Benimantell: Hiking, Heritage and Regional Cuisine

Benimantell offers a range of ways to plan your trip: a distinctive townscape, hiking and cycling routes, local cultural history and Olleta de Blat. If you are looking for a hotel in Benimantell, you can consider whether your trip will focus more on trails, sightseeing in the town or regional cuisine. The routes vary in their layout and stated duration.

Townscape and cultural traces

The streets of Benimantell are steep and laid out like a labyrinth. Shaded lanes evoke a medieval street plan and shape the impression you get when walking around the town. The streets also feature ceramic panels depicting religious scenes.

A distinctive building is the parish church dedicated to Saint Vincent Martyr. Its square bell tower consists of three sections and is topped by a hexagonal spire. Extensive remains have also survived at the Castellet de Benimantell, including walls, the main tower, secondary defensive towers and the remains of an Islamic cistern that supplied the fortress with water.

The monumental Pi Ver is part of the local natural and cultural heritage. The pine tree is a symbol for the local population and is also considered a witness to the town's history. Near the Font del Molí, you can visit a so-called “Clot de la neu”. The Embalse de Guadalest is also part of the municipality's landscape: its waters cover parts of Benimantell's municipal area.

Hiking: compare route layout and duration

The partly circular Sender de la Serra starts and ends in Benimantell and is well signposted. It is approximately 12 kilometres long, with a walking time of about three hours. The PR-CV 9 is longer, at 16.30 kilometres; the estimated walking time is four hours and 40 minutes. These times provide a concrete basis for comparison when planning, although the routes do not follow the same layout: the Sender de la Serra is characterised by its partly circular route and return to Benimantell.

The PR-CV 9 runs parallel to the Arc ravine along part of the southern slope of the Aitana. From there, the trail climbs to the Comptador pass and then descends to Benimantell. It ends where it joins the CV-70 in the town. Those interested in this trail will find a sequence of slope, ravine, pass and descent; the Sender de la Serra, by contrast, is described in terms of its approximate duration and partly circular layout.

Climbing is also one of the activities on offer: Benimantell has several climbing schools with areas for beginners and long routes. The activities cater to all ability levels and age groups. Climbing thus complements the hiking routes with another way to experience the area actively.

Mountain biking through the valley or towards the coast

Two different routes are described for mountain bikers. The “Vuelta a los pueblos del Valle” is a circular route starting in Benimantell. It follows alternative roads to the main road through all the other towns in the Guadalest Valley. The route to Altea, by contrast, is described as a one-way trip: it connects the mountains and the sea, passes the reservoir and follows the course of the Guadalest River. This 22-kilometre route is rated “moderate”; the distance refers to the one-way trip.

The two options can therefore be distinguished by their focus: a circular route through the towns of the Guadalest Valley or a connection to Altea rated moderate. The information on distance and route helps you choose between these options when planning, without treating hiking and cycling as involving the same time or distance.

Olleta de Blat and Gastronomic Week

The nine-day Semana Gastronómica de la “Olleta de Blat” puts this traditional dish centre stage. Olleta de Blat is considered a traditional staple dish of the towns in the Guadalest Valley. During Gastronomic Week, Benimantell's restaurants offer menus featuring traditional recipes and other specialities.

On Saturday, the first day of Gastronomic Week, the “Festa de l'Olleta de Blat” is held in the Plaza Mayor. The town's restaurants offer a tasting of the dish. If regional cuisine is a consideration when planning your trip, Olleta de Blat is a specific point of reference: it is part of both the week's gastronomic offering and the culinary tradition of the Guadalest Valley.

Getting to Benimantell

Benimantell can be reached via the CV-70, which connects to the AP-7. This road connection complements the local highlights: depending on whether you want to focus on hiking, cycling, local history or Gastronomic Week, you can plan your trip accordingly.

Discover more destinations: Sanet Y Negrals, Tibi, Granja De Rocamora, Alicante, El Campello, El Verger, L'Atzúbia, Forna.

Go to the main travel overview: Alicante.