Sagunto - Cuevas de San Jose - Castellon

Route: Valencia - Sagunto - Cuevas de San Jose - Castellon - Valencia
Duration: 8 h
Our first stop we will make in the town of Sagunto, distinguished for its remarkable Roman heritage and significant place in ancient history. We will walk swimming inside more than 25 centuries of history. We will visit the Roman Theatre, with a capacity of 4.000 seats we will introduce the meaning of its “cavea” and its functions. After we will get to the historical city of Sagunto for walking in the main jewish neighborhood and discovering its narrow streets, palaces and different church. We will explore the Santa Maria church, dating back to 1334, which was originally constructed as a Moorish mosque, as well as a medieval mansion that now houses the remains of the Roman Temple of Diana and a Jewish bath or ‘Mikveh’. Sagunto was an important and prosperous Iberian settlement in the 5th century BC, with the (rather unfortunate) name of Arse – to the amusement of many an English-speaking tourist. It sided with Rome against Carthage, attracting the attention of the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who laid siege to the town for eight months with his army of elephants.  After fierce local resistance, Hannibal conquered Sagunto and most of the population was put to death (many killing themselves and destroying their wealth rather than surrender). This tragic episode gave way to the Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome. Following the Roman victory, Sagunto prospered once again as a Roman town, and the heritage can still be seen today. The castle contains the remains of the forum, walls, and a Roman theatre. Our next stop will be at the Castellon which is a small city with deep cultural roots and plenty of charm. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the mix of new and old found in this seaside city, with its modernist buildings and spaces together with Gothic and Renaissance architecture. The northernmost of the Valencian capitals is located in its present location since the 13th century. The ancient Castelló, of Arab origin, was located on the hill of La Magdalena, some 40 kilometres away. It was Jaime I of Aragon who, after winning it over the Muslims, authorized the population to move. The Fadrí, symbol of the city. The centre of the old town centre is articulated around the Plaza Mayor. Here, in the oldest place of the city, the Town Hall, the Cathedral and the bell tower of El Fadri (El Soltero) stand. The Town Hall, an 18th century Tuscan style building, preserves works by painters such as Doménech and sculptures by Benlliure. The 58-meter-high Fadrí, finished off with blue glazed tile, is the symbol of the city and its separate construction from the Santa María Cathedral is striking. The Gothic origin of this temple can be seen in its lateral façades, although the rest of the building is of contemporary design. Inside, some of the most noteworthy works of Valencian gold and silver work from the 18th century. The cultural and social life of the people of Castellon runs through these central streets. The main theatre, with its neoclassical and modernist aesthetics, and the old Casino, a landscaped palace, coordinate some of the city's cultural offerings. The Plaza de la Paz, in addition to housing the Theatre, has unique buildings such as the Casa del Sord, Casa Balaguer or dels Dávalos. Our tour can continue in the Museum of Fine Arts or in the Provincial and Municipal Ethnological Museums. Also you will see the Main Square, Fadri Belltower,  Castellon Town Hall,  the Central Market, Muralla Liberal, La Llotja del Cànem,  Post Office, The Old Casino,  Main Theatre, Plaza Huerto Sogueros,  Ribalta Park. Our last stop will be at the unique and mysterious place, whose rocks have been moulded by water throughout thousands of years, and where humanity found home in prehistoric times. The underground river of les Coves de Sant Josep is a natural cave.  However, although speleologists have explored it many times, the source of the river and the end of the cave are still unknown. The temperature of the Cave remains constant at 20ºC throughout the year and the cave, which is 2.750 metres long, represents the longest accessible cavity in Castellón and the second one in the Valencian Community. Besides, it is the longest underground navigable river in Europe. The cavity was already visited in the Upper Palaeolithic (17.000 years ago), as it was demonstrated by the archaeological findings and the cave paintings of the Magdalenian period. Besides, the proximity of an Iberian settlement and the finding of the tombstone of Caio Cneo Craso, son of the Roman consul Marco Licinio Craso, also prove that the cave was known and explored in the Iberian and Roman periods.After that we will return to Valencia.
Price: Per person