What to see in Confrides

Confrides is a mountain village in the Vall de Seta, inland in the Marina Baixa, sitting at 785 metres above sea level. Its municipal territory includes the roof of Alicante province: the Sierra de Aitana, which rises to 1,558 metres and closes off the valley to the south. The municipality is split between two settlements, Confrides and Abdet, and today has just over 290 residents.

History

The original settlement, from the Muslim period, was called Aljofra and was conquered by James I in 1264; the king granted it to Vidal de Sarrià, and over time the lordship passed to the Cardona and Ariza families. The remains of that fortress, the Castell d'Alfofra, still overlook the valley from above. The Morisco population, forced to convert to Christianity in the early 16th century, numbered around 240 before their expulsion in 1609, decreed by Felipe III; some local residents put up armed resistance before leaving.

What to see

The Guadalest river rises within this municipality, and several mountain springs, including the Font de l'Arbre, mark the starting point for hiking routes toward the Puerto de Confrides pass, at 960 metres, or toward the Mallada del Llop, above 1,300. These same paths also give access to climbs up the Sierra de Aitana, the main reference point for mountaineering in the province. Confrides falls within the area covered by the Protected Geographical Indication for Alicante mountain cherries, and its terraces turn white with blossom each spring, a familiar sight in the valley at that time of year.

Proximity to the castle at Guadalest, one of the most visited destinations in inland Alicante, has brought Confrides a modest amount of rural tourism that sits alongside an economy still grounded in mountain farming. Local cooking keeps hearty dishes like olleta, a wheat-and-corn stew, alongside rice dishes and rabbit stews. For anyone looking for a quieter mountain stop than Guadalest, neighbouring Sella offers a similar pattern of small village, springs and marked trails. The mountain climate, with an average annual temperature of 15 degrees and 600 to 700 millimetres of rainfall, contrasts sharply with the coast just a short drive away. The patron-saint festivities honouring San José and the Virgen de los Dolores are held on the last Sunday of August, the high point of the village's festive calendar, and that same contrast in climate is part of what draws walkers inland during the hottest weeks of summer.