A few kilometers from the fishing village Villajoyosa there is a small lush valley between the Sella mountain and the Orxeta mountain. This is a very scarcely populated area with nice scenery. At the bottom of the valley is a small river that flows into the Amazon Dam.
The picture below shows the small village of Orxeta with the Sella mountain in the background.
The tour through the Orxeta Valley can be done as a round trip from Orxeta through the valley and back along the road (about 1 hour), or return trip from Bella Orcheta to Orxeta (about 1 hour).
Bella Orcheta is a small residential area at the end of the Amadorio Dam. Park near the El Pantano restaurant located just off the main road.
Walk up the steep hill next to the restaurant and continue until you reach a roundabout. There you turn left.
Continue straight through the housing area. Eventually you come across a dirt road that leads you through the Orxeta Valley. There is only one way, so you can't go wrong.
After a couple of kilometers you come to a path that goes left down / back towards Orxeta. It is labeled Orxeta. Then you have a good view of the village.
The path goes through a fertile area (huerta) where fruits and vegetables are grown. In the spring it is green and lush here, not least because of the water from the river.
When you reach the city streets, you have two options. If you turn left, you enter the main street. Spend some time in the village.
The city center is declared an area of great cultural and architectural value and is protected. The village has just under 800 inhabitants.
The painted stone houses on two floors with a small balcony on the second floor are typical of the era the village was constructed. The village was originally Muslim, but was transferred to Christians when the Arabs were expelled from Spain.
The church and the surrounding square is a center where people gather, but we visited the city on March 8, when almost all the residents were out on an hour's walk in honor of the women.
In this March 8 gig, there were no posters claiming rights. People were more concerned about showing their appreciation of the women. Many hundreds attended.
At the end of the town, not too far from the church, you will find the original water supply to the village. Here, a natural water source provides both good quality drinking water and water for washing clothes (pictured below).
When you're done in town, you can go back to Bella Orcheta the same way you came, or you can go back the main road for a round trip.
But if you would like to extend the tour a bit, you can go a few miles further inland into the valley and return on the dirt road that leads to Bella Orcheta.
To get there, turn right where you came up in town. Then, after a few hundred meters, you will come to a sign for marked trails to the top of Orxeta Mountain (2 hours and 20 minutes) and to a vantage point with good views of the Amazon Dam and the coast (1 1/2 hour walk).
Follow signs for Mirador 1 and Mirador 2. The trail starts with a dirt road that goes through a small residential area. Where the road ends (is blocked) continue a path down to the right next to a small finca. The path leads down into the valley where you have to cross the river.
After the bridge, the trail goes up to the other side of the valley. When you come to a dirt road, turn right. It leads to the Bella Orcheta where you parked.
This tour gives you a nice view of the entire Orxeta valley and the surrounding mountains. In the spring there are also many nice flowers there.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
Excursion of the week: The Orxeta valley - hike along a river
Length: 7 kilometers, approximately 1 hour.
Get there: Follow N-332 or AP-7 from Alicante towards Benidorm. Take the exit to Villajoyosa from AP-7 or the center of Villajoyosa from N-332. Follow the signs for Orxeta on CV-770. As you approach the end of the dam, you see signs for the El Pantano restaurant. Turn right here and park in the ground next to the restaurant. Go up the hill, turn left at the first roundabout and then continue straight ahead until you see a sign for Pueblo (village) and follow this trail down the left into Orxeta.
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