All around Spain you will find castles in various states of restoration and/or disrepair. Some are easy to access whilst others are impossible to get to. The Knights Templar castle of Xivert (Castellón, Valencia) sits nicely in the middle of both categories! It’s easy to walk around and feel how it used to be, and it’s not easy but definitely not impossible to get to!!
Access to the castle is by road and track. It’s quite narrow as you climb the hill and meeting a vehicle coming the other way would present challenges for sure. First though, you must trust your Sat Nav as the track it takes you down to begin the journey from the N340 can easily be missed. From the car park you can then continue on the road or walk through the woods to find this old crusader castle.
It is worth it though. Visitor numbers are very low so it’s easy to keep a social distance from anyone you may meet. There are information boards in various locations telling you the history of the castle. The area was conquered by the Knights Templar in the year 1234. A fully functioning castle then existed through to 1609 when the inhabitants of the town were expelled by King Felipe III despite their conversion to Christianity. Neglect was followed by despair and it wasn’t until the early 21st Century that archaeologists really concentrated on the ruins. The views over the local countryside demonstrate the strategic importance of this castle in times gone by.
