6 Things to Do in Bocairent in One Day

Classified as one of the most beautiful villages in the province of Valencia, we tell you things to do in Bocairent in one day so that you don’t miss anything.

Located on the north side of the Mariola Mountains, Bocairent not only maintains its beauty by the environment in which it is located, but also by the staggered form in which the historic centre has been built, the vestiges of the civilisations that inhabited the town and curious places such as the Covetes and the caves, which were used to store different items.

In this article we are going to discover everything you have to do in Bocairent in one day, one of the must-visit towns whether you are on a route through the Valencia region or if you live in Alicante or Valencia.

1. Things to do in Bocairent in one day, the historic centre

The historic centre of Bocairent has great charm. With a network of narrow streets with steep slopes, ups and downs, it retains the essence of the Moorish era. Its beauty, partly determined by the physiognomy of the terrain, is also found in the houses hanging over the ravine and the 17th and 18th century mansions up to eight storeys high.

The church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción at the top of the historic centre is one of the essential things to see in Bocairent in one day. After the Christian reconquest, it was built on top of the Arab castle in the mid-14th century. Inside, it mixes different styles such as Gothic and Baroque. The frescoes in the central nave, executed in the 18th and 19th centuries, add to its beauty.

The Bocairent Bullring has two peculiarities: it is excavated on a rock and it is the oldest bullring in the Valencian Community.

One of the things you will often see when strolling through the historic centre of Bocairent are the fountains. There are a total of eleven scattered across different sites. It is worth remembering that Bocairent began with the channelling of drinking water in the 18th century.

Among the museums in Bocairent, we highlight the Municipal Archaeological Museum which exhibits different objects from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages that were found in caves in the surrounding area. Here you will find ceramic pieces, necklaces, bracelets, arrowheads and more.

2. Les Covetes Dels Moros, a must-see in Bocairent with children

Another of the great attractions to do in Bocairent in one day is a visit to Les Covetes dels Moros, located just 300 metres from the historic centre of the town.

Its particularity lies in the fact that there are more than fifty man-made caves in the cliff at different levels, which give the appearance of small windows on the rock face. These holes, presumably excavated between the 10th and 11th centuries, were used as granaries and were not interconnected.

Today, most of the caves are connected to facilitate the visit. It is an adventure for both adults and children, always evaluating the risk as it is a small labyrinth to reach the final cave and where you have to go through many narrow nooks and crannies, climb up and down through holes and pass through several slopes. From our point of view it is not advisable to do it with children under 8 years old.

If you want to make sure you can visit the caves, especially at weekends, you can buy your ticket online from the Bocairent tourism website.

3. Colomer Caves

Within the group of cave-windows located on the Clariano river and in the vicinity of Bocairent, Covetes del Colomer is another vestige of the Muslim period and is located in the historic centre of the town. Although it does not have the dimensions of Covetes del Moros, it still has the appearance of a cave dug out of the mountain.

It was used for various activities other than as a granary, including as a refuge during the Civil War. Today the site is home to the Cave-Windows Interpretation Centre, a place to learn more about these centuries-old buildings.

🔝 Are you touring the area? Take a look at this article to discover the most beautiful villages in Alicante.

4. Cava de Sant Blai, a curious place

The cava de Sant Blai could be described centuries ago as a large natural snow cellar dug out of the mountain where snow was preserved and stored for later sale for therapeutic, gastronomic and, to a lesser extent, food purposes, with its peak between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Being located in the Mariola mountains, Bocairent and other nearby villages were the ideal places to build the circular stone deposits, which in most cases were more than 10 metres deep, to store the snow that fell in the mountains. The cava even had a ditch to channel the water caused by the melting snow.

It’s one of the most curious places we’ve been to, so it’s well worth a visit. Moreover, it is located right next to the Covetes dels Moros.

5. Magic Route, one of the activities to do in Bocairent in one day.

The Magic Route is a perfect activity to do in Bocairent in one day with children. This is a circular route of low difficulty, two and a half kilometres long and one hour long. It allows you to discover the main attractions to do in Bocairent.

It starts at the Town Hall square and runs through a large part of the medieval quarter until it reaches the viewpoint of the Covetes Dels Moros and Covetes del Colomer. It then follows a path into the area of the hanging houses over the ravine and the Cueva de En Gomar, a place where remains of prehistoric origin were found.

The route continues past an old textile factory, which used the waterfalls for energy, and the municipal market.

6. The best views of Bocairent

You’ve probably seen photos of the façade of the village with the houses seemingly on top of each other and the church looming over the top. If you want to know where to have the best views of Bocairent to get beautiful panoramic views, we will give you the information.

• In the town cemetery: the cemetery is on the access road to the town, on the opposite side and across the bridge that gives access to Bocairent. Here you can park your car next to the cemetery and drive around the back of the cemetery, where a 200 metre downhill path leads to a viewpoint. Here you have the best views of Bocairent.
• From Covetes dels Moros: a different panoramic view as you do not see the houses from the front but from the side, highlighting the church tower.
• From the hermitage at the top: you have a panoramic view of the “back” part of the village. The good thing is that it is the highest place to take panoramic photos.

How to get to Bocairent

If you are coming from Madrid, take the A-31 and then the E-903. Before entering Villena, take the CV-81 towards the Sierra de Mariola.

If you are coming from Valencia, take the A-7 to Onteniente and then take the CV-81 towards Bocairent.

If you don’t have a car, there is an excursion to visit Bocairente for the day from Valencia.

Where to stay in Bocairent

The village has plenty of accommodation in the historic centre to explore the sights on foot. Our recommendations for where to stay in Bocairent are as follows:

• L’Agora Hotel: in the heart of the historic centre, is a charming accommodation with rooms decorated in different Asian and colonial styles.
• Casa Rural Mirador: if you want to stay in a typical large house, this place is ideal. Decorated with rustic style furniture, the architecture of the place with stone and beamed ceilings is a beauty.

Where to eat in Bocairente

• Restaurant El Cancell: Ideal for a set menu. Very generous portions.
• Mesón Gandía: A grill whose special feature is that the interior dining room is located in a cave. Be sure to try the aubergines in batter with sugar cane honey and the house wine.

As we have mentioned, there are many attractions to do in Bocairent in one day whether you are travelling as a couple or with children. It’s worth knowing!