Elche: Holiday apartments among palm groves, culture and coast

Palm landscape

The Ruta del Palmeral is a circular route through the palm groves of Elche, whose defining landscape feature is the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). The route is approximately 2,580 metres long, connects the southern palm groves around the historic city centre of Elche, and starts and ends at the Huerto de San Plácido. The circular route, its length and fixed starting and finishing points provide different reference points for planning your day.

At the Museo del Palmeral, visitors can access a palm grove where traditional irrigation systems and the typical crops associated with them can be seen. The museum also includes a municipal workshop where the traditional weaving technique used for Palma Blanca can be observed. The experience at Huerto San Plácido includes demonstrations of traditionally climbing palm trees, harvesting dates, enclosing fruit clusters, pruning and manual pollination.

A visit to a date farm with a tasting of the dates is offered as a visitor experience in the palm grove of Elche.

Culture and history

The Baños Árabes are one of the few surviving examples of Islamic public architecture in the Comunitat Valenciana. They are open to the public. The former hammam was divided into three areas for cold, warm and hot water; the current design reconstructs the former atmosphere and the sounds of that time.

La Calahorra is an Islamic fortress from the Almohad period, integrated at the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13th century as a watchtower into the defensive wall of Andalusian Elche. La Calahorra houses a permanent exhibition featuring important paintings from the municipal art collection, including works from various artistic periods spanning the 17th to the 20th century.

The Museo Arqueológico y de Historia de Elche presents the history of the local area and the communities that have inhabited it. The La Alcudia archaeological park encompasses a 10-hectare excavation site inhabited by various cultures from the 5th millennium BC to the 8th or 9th century AD and includes the important ancient city of Ilici.

Traditions

The Misteri d’Elx is a fully sung performance in two acts on 14 and 15 August. Its performance tradition dates back to the middle of the 15th century and is associated with the Basilica of Santa Maria and the streets of Elche’s old town.

The Museo de la Virgen displays artistic and historical heritage associated with Elche’s patron saint. The Museo Municipal de la Fiesta offers visitors who cannot attend the performances of the Misteri d’Elx an alternative visit dedicated to this festival.

The Museo Escolar de Puçol offers guided tours of a traditional farmhouse, former agricultural activities and the town’s shops; pupils aged 6 to 11 take on the role of guides. The Casa-Museo de l’Hort dels Ponts illustrates the traditional way of life in a house built in 1900 and its adjoining garden among palm trees, with irrigation channels, vegetable cultivation, fruit trees and furniture more than one hundred years old.

The Torre dels Vaïllos is a former defence and watchtower. From its elevated position, visitors can view the palm grove north of the city.

Other places

The locality pages for Las Saladas and Las Bayas can also be accessed. Other locality pages include El Chaparral, Crevillente, Monforte Del Cid, Formentera Del Segura, La Carroja and Abdet.

Nature

The coastal area of Elche combines dune systems and coastal wetlands of high ecological value and provides habitats for birds as well as opportunities for birdwatching. The ponds of Clot de Galvany are particularly important for the birdlife and biodiversity of the area.

For the overarching travel overview: Alicante.