El Fadrí bell tower, Castellón. Wikimedia Commons
Top Qué Hacer en Castellón de la Plana — Complete Guide 2026
From a 62-metre bell tower to mountain-top monasteries — Castellón beyond the orange groves
Castellón de la Plana occupies a cruelly overlooked corner of Spain's Mediterranean coast. Overshadowed by Valencia to the south and Barcelona far to the north, this compact city of 174,000 delivers an authentic Spanish experience that's increasingly rare on the Costas — a real working city with genuine culture, excellent food, and the Mediterranean just a bike ride away. The province of Castellón also contains some of Spain's most dramatically beautiful inland landscapes: the Desert de les Palmes mountains rise directly behind the coast, the Sierra de Espadán's cork oak forests hide Moorish castle ruins, and the ancient walled town of Morella perches on a hilltop 1,000 metres up. Here's how to experience the best of Castellón city and its surroundings.
Top Attractions in Castellón City
1. El Fadrí Bell Tower
The symbol of Castellón rises 62 metres above the Plaza Mayor — an octagonal bell tower built between 1591 and 1604 in Valencian Gothic style. Unusually, El Fadrí (meaning "the bachelor" — a name referring to its independence) stands separate from the Concatedral de Santa María beside it. Climbing the 192 steps rewards with views across the Plana (coastal plain) to the Mediterranean on one side and the Desert de les Palmes mountains on the other. The tower houses eight bells, each named, that ring out across the city for festivals and hourly chimes. The climb costs a small fee (approximately €2) and the narrow spiral staircase is not for the claustrophobic — but the view from the top is the essential Castellón experience.
2. Concatedral de Santa María
Built originally in the 13th century after Jaume I's conquest, then significantly rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th-15th centuries, the co-cathedral suffered devastating damage during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The rebuilding preserved the original Gothic structure while incorporating modernist elements. Inside, the alabaster altarpiece is the standout artwork, alongside the Capilla de la Comunión with its Valencian Baroque decoration. The cathedral museum houses important pieces of medieval religious art and goldsmiths' work rescued from the Civil War destruction.
3. Museo de Bellas Artes
Castellón's Fine Arts Museum, housed in a striking modern building near the Ribalta Park, punches above the city's weight with works by Zurbarán, Ribera, and significant Valencian painters including José Benlliure and Juan Bautista Porcar. The ground floor covers archaeology — Iberian, Roman, and Islamic artefacts from across the province — while the upper floors trace Castellón's artistic heritage. The ceramics section is particularly strong, reflecting the city's identity as Europe's tile-making capital. A section dedicated to the Gaiatas (the illuminated monuments of the Magdalena festival) explains this unique local tradition.
4. Playa del Pinar & El Grao
Castellón's maritime district, El Grao, is connected to the city centre by the Avenida del Mar — a tree-lined boulevard with a dedicated cycle lane that makes the 4 km journey to the beach a pleasure rather than a chore. Playa del Pinar is a 1.8 km stretch of fine golden sand with Blue Flag certification, backed by dunes planted with maritime pines (from which it takes its name). The beach has all facilities — showers, sunbed rentals, beach bars (chiringuitos), lifeguards, and watersports. To the south, Playa del Gurugú is slightly quieter. The port area features the Lonja del Pescado (fish market) and excellent seafood restaurants.
5. Parque Ribalta
Castellón's central park is a 12-hectare oasis of plane trees, roses, and a small lake with ducks. The centrepiece is the Templete de Música — a circular wrought-iron music pavilion from 1934 where bands still perform on summer evenings. It's the city's green lung, where castellonenses walk their dogs, couples sit on benches under hundred-year-old trees, and children chase pigeons. A perfect spot for a mid-afternoon picnic after the morning's sightseeing.
6. Planetari de Castelló
A modern planetarium and science centre on the Grao waterfront, opened in recent years and housed in a striking architectural building. The 14-metre dome uses digital projection for shows on astronomy, space exploration, and the night sky. A surprisingly high-quality attraction for a city Castellón's size — great for families and rainy-day activities. Shows run in Spanish with some sessions in English during peak seasons.
Day Trips from Castellón
Desert de les Palmes Natural Park
Just 8 km north of the city, this 3,100-hectare natural park is a pocket wilderness that rises dramatically from the coast. Despite the name, it's not a desert — the name derives from a Carmelite "desert" (hermitage) established here in the 17th century. The park's highest point, Monte Bartolo (729 m), offers sweeping views across Castellón, the Columbretes Islands, and on clear days, the Pyrenees. Hiking trails wind through Mediterranean maquis — dwarf palms (Europe's only native palm), strawberry trees, rosemary, and holm oaks. The star attraction is the ruins of the Castillo de Montornés, an 8th-century Moorish fortress perched on a rocky outcrop. The active Carmelite monastery of the Desert de les Palmes welcomes respectful visitors. The park is reached by a winding mountain road — 15 minutes from the city centre by car.
Peñíscola — The City in the Sea
Sixty-five kilometres north of Castellón, Peñíscola is one of Spain's most spectacularly sited towns: a fortified peninsula crowned by a 13th-century castle built by the Knights Templar and later used as a papal residence by the Antipope Benedict XIII (Papa Luna) from 1411 to 1423. The castle, jutting into the Mediterranean on a rocky promontory connected to the mainland by a narrow sand spit, has been a filming location for Game of Thrones (standing in as Meereen). The old town below the castle is a whitewashed labyrinth of steep alleys, artisan shops, and tapas bars. The long sandy beach to the north is one of the Costa del Azahar's finest. Peñíscola is reachable by car (40 minutes) or by train to Benicarló-Peñíscola station, then a short taxi ride.
Morella
One of Spain's most beautiful inland towns, Morella (107 km northwest of Castellón) sits at 984 metres elevation, its stone walls and castle crowning a hilltop above a sea of olive groves and almond orchards. The castle, originally Moorish and expanded by Jaume I, offers vertiginous views from its 1,000-step climb. The Gothic Basílica de Santa María la Mayor features one of Spain's most ornate Baroque pipe organs and a 14th-century alabaster choir screen. Morella's gastronomy is famous — local black truffles, artisanal cheeses, and the flaons (sweet cheese pastries) are worth the drive alone. The town is spectacular in the almond blossom season (February-March) and during winter when snow occasionally dusts the castle walls. Allow a full day for the round trip — the drive takes about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Sierra de Espadán Natural Park
The second-largest protected natural area in the Valencian Community (31,000 hectares), the Sierra de Espadán is a world away from the beach. Its cork oak forests — some of the southernmost in Europe — shelter wild boar, golden eagles, and rare amphibians. The park is dotted with Moorish castle ruins (the name Espadán derives from the Arabic for mountain) and villages that feel frozen in time. Natural swimming pools in the rivers at Aín, Eslida, and Tales offer refreshing dips in summer. The area is honeycomb with hiking and cycling trails. Acerca de 40 minutes inland from Castellón by car.
2-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Morning climb of El Fadrí (192 steps), visit the Concatedral and Plaza Mayor. Mid-morning esmorzaret at a traditional bar. Afternoon at the Fine Arts Museum, then stroll through Parque Ribalta. Evening tapeo on Calle de los Zánganos in the Old Town.
Day 2: Morning hike in the Desert de les Palmes — the monastery loop and Montornés castle ruins. Lunch in Benicàssim. Afternoon at Playa del Pinar for beach time and a chiringuito dinner as the sun sets behind the mountains. Alternatively, swap Day 2 for a day trip to Peñíscola (castle, old town, beach).