Vilaflamés

Another beautiful cloudless day

Having got ourselves more or less 'at home' now some internet restored, we headed inland about a 40 minute drive to the hilltop village of Vilafamés, Castellón. We travelled up narrow winding roads through pine forests which eventually gave way to cultivated land with Olives and Almonds, small farms and smallholdings.

Once parked up we came upon an old wash house, and having asked a local man if this is in fact what it is - not in use now - he joked that all the ladies had washing machines now! The village boasts the Church of the Assumption, constructed in the 16th century but the oldest church is Iglesia de la Sangre (brotherhood of Blood) from the 14th century.

Higher still up the village at the summit are the remains of the ancient Castle. The trip would not have been complete without a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art inaugurated by Vicente Aguilera Vernon in the 1970s. The building itself is several stories with 29 galleries on all floors. It was an interesting building in its own right. The artwork not to my taste but worth a look. In the collage you can see a huge rock which looks to be defying gravity leaning from the mountain some 34 degrees.

We sat a while in the shade and had lunch at a 'gastrobar' enjoying the quite. At this time of year it is great to visit but I imagine in the height of summer it will be packed. It is by far one of the best mountain villages I have visited. A must for a second visit.