El Puig
El Puig, formally known as El Puig de Santa María, is an agricultural village of 8,600 people (2018) in the province of Valencia, 15 km north of the city of Valencia.
Understand
Pronounced 'el pooch' (from the Valencian word for 'hill', of which there are two in the village), the village was first settled by the Iberians, later occupied by the Moors, and finally conquered by Jaime I from Aragon in 1237. It is best known for its orange groves and Gothic monastery, and is easily visited as a day trip from Valencia.
- 1 Tourist information, Carrer Estació, ☏ +34 961 959 029, elpuig@touristinfo.net. M-F 09:30-14:30, Sa 10:00-14:00.
Get in
By train
- 1 Estació del Puig (Estación de El Puig). Renfe regional train line C6 traveling between Estació de València Nord and Castellón stops here about every hour; a round-trip ticket from Valencia costs €5.30 and the journey lasts about 30 minutes.
By bus
From Valencia, Autos Vallduxense operates bus line 112 [dead link], with buses departing every half-hour on workdays, and every hour on weekends, from 2 Carrer de Ricardo Micó (by the entrance to Parque de Tendetes), and stopping at the monastery. A full schedule can be found here; a one-way fare costs €2.25/1.50 (adults/seniors).
By bicycle
El Puig is just off the Via Xurra (Spanish: Vía Churra), a greenway developed from a disused railway connecting Valencia with Puçol. Except for a 800-m stretch of compacted earth, the easy 15-km route is paved and mostly flat.
Get around
Everything in the village proper can be easily reached by foot.
To reach the beach and the watchtower from the monastery, Autos Vallduxense bus line 112 [dead link] heads directly to the beach en route to Valencia. Alternatively, you could take one of the three taxis operated by Taxi El Puig (☏ +34 607 380 380, ☏ +34 629 664 488, ☏ +34 961 471 417).
See
- 1 Real Monasterio de El Puig de Santa María (Royal Monastery of Mary of El Puig) (entrance on Carrer del Pintor Peiró), ☏ +34 961 470 200, mercedariospuig@gmail.com. Guided tours Tu-Sa 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 16:00, 17:00. This impressive fortified monastery was established in the 13th century, although the current structure dates mostly from the late 16th century. The star attraction is the Gothic chapel dating from the early 14th century. This is still a working monastery, so visits are only possible with guided tours, which last about 30-40 minutes and are available in Spanish and English. €4 (adults), free (children under 8).
- 2 Museu de la impremta i les Arts Gràfiques (Museo de la imprenta y las Artes Gráficas / National Printing and Graphic Works Museum) (on the ground floor of the monastery). Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 16:00-18:00, Su and holidays 10:00-14:00. The first museum of its kind in Spain and the second in Europe, this museum is dedicated to the history of printing, and has on display dozens of printing presses and books, including a replica of Gutenberg's press and a copy of the Gutenberg Bible. Free.
- 3 Cartoixa d'Aracristi (Cartuja de Ara Christi / Charterhouse of Ara Christi), Crta Valencia-Barcelona, km 13.3, ☏ +34 961 959 029 (reservations), elpuig@touristinfo.net. The Carthusian monastery was founded in 1272; the current fortified complex with several defensive towers dates from the late 16th century. The monastery was sacked by Napoleonic troops in 1808 and later passed into private hands, suffering much neglect. It has now been almost completely restored, and houses a hotel and sport complex. The tourist office now offers guided tours of the cloisters, courtyards, and chapels twice monthly at 11:00; reservations must be made beforehand. €1.
- Muntanyeta de la Patà (Montaña la Pata / La Patada Hill) (north of the monastery). The hill affords good views of the village and the surrounding countryside.
- 4 Castell del Puig (Castillo de Cebolla / Castle of Puig). The remains of an 11th-century Moorish fortress which has been abandoned since the 14th century. There is very little remaining of the castle besides a tower and foundations.
- 5 Civil war fortifications (northern face of the hill), ☏ +34 961 959 029 (tour reservation), elpuig@touristinfo.net. A line of trenches, tunnels, and fortifications from the Spanish Civil War was built between 1938 and 1939; the structures were never completed and never used. Information boards in Valencian/Spanish/English explain the functions of various structures. The tourist office offers guided tours twice monthly, at 10:30 and 12:00; visits last about 1½ hr and reservations must be made in advance. Free; €1 (guided tour).
- 4 Castell del Puig (Castillo de Cebolla / Castle of Puig). The remains of an 11th-century Moorish fortress which has been abandoned since the 14th century. There is very little remaining of the castle besides a tower and foundations.
- 6 Torre Vigia del Puig (Torre de Gualta / El Puig Watchtower) (on the beach, 4 km from El Puig). This watchtower was built in 1563 as part of a coastal network of watchtowers used to defend against Barbary pirates. The tower was fully restored in the 1990s.
Do
Beaches
El Puig has several kilometres of beaches, all with lifeguards in the summer and foot-washing stations.
- 1 Platja de Santa Elvira-La Torreta (Playa de Santa Elvira-La Torreta) (borders the nearby town of Puçol). A pebble beach, with toilets available.
- 2 Platja dels Plans (Playa dels Plans). A gravel beach with vegetated dunes, toilets, a first aid station, and sun loungers for rent.
- 3 Platja del Barri dels Pescadors (Playa del Barrio de los Pescadores). A semi-urban beach with mixed sand and gravel.
- 4 Platja de Puig Val (Playa de Puig Val). A fine sand beach with a tree-lined promenade, first aid station, toilets, sun loungers, and disabled access.
- 5 Platja de Medicalia (Playa de Medicalia) (borders the nearby town of Pobla de Farnals). Has fine sand and gravel, with toilets and sun loungers for rent.
Buy
- 1 Mercadillo (street market), Avinguda de la Verge del Puig (car park by the monastery). Th morning. A weekly street market for local produce and odds and ends.
Eat
- 1 , Avda Virgen del Puig, 18, ☏ +34 961 471 240. Daily. Serves a range of traditional and more modern dishes. Set menu €14, tasting menu €18.
- 2 Bar Cafetería Aigua Fresca, Avda Blasco Ibáñez, 1, ☏ +34 960 041 817. Tu W 09:00-17:00, Th-Sa 09:00-17:00 20:00-, Su 09:00-17:00. A good place for sandwiches, tapas, and light meals.
- 3 Restaurante Alhacena, Avda Verge del Puig, 36, ☏ +34 961 471 340, restaurantealhacena@gmail.com. Tu-Su 13:00-16:00, Th F Sa 21:00-23:30. One of the more established restaurants in El Puig, this serves classic Valencian dishes. Main €11-20, set menu €16 (for 2).
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Hotel Ronda II, Avinguda Músico Julio Ribelles, 9, ☏ +34 961 471 228, fax: +34 961 472 787, hotelronda@hotelronda.es. Check-in: 16:00-24:00, check-out: 12:00-13:00. The family-run hotel was completely renovated in 2008, and has 59 comfortable, non-smoking rooms. There is a designated smoking area and onsite restaurant. Free Wi-Fi, public parking €4/day. Doubles €49-58, breakfast €6.50.