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Rojales - caves and wall paintings - hike in the old town

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.


Smal gate med veggmaleri i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

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.


Elv med bro med to brolegemer i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Bridge over the river Segura

Kvinne går på promenade under tunge trekroner ved elven Segura i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Promenade along the river

Dekorert gangbro over elven Río Segura i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Footbridge over Río Segura

Park med blomster i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Park with flowers

Gammel hydraulisk sluseport i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Bridge and hydraulic irrigation system from the 16th - 18th centuries

Rødt minnesmerke i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Minnesmerket La Encantá (forhekset kvinne)

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.


Skilt til grottene i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

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.


Mennesker sitter ved bord utenfor restaurant i grotte i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
People outside restaurant in cave

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.


Blå benker utenfor hvite innganger til grotter i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

Bebodd grotte i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
One of the inhabited caves

Innredning i oppholdsrom i grotte i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Living room in cave

Rom forbundet med ganger i grotte i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Rooms and passages in cave

Kunstgjenstander på hylle i grotte i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Art objects on shelf in cave

Kunst utendørs i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Outdoor art

Utsikt til tak og hus i gamlebyen i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
View to the old town of Rojales

Band spiller musikk for mennesker ved grottene i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Outdoor area with stage by the caves

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.


Mann ved inngangsdøren til huset Casa de las Conchas i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
The son of the founder of Casa de las Conchas accepts ticket money at the entrance

Terrasse i Casa de las Conchas i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
One of the terraces of Casa de las Conchas

Skulptur pyntet med skjell i Casa de las Conchas i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Sculpture decorated with shells

Kvinne på balkong dekket av skjell i Casa de las Conchas i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

Rom dekket av skjell i Casa de las Conchas i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

Bord dekket av skjell på terrasse i Casa de las Conchas i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

In Rojales, artists have been engaged to create murals on a number of buildings. They have become a tourist attraction.


Veggmaleri på hushjørne i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Mural on the corner of a house in Rojales in the Alicante region

Stor husvegg dekket av veggmaleri i Rojales i Alicanteregionen

Maleri av silkehegrer på gangbro over Río Segura i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Painting on footbridge

Malerier på søppelkontainere i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Paintings on garbage containers

Langt blått veggmaleri ved gruvene i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
Wall painting at the caves of Rojales

Rød bygning til Museo Arquelogico i Rojales i Alicanteregionen
The Archaeological Museum of Rojales

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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