Cultural Heritage

Cultural Heritage

The province of Castellón has a diverse natural landscape and an equally rich and fascinating cultural heritage. People have been living here since ancient times, as can be seen from the cave paintings in Valltorta, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Roman theatre at Sagunto and the mighty Castle of Peñíscola.

A huge variety of museums spread around the province tell visitors about Castellón’s past and present. Church museums, like those based in Segorbe Cathedral, Morella and San Mateu, thematic museums like the orange museum in Burriana, the natural science museum in Onda, the fine arts museum in Castellón and the tile museum in Alcora, with its own ceramics school.

Theatre, symphony music, ballet, opera, pop music, jazz... Castellón has an endless range of cultural options. Music of all styles and types is played in the province’s many theatres and auditoriums. Both public and private organisations offer exciting concert programmes throughout the year that are always enthusiastically received by the music-loving local community.

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Gastronomy

Gastronomy

Rice rules supreme in the kitchen and paella is undoubtedly the most popular local dish. There is a variation of paella to suit everybody, with ingredients such as seafood, vegetables and meat. A paella provides the perfect excuse for getting family, friends, customers and visitors round the table.

But there are also many other delicious local dishes that do not include rice: excellent fish, great vegetables and meat, all lovingly prepared in the best Mediterranean tradition.

There are plenty of opportunities to try the enormous variety of food in Castellón’s famous restaurants, where an innovative approach to cooking is practised on a daily basis.

Since Roman times, the people of Castellón have been particularly skilled at producing fantastic salted and pickled products. The locally caught fish is greatly appreciated by the most demanding food lovers.

Traditional confectionery and pastries also include some exciting combinations. Sugar, eggs, lemon, cinnamon and almonds together with pumpkin feature in recipes that date back centuries.

Every town and village in the province has its own amazingly varied treasure-trove of delicious treats, such as “Flaons”, traditional cheese cakes made in the town of Morella.

Festivals and Traditions

Festivals and Traditions

Noisy and extrovert. A few days of extravagance, glitz and partying. These are Castellón’s most famous festivals. An enthusiastic display of gunpowder, pyrotechnics, mayhem and parading to marching bands. There are festivals to please everyone, but they all guarantee fun, community spirit and street parties. Some festivals have become national and international tourist attractions in their own right.

As always, diversity and contrast are among the most striking features of festival culture. Men and women, children and the elderly - the entire community takes part in all kinds of festivities all through the year, ranging from religious and profane to ancient and modern. The people of Castellón devote the same energy and creativity to their festivals as they do to their everyday working lives, keeping the streets filled with fast-paced action and a party atmosphere for the duration of the festivals.

  • 1. Children’s “Falla” in the San José festival
  • 2. Flower offering in Lidón
  • 3. Entrance of the bulls in Segorbe
  • 4. Parade of “Gaiatas” in Castellón