In this article, you will learn what to do and see in Castellón de la Plana, the vivid capital of Costa de Azahar. That coast is made up of about 120 km of beaches and small coves. Its name comes from the orange blossom, the province’s quintessential crop. It extends to the north with Costa Dorada in Tarragona and to the south with Costa de Valencia.
Castellón is not a beach town. It is rather a small city with proper real city life in a small territory. In Castellón you can find all the services, a a very vivid small center with cute squares, full of bar terraces, pedestrian streets for shopping and about 5 km far away a strong character maritime neighbourhood.
What to do and see in Castellón de la Plana
Castellón is better known for being a beach destination province than for its capital. It is very true that there are some awesome destinations quite near and the regular tourists prefer to stay longer there.
We wrote about Peñíscola on our blog before, one of our favorite destinations in Spain and probably a must of what to do and see in Castellón. Nevertheless, Castellón de la Plana (this is the capital’s official name) can offer some cultural attractives and can be a good stopover before or after a nice stay on the beach. Don’t miss that just because you didn’t know that existed!
Plaza Mayor
This is the heart of Castellón de la Plana. Here you can spot the main monuments of the city, such as the Town Hall and the Lonja del Cáñamo, a baroque-style building, today the cultural center of the Jaume I University. The square is like the rest of the center, small but cute. Don’t miss it!
Concatedral de Santa María
The main church of Castellón is just in a corner of Plaza Mayor. You can visit it for free. It is not the most impressive church in Spain but it looks that new because it was renovated recently because of a partial destruction in a fire during the Spanish Civil war. Currently is a good example of Neo-Gothic Valencian style.
El Fadrí
This is a bell tower completely separated from the church. It is tall and very picturesque. It is possible to get to the top for free from Tuesday to Saturday, from 12h to 13.30h. The views from the top are very nice.
Ribalta Park
A stylish park in which you would like to stroll around. It seems to be designed for that with its trees, sculptures and squares. It is well located so you could go to take a look from whichever location you are in the center. The patterns are very traditional of the last third of the 19th century, when Castellón began a deployment towards industrialization while maintaining the traditional activities of craftsmanship.
Go for “Tascas” in the downtown
In the Center, there are a lot of bars called tascas. Those tascas are the perfect place to have a drink and something to eat. We recommend any of them in Calle Barraques and Calle Isaac Peral or any cute small street you can spot. The tapas in Castellón are not working the same way as in other cities in Spain. The tascas are focus in some few specialties, maybe you won’t have the largest selection to choose, but the quality of the food is good.
El Graó de Castelló
A popular maritime neighborhood, with many tapas bars and a very vivid local vibe. It has some nice views of the sea and relevant spots such as the Casino, the port and the Parish Church of Sant Pere del Graó. You can access the port area either by Avenida del Mar or by Avenida Hermanos Bou. Both have a nice bike lane that allows access on foot or by bicycle to this very attractive maritime center. Do our way and try to arrive by electric scooter or just rent a bike!
How to get to Castellón
By Car
Castellón is very well-connected by road. Since the city is the capital of the province you can get there easily by highway. The distance from Valencia is just 65 km, 290 km from Barcelona, and 415 km from Madrid. Using buses is recommended than catching a train if you prefer long-distance public transport.
By Train
The railway has its main axis in the Mediterranean corridor. It is possible to reach Valencia, Alicante and Madrid, as well as Tarragona, Barcelona and go further to Europe. Shortly the High Speed Train will circulate along this same corridor, which will make any trip to Castellón even much shorter.
Flying
Castellón airport is already connected with Budapest, Vienna, Katowice, and London as international destinations. You can fly as well from Bilbao and Sevilla in Spain.
Where to stay in Castellón
The value for money of the acommodations is generally good. Here there is our recommended acommodations for our what to do and see in Castellón article!
- Doña Lola: Very good location and good value for your money. It is very close to Ribalta Park and close to the main stations of public transport. The rooms are spacious and clean. Bookings include a nice breakfast.
- NH Castellón Mindoro: Very well-located in the city center. It is an elegant hotel with all the services for a comfortable stay. The best though is not to go far for any of the spots of the town or your favorite terrace!
- Eurohotel Castellón: Classic services of a classic hotel on a budget. The rooms are good and clean and the staff is really helpful and professional. Good value for your money.
Enjoy our discounts in the place
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Bonita ciudad