The Castle of Xàtiva

One of the most rewarding excursions you can make from Valencia is to Xàtiva, which is about an hour south by train. We spent two days exploring the town’s quiet streets, checking out its historic buildings and monuments, and hiking into the surrounding hills. But the first thing we did was climb up to the castle which dominates the city from on high.

Spread out along the top of a hill and visible from miles away, the Castillo de Xàtiva impresses first and foremost with its size. For a defen...