La Vall d’Ebo between hiking trails, caves and rock art

There are seven marked hiking trails in the municipality of La Vall d’Ebo, with a total length of 48 kilometres. Their planning can be based on the different focuses of trails, caves, the town route and scheduled festivals.

Nature

The Vall d’Ebo lapiaz developed on chalky limestone. The penetration of rainwater into cracks in the rock created a diverse underground karst landscape. The Cova del Rull is an accessible cave with multicoloured stalactites and stalagmites. The visit takes the form of a guided tour covering more than 200 metres via stairs and passageways and is suitable for all visitor groups.

Els Tolls are natural pools reached via a marked path approximately 100 metres before the Cova del Rull. Els Avencs are natural shafts located on the road from Ebo to Pego, on the way to the Refugi de la Figuereta. The Avenc Estret, located on the Travessa del Maset al Tossal Gran route, is 140 metres deep. The Avencs - Refugi de la Figuereta route reaches the Tossal Gran, which offers panoramic views of Vall d’Ebo.

The main entrance to the Cova Fosca lies below a rock face. The cave is located in a fault approximately three metres above the foot of the cliff.

Routes and trails

An easier-to-access section of the Barranc de l’Infern begins at the Font d’en Gili. The approximately two-hour walk passes through an area with vertical rock walls and shady corners. The Passejada etnobotànica La Vall d’Ebo leads through the surroundings of Vall d’Ebo and provides knowledge about various plants as well as the species planted in the Jardí rebrotador El Condoig garden.

The Travessa del Maset al Tossal Gran is a seven-kilometre circular route. The Avencs - Refugi de la Figuereta route is an eight-kilometre circular route starting from La Vall d’Ebo. The SL-CV-Senda dels Tolls is a circular route that begins in La Vall d’Ebo. The PR-CV 43 Les Valls connects La Vall d’Alcalà, La Vall d’Ebo, La Vall de Gallinera and La Vall de Laguar as named valley sections. The Ruta urbana per la Vall d’Ebo is an urban or town route through La Vall d’Ebo. The different route lengths and trail types help you organise planned excursions according to their scope and character.

The Font d’en Gili can be reached via a dirt road at the edge of the town. There is a freshwater spring prepared by the Ayuntamiento and a place for picnics.

Culture and history

The Cova Fosca is considered a Palaeolithic rock art sanctuary in the province of Alicante; 31 panels with engravings have been documented. It also contains a collective burial with Bell Beaker pottery dating from around 2,000 BC. The rock art ensemble of Vall d’Ebo was added to the World Heritage List in 1998 as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula.

The Cueva de las Torrudanes contains examples of Levantine rock art dating from around 1,800 BC. The Cueva del Reinós is associated with the first settlements in the Upper Palaeolithic around 15,000 BC and with the rock paintings found there. The Centre d’Interpretació de l’Art Rupestre de la Vall d’Ebo is located on the third floor of the Casa Museu and displays reproductions and facsimiles of all the engravings and rock paintings from the municipality in display cases and on panels with 3D photographs.

The Casa Museu Museu Etnològic is located in an old house and displays a collection of tools and curiosities assembled by residents of the municipality. At La Font de la Serra there is a typical 18th-century washhouse as well as the ruins of the former El Remolí watermill. Near the Font de la Serra, the Despoblat de Serra preserves the remains of a former Moorish alqueria that was finally abandoned in the 18th century.

The Església de Sant Miquel de la Vall d’Ebo is a Baroque church dating from 1623 and houses a sculpture of the Mare de Déu dels Desemparats from the Vergara school.

Festivals and cuisine

The festivities in honour of San Miguel Arcángel, the patron saint of the municipality of Vall de Ebo, take place every year on the last weekend of September. They include a concert in the Cova del Rull, a communal dinner and a large paella. The Festes d’Agost are dedicated to the Virgen de los Desamparados and the Cristo del Amparo. Their programme includes cultural activities, exhibitions, processions, religious celebrations, theatre performances, pelota games, children’s games and parades.

The Festa Fira del Perelló takes place on the third weekend of November and is dedicated to the local Perelló pear variety. The festival features a market for handmade products, tastings focused on Perelló, demonstrations of traditional crafts, workshops, music events, routes and exhibitions. Traditional dishes from Vall d’Ebo include wheat olleta, grilled meat, puchero, rice with beans and chard, and rice with lentils.

Discover more places

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To the main travel overview: Alicante.