Valle de Ayora - Cofrentes

Ayora surprises visitors because it offers a number of complementary attractions. The traveller will discover a town full of history, clearly manifested in the richness of its historical and artistic heritage and the legacy of human presence from its most remote manifestations. Along with this rich heritage, mention may be made of the richness and abundance of the environmental and landscape resources. The urban centre of Ayora extends around the town’s castle, perched on a 640m hill populated with large boulders. Its urban centre is composed of various neighbourhoods which enable the visitor to appreciate the legacy of Ayora’s history.

Cofrentes is located 103 km southwest of Valencia on the N-330 (Requena-Almansa) road, at the confluence of the rivers Júcar and Cabriel. It covers an area of 103.18 sq km and is located at an altitude of 430 m. above sea level. It has 978 inhabitants (source: INE 2007). The River Cabriel enters the municipality from Requena in a north-south direction, crossing between the hamlets of Basta and Alcance. Near Cofrentes, it turns east and flows into the River Júcar. The river enters the municipality from the nearby municipality of Jalance, following an extremely winding route in a south-north direction. Following its confluence with the River Cabriel, it continues eastward and passes through the municipality of Cortes de Pallás. The town is of Roman origin, and it was the Romans who give its original name of Confluentum , without doubt due to its location at the confluence of the rivers Júcar and Cabriel.

Cortes de Pallás is located 80 km southwest of Valencia on the River Júcar at the foot of the Cortes de Pallás mountains. It is situated within a National Game Reserve. Cortes de Pallás is an inland municipality located in the Valencia Region. It is one of the region’s largest (over 230 km2). Its fundamental characteristic is its isolation , resulting from its physical environment. In this regard, it must be noted that the municipality extends through the northern part of the Massif Caroig (Caroche), straddling: the northward facing Iberian ranges (Sierra de Martés, Sierra del Ave and Dos Aguas), the “Sacarás” graben to the west and “La Muela de Cortes” range to the south and the east.

The village of Jalance can be reached by car from Valencia by taking the A-3, direction Madrid, until Requena. From there, we take the N-330, direction Almansa and Cofrentes. It can also be reached from Valencia by taking the N-340 Valencia-Alicante road to Almansa, from where we turn off in the direction of Ayora, following the road until we reach Jalance. “La Jalancina” preserves and jams: La Jalancina is a company founded in 1922 and dedicated to the production of artisanal, high-quality canned fruits and vegetables (it was considered one of Spain’s hundred best gastronomic products in 1995). The resulting product is a delight both for its taste and for its careful presentation. The company’s best-known products are peaches and pears in syrup and bitter orange and blueberry marmalades. However, the list of products is extensive and is constantly expanded with the addition of new, highly-original innovations resulting from a careful selection flavours and textures, such as carrot jam, onion jam, strawberry jam with chocolate, etc. The company’s products can be found in many establishments, although their exceptional quality means that they are intended for the medium-high segment of the market.

The municipality is located about 120 km from Valencia, in the administrative region of Valle de Ayora-Cofrentes, in the southwest of the province of Valencia. It borders with the province of Albacete (Castile La Mancha) to the west. The municipality of Jarafuel covers an area of 107 square kilometres.

The village centre, the Renaissance church, the tower (1880), the village square, built in 1905, with a fountain in the centre known as “La Panoja”, the Iberian necropolis and the public lavoir. (1920). The village also has extensive environmental and landscape heritage: “La Hoz” landscape, “Presa de los Comuneros”, “Presa del Rentón”, River Zarra, “La Hoz” cave, “Valle” cave, “La Vega” spring and “Los Cuchillos”. CRAFTS There are two Mediterranean hackberry craft workshops, where pitchforks, walking sticks, hangers, shafts, “muletilllas”, etc., are made. Handmade cured sausages, which are typical to Zarra, and homemade hams are also produced in the village.