Located on Spain's eastern coast, this Mediterranean city has narrow streets and white-washed buildings in its center, with theaters, art galleries, and local seafood restaurants nearby.
Castellón de la Plana stretches along Spain's Mediterranean coast, where you'll find local farmers tending to orange groves just minutes from the beach. Walk through the city center to see the 60-meter El Fadrí bell tower rising above the Gothic Santa María Cathedral, or join locals at the Central Market as they bargain for fresh seafood and seasonal produce. Each March, watch thousands of residents climb Magdalena Hill carrying tall canes topped with green ribbons during the city's founding celebration.
Beaches and Coastal Areas
You can reach the Mediterranean Sea through Castellón's Grao district, with its 10-kilometer stretch of beaches. Spend the day at El Pinar beach, where the adjacent Playa del Pinar park has pine trees providing shade for picnics. El Gurugú beach includes showers, beach bars, and sports areas, while at Serradal beach you can walk among protected sand dunes and native coastal plants that extend to Benicasima.
Historic Center and Architecture
The Plaza Mayor anchors Castellón's old town, lined with 17th and 18th-century buildings. The Santa María Cathedral, rebuilt after the Spanish Civil War, maintains its Gothic style despite modern reconstruction. El Fadrí, the octagonal bell tower built between 1457 and 1593, stands separately from the cathedral. Walk under the colonnade of the Tuscan-style City Hall, or visit the Hemp Exchange (Lonja del Cáñamo) to see its renaissance columns and arches from the city's trading past.
Museums and Cultural Sites
At the Fine Arts Museum, you'll find paintings from local artists and archaeological objects from the region's Roman and Iberian periods. The Museum of the Sea in Grao explains the city's fishing traditions through displays of historic boats and fishing equipment. Visit the Ethnological Museum to see exhibits of traditional farming tools, festival costumes, and everyday items from past centuries.
Getting Around
Take the TRAM trolleybus to move between main city points. The train station connects to Valencia (1 hour) and Barcelona (4 hours) via the Euromed railway. If you're flying, Castellón-Costa Azahar Airport serves routes to London and Bucharest. Regular buses run every 20 minutes between the city center and the Grao beach district.
La Magdalena Festival
Join the city's main celebration three weeks before Easter. During this week-long festival, you can participate in the Les Canyes pilgrimage, where locals walk to Magdalena Hill carrying tall canes with green ribbons. The festival includes daily parades through the city center, evening concerts in Plaza Mayor, nightly fireworks displays, and food markets selling local dishes like paella and fideuà.
