands of Philip II and was guarded by a garrison of fourteen soldiers. During the Peninsular War it resisted French troops after the surrender of the castle. It has a square floor plan, stands 15.70 metres high, with walls up to 3.60 metres thick, and is today a Bien de Interés Cultural (Spain's highest level of heritage protection).
Museum of el Naipe
Monument
Museum in Orpesa with an extensive collection of playing cards from all over the world.
Festivities of Orpesa
Activity
Orpesa celebrates San Antonio Abad (Sant Antoni del Porquet) on the Saturday after his feast day, with bonfires and the blessing of animals; Sant Jaume on 25 July; and its main patronal festival, the Virgen de la Paciencia, on the first Sunday of October.
Orpesa la Vella
Curiosity
Orpesa la Vella is a settlement situated on a rocky promontory south of the Concha beach, next to the present-day marina of Orpesa, with origins going back to the Bronze Age and occupation in the Iberian era. It was inhabited by a small population dedicated mainly to fishing, protected by a walled perimeter. Excavations have brought to light Iberian pottery and amphorae, and in the nearby Cala Retor more than 171 Greek drachmas from Empúries were found, used to finance Roman troops. Declared Bien de Interés Cultural (Spain's highest level of heritage protection), it is today privately owned and can only be seen from behind the fences that enclose it.
Towers of the Colomera and la Corda
Monument
16th-century coastal watchtowers which, together with the Torre del Rey, made up the defensive network of Orpesa against Barbary raids.
Museum of Oropesa del Mar
Monument
A museum in the old town devoted to promoting local historical heritage, including the network of towers and fortifications that defended the town against pirate attacks.
The grant of Orpesa to the Order of the Temple
Historical milestone
Alfonso II of Aragon handed the Templars this coastal castle still in frontier country; James I conquered it definitively in 1233 and it afterwards passed to the Order of the Hospital and to various noble lineages.
Oropesina
Food and drink
An almond sweet characteristic of the municipality, which coexists with a port cooking dominated by paella, black rice, soupy rice and fideuà made with the fish landed on the coast.