La Encina: Railway History and Festivals

La Encina is a former railway village in Villena, Alicante. Intense railway activity shaped the village from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. If you are considering La Encina as a destination for a stay, you will find several distinct points of interest: railway station history, historic railway features along the main promenade, the San Juan Bautista festivals and two routes listed in hiking information. These topics offer different ways to plan your trip—from culture and local history to festival dates and hiking.

Railway history in the village

La Encina railway station was built in the mid-19th century to connect Madrid and Alicante. Its construction dates to the beginning of the intense railway activity that shaped the village until the mid-20th century. In 2021, the Conselleria de Educación, Cultura y Deporte was reported to have classified the railway village as a Bien de Relevancia Local (BRL).

Historic railway features are displayed in a sculpture park along the main promenade. They were salvaged and installed as a community project. If you are interested in industrial heritage, comparing them helps distinguish the station’s historic transport function from the artistic presentation of the features.

Church and guided visits

The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista is a 20th-century church in the railway village. Its name refers to the same saint in whose honor La Encina celebrates its festivals. Guided visits to the railway village are organized by the Ayuntamiento de Villena on request. Contact the Ayuntamiento de Villena to arrange one.

Festivals in honor of San Juan Bautista

The festivals in honor of San Juan Bautista take place from June 23 to 26 and have been celebrated since 1914. Festival week includes activities from the Pregón to the Cremà of the Falla. This sequence gives a clear timeframe from the opening to the close of festival week, rather than describing just one event. If the festival tradition is a deciding factor in your travel plans, the four days at the end of June are the specific dates to plan around. Unlike the railway heritage that spans decades, the festivals concentrate the local calendar into a few days, giving La Encina both a long-standing historical connection and a precisely dated occasion.

Hiking trails and their direction

The PR-CV 197 hiking trail ends in Villena-La Encina. Its final section passes through Cerro Rocín and the Cantera de la Encina before reaching the church in La Encina. The sequence of Cerro Rocín, the quarry and the church makes it easier to find your way along the final stretch. Villena’s municipal sports guide also lists the route “Desde La Encina a La Zafra.” Its name indicates a different direction: it leads from La Encina to La Zafra, whereas the PR-CV 197 ends there. This lets you first decide whether La Encina should be the destination of a trail or the starting point of the named route. Check the condition of the “Desde La Encina a La Zafra” route before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Finestrat, El Campello, Bahía de Jávea, Alicante, Pinoso, San Juan De Alicante, Monóvar, Abdet

Go to the main travel overview: Alicante.