Algímia D´Alfara
The village of Algímia d’Alfara is located in the north of the province of Valencia, in the administrative region of Camp de Morvedre, and is also included in the administrative sub-region of La Baronía. The village is situated at the foot of “Picaio de la Seca” and “Picaio de la Punta”, and on the right bank of the River Palancia. Its main economic activity is agriculture, with a predominance of dryland crops (carob, olive and almond trees and vines) over irrigated crops (oranges and vegetables).
Gastronomy:
Paella is the village’s main dish, although during the local festivities traditional “calderas” (stews) are cooked. Baked foods, especially popular during the festivities, include pastry slices with sardines, tomato cakes, “pan quemado” (brioche), and a wide variety of pastry slices with sweet and savoury toppings.
Places of interest:
“Ojos Negros” Rail Trail
The “Vías Verdes” (Greenways), created through the recovery of old railway lines, guarantee the accessibility and universality for all users, without limitations of age or physical ability, in conjunction with the safety afforded by routes that are free of motor vehicles. They represent, therefore, an ideal tool with which to promote a new culture of leisure and outdoor sports within our society.
Along the 70km “Ojos Negro”s Greenway, which runs perpendicular to the Mediterranean whilst climbing in the direction of Aragon, excursionists can observe the changes in the natural and rural landscape that surrounds the route.
The land which is still cultivated offers changing views as it ascends from the orange groves of the village, through olive, almond and carob trees, to the pastures and cereal fields around the village of Barracas.
The wild vegetation also changes radically, from areas of white pine, mastic and other Mediterranean vegetation, to the masses of Holm oaks, small oaks, junipers and pines fitting to more continental climates.
The route travels through open areas, trenches, tunnels and viaducts, surrounded by a mosaic of cultivated land, wild fields, forests and barren areas, immersing excursionists in a superb natural environment.
The trail’s surroundings, together with its surface and drainage, the lighting in its tunnels, the railings offering protection along its most dangerous stretches, the absence of vehicles, its rest areas located each 6km, the reforestation that has been carried out along the route and the accompanying information and safety signage, make the “Ojos Negros” Greenway an opportunity to visit the regions of Campo de Morvedre and Alto Palencia that cannot be missed.
Further information:
http://www.algimiadealfara.es/
Festivities:
The festivity of Our Lady of the Forsaken is celebrated on the first Sunday in August, coinciding with the optimum weather conditions and the increased influx of visitors to the town. On the following day, celebrations are held in honour of St. Ursula, the patron saint of “les xiques fadrines” (unwed girls). The activities include a festival for bands, hand-held fireworks, dances accompanied by live music, sports activities and a week of bull-running activities.
“El Porrat”, a traditional fair, is held on the Sunday after the festivity of Saint Lucia (13th December).
Festivities in honour of the Algimia’s patron saint, Saint Vicente Ferrer, are celebrated in April.
