Take this holidays to enjoy one of the natural landscapes that the Valencian Community gives us as it is, ‘La Sierra de Mariola’, and thus be able to enjoy breathing outdoors and lower the excesses of Christmas with family and friends.
The ‘Sierra de Mariola‘ was declared a natural park on January 8, 2002, to protection that affects almost 17,000 hectares. Located between the regions of Alcoià, El Comtat and Vall d’Albaida, it is part of the municipal districts of Agres, Alcoy, Alfafara, Banyeres de Mariola, Bocairent, Cocentaina and Muro.
The natural parks of the ‘Sierra de Mariola’ and ‘Carrascal de la Font Roja’ give the whole area an unusual exuberant nature in the Valencian territory. The varied flora, with more than a thousand species cataloged especially of aromatic herbs, confers to the landscapes some surprising tonalities while the abundance of water provides a relaxing and refreshing background. Together, flora and water have always attracted a characteristic fauna and have fostered a very relevant human activity. The birth and the course of the Vinalopó River, which continues on its way from Mariola until finding ‘El Segura’ in Elche, clearly exemplifies how human beings have harnessed the power of water for the economic development of the area. Equally, another emblem of the zone constitutes the top of the ‘Montcabrer’ that with its 1,390 ms constitutes the highest peak of the natural park and destiny of infinity of hikers.
