Xativa, Valencia: A walk around the Castell de Xativa

We started from the old city as we wanted to have a look at the old part but one can also park the car much higher up at the Carrera del Castillo.

The view from the first walls is very nice, you will see the city and be able to look far into the countryside, as far as Valencia.

At the Ermita de Sant Josep we took the track going slightly down and found out that the one going slightly up would have been the better choice.

At the end of the wall we went through an opening and followed a track to the south which will go through the wooded part of the hillside.

During this part of the walk the right track is not always easily visible but as long as you go up in an eastern direction you will get out of the woods on the open rocks near the Penya Rocha (302m.) which dominates the hill crest at the most eastern point.

From here you will gradually descend in quite open country wth very good views on the Castell de Xativa and its extensive walls.

You will pass two junctions, the first one up to the castle and the second one to a col, the Portet de Vermissa. After the latter we followed the track into a slightly wooded area until we saw a track going up to yet another track that goes to the Portet de Vermissa. Arriving at this track we went left in a south-western direction following a well visible white/yellow marked track which we followed until we reached the orange groves.

Leaving the yellow/white marked track we walked alongside the orange groves until we reached a small road from which we took the first dirt road to the right and went up to the Penya de Sant Diego (388m.).

From the junction we went down following a narrow track that gradually goes down to Xativa, giving you good views to the north and the east.