Iberian sanctuary of La Malladeta

What it is

La Malladeta is a hill beside the sea, south-west of the centre of Villajoyosa, where the Iberians had a sanctuary that remained in use in Roman times: Vilamuseu describes it as an Ibero-Roman sanctuary. At the top is the Malladeta tower and a wide view of the bay, the old town and the coast towards Benidorm. It is a short visit, about 45 minutes including the climb, and free.

The sanctuary and the sun

What makes the place special is its relationship with the sky. According to Vilamuseu, the Iberians used an element of the landscape to follow the sun's movement through the year and mark the start of the astronomical year. From La Malladeta, that reference point is the island of Benidorm: the sun appears next to it only at the equinoxes.

The Iberians did not know the exact astronomical equinox. They took as the start of the year, and of the agricultural calendar, the midpoint between the two solstices. For autumn 2026, the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics calculated that this midpoint fell on Monday 21 September. Vilamuseu has photographed and documented equinox and solstice sunrises from the hill in different years.

Observations with Vilamuseu

The museum organises archaeoastronomy activities at La Malladeta. The last one published was on 21 September 2026: meet at 7:10, yoga and sunrise observation from 7:15 to 7:55 and, at 8:00, an explanation of the sanctuary. It was free and no equipment or prior knowledge was needed. The programme changes each season, so if you are interested, ask for the next date on 966 508 355 or at [email protected]; guided visits are handled on 609 771 110.

How to organise the visit

Neither Vilamuseu nor the tourism website publishes opening hours, access or visiting rules for the site, so before climbing it is worth asking at the Tourist Info (966 851 371) whether you can go in and by which route. The climb is short, but the hill is in the sun: in summer, better first thing or at sunset. Bring water and comfortable shoes.

What was found at La Malladeta and the town's other sites is explained at Vilamuseu, on Calle Colón, which covers more than 3,000 years of local history: it is the visit that makes sense of the hill. To end the day, go down to Playa Centro or the old town and the colourful houses. If you come without a car, TRAM line 1 stops in the town.