Alicante Mountain

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• Welcome
• The Association
  • Background
  • Aims
  • Board of directors
  • How to become a member
  • Corporate image
• How to get there
• Mountain Regions
  • L`Alacantí
  • L`Alcoià
  • El Comtat
    • Valley of Seta
    • Valley of Travadell
    • Valley of Agres
    • Valley of Perpuxent
    • Barony of Planes
  • L`Alt Vinalopó
  • Marina Alta
    • Valley of Gallinera
    • Valley of Ebo
    • Valley of Alcala
    • Valley of Pop
    • Valley of Laguar
  • Marina Baixa
    • Valley of Guadalest
• Nature Reserves
  • Nature Reserve Font Roja
  • Nature Reserve Saws of Mariola
• Greenways
  • Greenway Program
  • Greenway to Alcoi
  • Greenway El Maigmó
  • Greenway Xixarra II
  • Greenway Serpis
  • Greenway Xixarra III
• Itineraries
• Festivals and customs
• Newsletter
• The Weather
• Red Tourist Info

Valley of Agres

The Valley of Agres is located at the foot of the northern side of the mountain of Mariola, and consists of the towns of Agres and Alfafara. From a historic point of view, it is worth mentioning the high population density level of this area since the Bronze Age, remaining up to the Iberian Age. Among these settlements there are “Covalta” and “Cabeço de Mariola”.

Agres is at the foot of the mountains of Mariola and the river of the same name rises in this municipal area. In the past, there were snow wells to store the ice coming from the mountain. The town is sloping and full of delicious crystal-clear water fountains, meeting point for its inhabitants. At the highest part, we find the Sanctuary of the “Mare de Déu de Agrés”, which is accessible through a path full of cypress trees and Stations Of the Cross. This is an important focus of Marian pilgrimage since the Virgin`s apparition in 1484 to a shepherd and the miracle his lost arm recovering. At this place, a Franciscan convent was built, next to an ancient castle of Muslim origin, where a mass is celebrated each Sunday at 13 o`clock. This place is the starting point of attractive hikes to the peak of Mariola, where there are still remains of an Arab watchtower. Toward the valley of Agres, “La Torreta”, of Islamic origin and in ruins, was used in the Middle Ages as a watchtower. It is also worth mentioning the Arab layout of the streets.
Alfafara. The city centre spreads along the green sides of the Mountains of Mariola and it has a lot of interesting places to meet, as are the Church, of curious Gothic aspect and a recently restored rose window in its facade, or L`Assud, where young people of the village (and not so young) meet up in summer to dine out in the open.

Landscapes
In the Mountains of Mariola themselves we find a forest of yews, the southernmost one in all Europe. On the outskirts of Alfafara there are picturesque places such as the “Barranc de la Cova de la Font “ (Ravine of the fountain Cave), the “Pinar de la Bassa Nova” (New pool pine grove), the “Cabeço de Serrelles”, the “Font del Tarragó” and “l`Assud”, as well as a stone bridge over the ancient royal road. Among many other things, we mention the “Cava de don Miguel”, of impressive dimensions (16 meters deep and 14 meters wide).
It is also worth visiting “Banyets d`Agrés” (an old hot spring), 15 km away from this town. It is a hot spring of carbonated waters placed next to the river. It is dated from the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. Finally, the snow tanks, where the ice from the mountain was stored.