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Itinerary · 1 night

The castle in the morning and the valley from the jacuzzi, a night for two in Guadalest.

Castle first thing, a tasting at a valley winery, a grilled menu, a VIVOOD suite with spa and the reservoir by kayak the next morning. 50 minutes from Alicante.

Leaves from Alicante · 1 hValencia · 1 h 45Murcia · 2 h

Part of Guadalest and the Guadalest ValleyUnusual places to stay in Spain

Duration1 night
From Alicante50 min by car
From Valencia1 h 50 by car
Lunch at ConTempleMenus from €46 to €104 pp
Best daySaturday, with ConTemple and MASOS open
Best timeMarch – June · September – November

The plan

The plan, hour by hour

Designed for a Saturday and Sunday, or Wednesday to Sunday if you change the day. You leave Alicante early to see the castle before the coach tours from the coast, have lunch at ConTemple and spend the afternoon at the hotel. On Sunday, the reservoir and the drive back after lunch.

Saturday

  1. 109:00Leaving Alicante

    AP-7 to Benidorm and the CV-70 via La Nucia and Polop: about 65 km and 50 minutes. Park at the entrance to the Castell de Guadalest.

  2. 210:00The San José tunnel

    Walk in through the tunnel opened in the rock and look out from the reservoir viewpoints before the buses arrive.

  3. 310:30Castle and Casa Orduña

    The house of the Orduña family and, above it, the castle of San José. Allow an hour.

  4. 412:00Tasting at the MASOS winery

    Ten minutes by car, at the Mas de Ondara estate in Benimantell: a winery visit with four wines and oil. Book on its website.

  5. 514:00Lunch at ConTemple

    VIVOOD's restaurant, a couple of kilometres away: a grilled menu with produce from the valley. Book 24 hours ahead.

  6. 616:00Suite and spa

    Check in at VIVOOD and spend the afternoon in the 5E Spa circuit, open until 20:00. Dinner at the Panorámico, for guests only.

Sunday

  1. 109:30Unhurried breakfast

    The hotel breakfast, or the floating one if you are in a Premium Villa and asked for it the day before. Check-out is at 12:00.

  2. 212:00Kayak on the reservoir

    An hour and a half paddling beneath the castle with Kayak Beni. Outside July and August, by booking only.

  3. 314:00Lunch at Xortá and the drive back

    A set menu with the valley and the sea in the distance, on the Callosa road. In Alicante by around 17:30.

Map

The stops, in order

What to do Eat 88 €Stay Services

Plan the trip

Guadalest and the Guadalest Valley, step by step

Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.

  1. 11. When to go
  2. 22. How you travel
  3. 33. Where to stay
  4. 44. Where to eat

When to go

When to go to Guadalest and the Guadalest Valley

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Best timeGood timeLow season

How you travel

The same break, your way

The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.

The Car Stays at the Entrance

You reach El Castell by the CV-755 from Callosa d'en Sarrià or from Benidorm by the CV-70. The upper village can only be entered on foot through the tunnel: leave the car in the car parks at the entrance, next to Avenida de Alicante, and walk.

60–120 €per person per day, approximate
  • Where to sleepCases Noves, in the village…
  • Getting aroundFrom Alicante, about 50 minutes…
  • Where to eatLa Plaça, in the upper…
  • ServicesTourist Info on Avenida de…

Where to sleep

  • Cases Noves, in the village, for adults
  • El Molinet del Governador, apartments 7 km away, with a dog

Getting around

  • From Alicante, about 50 minutes by the AP-7 and Benidorm
  • Les Fonts de l'Algar, 15 km along the CV-755
  • The kayak jetty, along narrow tracks

Where to eat

  • La Plaça, in the upper village, with a terrace over the reservoir
  • Xorta, on the Callosa road, Tuesday to Sunday at midday

Services

  • Tourist Info on Avenida de Alicante

How much does it cost?

People2
Nights1

Approximate, for 2 people and 1 night: staying, eating and getting around there for each way of travelling. Getting there is not included.

Where to stay

Where to stay if you're driving

We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel

The façade of Cases Noves in El Castell de Guadalest© Cases NovesSmall hotel

Cases Noves

El Castell · Adults only · 5 rooms · Castle views

Why we like it: Adults-only boutique rural hotel in El Castell's arrabal, with five rooms with views of the castle or the sea, a gourmet breakfast and a terrace.

The Guadalest valley near the house© El Molinet del GovernadorCountry house

El Molinet del Governador

Guadalest valley · 5 apartments · Fireplace · Dogs allowed

Dogs welcome

Why we like it: Old country house divided into five independent apartments for 2 to 8, between Guadalest and Callosa; one pet per apartment allowed.

From €90 / night View details
A wooden barrel with its door open and the bed inside, under an awning, with breakfast on the terrace table© Finca SeguróCountry house

Finca Seguró

Barrels for two and a family one for four · Private terrace · Shared bathrooms and showers nearby · Siete Bancales winery

Why we like it: Wine barrels to sleep in among the vineyards in Sella, at over 800 metres in the Sierra de Aitana, with your own terrace, shared bathrooms and a winery on the estate.

From €124 / night View details
The infinity pool and its sun loungers facing the olive terraces, with a village and its bell tower on top of the ridge© VivoodSpa hotel

VIVOOD Landscape Hotel & 5E Spa

Independent suites and villas on the hillside · Jacuzzi or private pool depending on category · Spa with a five-stage circuit · Intended for adults

Why we like it: Design hotel intended for adults in Benimantell: 35 suites and villas on stilts on the hillside, with their own jacuzzi or pool, a spa and valley views.

Services for this trip

Tourist Info GuadalestAvenida de Alicante, at the entrance to the village · information, maps and Casa Orduña opening hours

Where to eat

Where to eat in Guadalest and the Guadalest Valley

La Plaça Bar Restaurant

Restaurant · El Castell de Guadalest · €€€€

What to order: the menu of the day on the terrace, looking out over the reservoir

Nou Salat Restaurant

Restaurant · El Castell de Guadalest · €€€€

What to order: traditional market cooking from the Sales Gomis family

Xortá Restaurant

Restaurant · El Castell de Guadalest · €€€€

What to order: the menu of the day; on Sunday, with a booking

The ConTemple dining room in half-light, with a window open to the garden and the rock© Vivood

ConTemple Restaurant, at VIVOOD

Restaurant · Benimantell · €€€€

What to order: the Brasas Experience, with duck picanha or red tuna trio

Open to non-resident guests, always with a reservation at least 24 hours ahead

Tips

Worth knowing first

Local tip

If you want the spa to yourselves, ask for the Spa Night: two hours at sunset with the spa closed to everyone else, with an aperitif and wine.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can I do it with children?

That is not the idea: VIVOOD is an adults-oriented hotel. For a family trip, look at the other accommodation in Guadalest.

Do I need to book everything?

Yes: the MASOS tasting, ConTemple 24 hours ahead and the kayak outside summer.

How much does the getaway cost?

Without the hotel, €120 to €200 per person for tickets, tasting, meals and kayak.

Can I go in winter?

Yes. The castle, ConTemple, the spa and the suites with heated jacuzzi work all year; the kayak is by booking.