DISCOVER

Cultural routes

Vila Joiosa is a veritable open-air museum, home to a third of the listed cultural heritage sites (BIC) of the Marina Baixa region. Thanks to the network of routes managed by Vilamuseu, discovering its heritage is as simple as getting lost in its colorful streets or letting yourself be carried away by the aroma of chocolate that defines its tradition.

Vila Joiosa boasts a third of the Cultural Heritage Sites (BIC) of the Marina Baixa region. These buildings, scattered throughout the town, transform it into an open-air museum. Vila Joiosa has so much to offer that you simply must stroll through the streets of the town center, explore its different neighborhoods, immerse yourself in the stories hidden by the Mediterranean, lose yourself in the vibrant colors of the Old Town, and relive the history of the Phoenicians, Iberians, and Romans. Only by letting yourself be carried away by the waves of the sea, breathing in the aroma of roasted cocoa, savoring authentic seafood cuisine, and participating in its traditions and customs will you discover all the charms and secrets of this seaside town on the Costa Blanca.

To showcase and promote the rich cultural and natural heritage of La Vila Joiosa, Vilamuseu, the network of museums and monuments of La Vila Joiosa, manages 12 routes with 78 interpretive panels, most of which are highly accessible. These include:

Route to the Historic Site

Ruta Casco Urbano

Route to the Hermitage of Sant Antoni

Poble Nou Route

San Antonio Chapel Trail

Discover one of the oldest historic centers in the municipality, centered around the Chapel of San Antonio Abad, a site of great heritage and cultural value.

Explore this peaceful rural neighborhood by following part of the ancient Camí del Peix (Fish Trail), a historic route used for over 2,500 years to transport fresh fish from the coast to the inland valleys and, later, goods such as fabrics and paper. It was also part of the Camino de Santiago.

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Poble Nou Route

Discover the origins of Poble Nou, the neighborhood that emerged amid the rapid growth of Villajoyosa during the 18th and 19th centuries.

This simple route takes in the places that marked the city’s expansion across the Amadorio River, from Plaza de la Luz to the Cervantes neighborhood, following the course of old paths and new thoroughfares.

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Ruta Casco Urbano

Discover the growth of Villajoyosa beyond its walls. This pleasant, 2-km, easy-level tour lets you learn how the city expanded starting in the 17th century, taking in some of its most iconic sites, such as Colón Street, the Market, the Roman baths, and the La Barbera dels Aragonés House Museum. An ideal route for exploring the city’s history and heritage.

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Route to the Historic Site

Next to the tower where Plaza de la Generalitat and Costera de la Mar meet, you’ll find the starting point sign for this route. It’s a highly accessible information panel: it’s wheelchair-accessible; features large print for people with low vision; text in Spanish, Valencian, and English; a raised-relief map of the area and text in Braille; audio descriptions and text accessible via QR code in Spanish, Valencian, English, French, Norwegian, and German; and a video in Spanish Sign Language. At the top of the panel is a visual map, and at the bottom is the tactile map.

 

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Escalonades.

The Escalonades are a series of traditional pedestrian stairways that connect the historic center of Villajoyosa with Centro Beach, the boardwalk, and the city’s waterfront. These stairways were built to bridge the natural elevation difference of about twenty meters between the old town, which sits on a cliff overlooking the sea, and the beach below, and have been part of the daily lives of residents, fishermen, and merchants for generations.

In 2019, the Villajoyosa City Council and the group Espai de Debat en Positiu Equinocci launched a project to restore and highlight these traditional access points through artistic and cultural initiatives. Each “Baixada” is dedicated to a representative aspect of Villajoyosa’s identity, such as cinema, the Mediterranean, chocolate, or fishing.

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