A few kilometers from the coast near Torrevieja lies an old town center with narrow, picturesque streets, beautiful murals and a hill full of caves that were once inhabited, but are now mostly used for art, workshops and studios. Many also visit the Casa de las Conchas, which is a house completely covered in small shells.
Rojales is divided in two by the river Río Segura. There are narrow streets throughout the old town and it can be difficult to get around all places by car. Several bridges cross the river.
The legend of La Encantá tells that a bewitched, beautiful princess emerges from the mountain Cabezo Soler once every hundred years on La noche de San Juan (St. Hans' night). This is because once on St. Hansen's Eve she had sneaked out from the castle on top of Cabezo Soler to meet her lover by the river Río Segura. The Moorish king rushed down to protect his daughter's honor, but was mortally wounded in the skirmish. Just before he died, he uttered a curse. In the same moment, the castle disappeared and the princess was caught in a deep sleep inside the mountain. To undo the spell, she must be carried down to the river and have her feet dipped in the water. Unfortunately, every time evil forces have prevented her from getting there. It is said that few if any residents of Rojales have ventured out on this night.
The caves - Cuevas de Rodeo Rojales - are located on the west side of the river. To get there, you can either walk towards the highest point in the old town, or follow the yellow signs that show the fastest way there for pedestrians.
The caves were excavated between the 18th and 20th centuries by miners who had moved there and needed housing. The mines are whitewashed on the outside, and most have blue painted moldings around the doors and windows. Inside the caves there are several rooms linked together by corridors. The caves maintain a fairly constant temperature all year round. Cave no. 6 has been converted into a tourist information center. Cave No. 4 is used for the exhibition of art. In many of the other caves, artists and craftsmen have workshops where they also sell their products. At the tourist information you can get a map of all the caves. On the first Saturday of every month, all the owners try to be present in their caves to show them off and sell their wares. Then there is also music from the common area with a stage.
In 1974, D. Manuel Fulleda Alcaraz bought a house in Rojales to spend his retirement there after nine years in France. To have something to do in his spare time, he started collecting shells from the beaches of Guardamar del Segura and Manga del Mar Menor. He then got the idea to glue them to the cement walls of his house, and over the next 12 years he collected more than 500,000 shells which he glued to roofs, walls, stairs and terraces. It eventually became what is today La Casa de las Conchas (The Shell House) in Rojales. When it was finished, he opened it to the public. After being closed for a few years, his son has now taken over and reopened it to the public.
In Rojales, artists have been engaged to create murals on a number of buildings. They have become a tourist attraction.
More excursions: www.turideer.com
Excursion of the week: City walk in Rojales to see caves and wall paintings
Suitable for: Everyone.
Getting there: Search for La Encantá Rojales in Google Maps. You will then come straight to the red memorial. Here there are parking spaces on both sides. Cross the bridge to the other side and look for the yellow signs showing the route to the caves.
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