Mutxamel – Culture, Waterways and Festivals
Accommodation in Mutxamel
In Mutxamel, the Azudes de Mutxamel and de Sant Joan within the municipality have been classified as Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) in the category of Monument. When choosing a holiday apartment in Mutxamel, you can focus on cultural heritage, irrigation channels, nature, festivals or local cuisine.
Culture and History
The Palace and Gardens of Peñacerrada were entered on 24 January 2008 in the first section of the General Inventory of Valencian Cultural Heritage as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the category of Historic Garden. The Jardines de Peñacerrada combine French, English and Italian styles.
Iglesia El Salvador is Mutxamel’s most important religious building. Its construction began on 16 February 1513 and was not completed until around a century later. The Gothic tower attached to the church dates from the 15th century, now serves as a bell tower, once protected the population from pirate attacks and is 23.5 metres high.
Ravalet is considered Mutxamel’s first settlement centre. The houses arranged around a square, the narrow streets, roofs and façades point to an Arab origin.
Traditions and Cuisine
The Moros y Cristianos festivals have been celebrated in Mutxamel for more than 150 years. They take place from 7 to 12 September and, in November 2020, received recognition from the Generalitat Valenciana as a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest.
Festivals in honour of San Antonio Abad have been documented since the 18th century and are celebrated on Calle El Salvador. They include bonfires, horses, a procession and the blessing of the traditional Bollito, as well as an outdoor mass, music, dancing and raffles.
At the Jornadas de la cuchara, held every year in March, participating restaurants offer menus featuring traditional stews from Mutxamel’s cuisine. The local gastronomic identity includes Muchamiel tomatoes, broad beans, bread from Mutxamel baked in a wood-fired oven and confectionery.
Water and Trails
At the Centro de Interpretación Les Fontetes, visitors can learn about the traditional irrigation system of the Huerta de Alicante. The centre also explains how the weir works and its importance. Two local hiking trails and the Camins d’aigua route start from there.
The Ruta Assut Nou – El Cantalar connects water-related cultural heritage sites along the Rio Seco, including the Azud de Sant Joan and the Acequia del Gualeró. The Ruta turística Mutxamel histórico runs along the former Acequia mayor and provides information about the irrigation system of the Huerta de Alicante, its weir towers, traditional house types and notable people who were born or lived in Mutxamel.
The Ruta turística Arcadi Blasco is a walking tour through Mutxamel covering important places from the artist’s life and work; one of the stops is the Fuente de la Torre Vigía.
Nature and Activities
Bec de l’Aguila, in the north-east of the municipality, was designated a Microrreserva de Flora by an order of the Conselleria de Medio Ambiente of the Generalitat Valenciana dated 4 May 1999. Bec de l’Aguila is also a recreational area for hiking and cycling.
Geographical Location
The Alicante–Hospital de Sant Joan–Sant Joan–Mutxamel route is designated as a transport connection.
Other linked places include San Isidro, Casas del Señor, El Moncayo, Los Montesinos, La Mandarina, Xaló, Teulada and Lorcha.
For the higher-level travel overview: Alicante.
