Museu Etnològic de Xaló

The Museu Etnològic i Arqueològic de Jalón occupies a building put up in 2003 on the site of the town's former slaughterhouse. Its collection covers the history of the valley from prehistory to the 20th century, with particular attention to rural life, traditional trades and the farming landscape that still defines the Vall de Xaló.

What to see

The museum is arranged in two main rooms. The first covers the settlement of the valley from a historical and archaeological angle, including a section on the expulsion of the Moriscos and the subsequent repopulation by Mallorcan families in the early 17th century, an episode that shaped much of the Marina Alta. The second room focuses on ethnology: the physical environment, traditional activities and, above all, the region's dry-stone heritage and the world of the raisin — sun-dried Moscatel grapes that were the area's economic mainstay for generations. A third, multipurpose room hosts temporary exhibitions, concerts and workshops throughout the year.

A museum for understanding the valley

It is a small museum with a quick visit, better suited to understanding the landscape around Jalón than as a destination in itself. It is worth seeing before heading out into the Vall de Xaló or climbing up to the Castell d'Aixa, since the explanations of raisin farming and the area's historical settlement give context to what you see afterwards on the ground. Being an indoor space, it also works well on a hot or rainy day, an option that is otherwise scarce in this inland stretch of the coast.