# San José Castle and Casa Orduña What to do en Guadalest and the Guadalest Valley · Guadalest and the Guadalest Valley Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/things-to-do/san-jose-castle-and-orduna-house · Revisado: 2026-11-13 - Desde: 4 € per person - Duración: 1 h - Temporada: All year - Para quién: Everyone; stairs and rock The Orduña family's manor house turned museum, and through it the climb to the San José and Alcozaiba castles · 1 h · €4. At El Castell de Guadalest you don't climb to the castle by a separate path: you enter through a house. The Casa Orduña, at 2 Calle de la Iglesia, right as you come out of the San José tunnel, is the municipal museum and the only door to what remains of the village's two fortresses. A €4 ticket covers everything, and the full visit takes an hour. The house of the marquis's governors The house was built after the earthquake of 1644, which devastated the area and damaged the castle's buildings. It was built by the Orduña, a family of Basque origin who served the Cardona, admirals of Aragon; Sancho de Cardona received the title of marquis of Guadalest in 1542, and the Orduña were for generations governors of the castle and administrators of his estates. In 1708, in the War of the Spanish Succession, the house was burned and looted. In 1756 an Orduña entered the Order of Santiago, and with that the family became noble. Inside you walk through a home of the valley's elites from the 17th to the 19th centuries: the kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, library and noble salons, with the family's belongings and papers. There are also temporary exhibition rooms; until 11 December 2026 a painting show by Nati Pamies and Candy López is on display. On the way out you cross a garden courtyard with its cistern. Two castles on the same rock From the house you continue upwards. First comes the Alcozaiba castle, also from the 11th century: three stepped enclosures, with cisterns and a three-storey watchtower in the middle one. Higher up is the San José castle, on the highest rock in the municipality. Its history is a chain of blows: the earthquake of 1644 split off the Cantalar, a piece of the crag; in 1708 the blowing up of a mine destroyed the west wing, and in 1848 the walls were demolished and the garrison withdrawn. Today what remains is above all the keep and the panorama: the turquoise reservoir below and the Aitana, Xortà and Serrella mountains around. The white bell tower you see from above is separate from the body of the church. The path is steps and living rock. It is not for pushchairs or wheelchairs: if someone in the group can't climb, the museums of the arrabal and the reservoir dam are the alternatives the town council points to as accessible. Opening hours by season Open every day. In high and mid season, from 10:15 to 19:00; in low season it closes at 18:00. On Thursdays and Sundays it stops from 14:00 to 15:00. The ticket is paid at the house, by card too. For questions, the museum can be reached on 965 88 52 98 and at museomunicipal@guadalest.es. You walk from the car park on Avenida de Alicante through the San José tunnel; the house is a few steps from the square. To eat without going back down, La Plaça is on the same street. ## Cómo llegar y contacto - Coordenadas: 38.6759, -0.1994 ## Cerca de aquí - [The Curious Museums of Guadalest](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/things-to-do/curious-museums), a 34 m - [The San José Tunnel and the Reservoir Viewpoints](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/things-to-do/san-jose-tunnel-and-reservoir-viewpoints), a 66 m - [El Mirador de Guadalest Restaurant](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/where-to-eat/el-mirador-de-guadalest-restaurant), a 68 m - [Cases Noves](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/where-to-stay/cases-noves-boutique-rural-hotel), a 89 m - [La Plaça Bar Restaurant](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/where-to-eat/la-placa-bar-restaurant), a 203 m - [ConTemple Restaurant, at VIVOOD](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/where-to-eat/contemple), a 595 m - [VIVOOD Landscape Hotel & 5E Spa](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/where-to-stay/vivood), a 595 m - [Xortá Restaurant](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley/where-to-eat/xorta-restaurant), a 817 m ## Consejos ### Go in at opening time Mid-morning the coast coaches arrive and the climb fills up. ### Shoes with soles The rock steps are slippery, especially after rain. ### Thursday and Sunday, watch the lunch hour From 14:00 to 15:00 the house closes on those two days. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How much does it cost to climb to Guadalest castle? €4 per person, with the Casa Orduña included: the climb starts inside the house. ### Can you see the castle without going into the Casa Orduña? No. The only access to the castles is through the museum. ### How long does the visit last? An hour, between the house and the climb to the two castles. ### Is it open in winter? Yes, every day, but in low season it closes at 18:00. ### Is it wheelchair accessible? No. The climb is steps and rock. Destino: [Guadalest and the Guadalest Valley](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/valencian-community/guadalest-and-the-guadalest-valley.md)