Castellón
Castellón de la Plana (in Valencian, Castelló de la Plana), often called Castellón, is a city of 171,000 people (2018) in the province of Castellón on the east coast of Spain. It's a calm and friendly seaside city with an historic centre and port (Grau), and orange orchards nearby.
Understand
It is located in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Costa del Azahar by the Mediterranean Sea. The mountain range known as Desert de les Palmes rises inland north of the town.
- 🌍 Tourist Info Castellón, Plaça de la Hierba, s/n, ☏ +34 964 358 688, castellon@touristinfo.net. M-F 10:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-14:00.
- 🌍 Tourist Info Grao, Passeig de Bonavista, 28, ☏ +34 964 283 621, graocastellon@touristinfo.net. M-F 10:00-14:00.
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Climate
Castellón lies far enough north that summers aren't too unbearably hot and far enough south that you won't freeze in the winter either. Its coastal location helps keep the weather mild and pleasant.
Language
The city has two official languages, Valencian and Spanish.
Get in
Castellón lies about 60 km (37 mi) north of Valencia and 280 km (170 mi) south of Barcelona from on Spain's Mediterranean coast.
By plane
- 🌍 Castellón Airport (30 km north of Castellón). There are buses to Castellón for €12 and to Torreblanca train station for €1.65 (From Torreblanca to Valencia it's about 7€ by train). The schedules and website links to the bus operators are shown on the website of the airport.
By train
- 🌍 Estació de Castelló (Estación de Castellón / Castellón Train Station), Carrer del Pintor Oliet, 2, ☏ +34 912 432 343. Renfe runs frequent trains from Valencia, and all Barcelona–Valencia long-distance trains stop here. Facilities at the station include storage lockers, a café, bookshop, and car rental office.
By bus
- 🌍 Estación de Autobuses (Bus Station), Carrer del Pintor Oliet, s/n (next to the train station), ☏ +34 964 240 778. Hife runs several buses a day between Valencia and Barcelona, with stops in Castellón. Alsa buses run four times a day to and from Barcelona.
By car
The A-7 motorway links the city to Valencia and Tarragona further north.
Get around
By bicycle
The city is so small and flat that one of the best ways to get around is by using the city bike-sharing system, Bicicas. It costs €2 per day, €6 per week, or €10 per month. See bicicas.es to read more details and to sign up.
See
Landmarks
- 🌍 Ajuntament (City Hall). Erected at the beginning of the 18th century. It features a Tuscan-style façade rising up over a colonnade.
- Concatedral de Santa Maria (co-cathedral of Saint Mary). Built in a Gothic-style in the 13th century and reconstructed one century later after destruction by fire. The present building is another reconstruction after the demolition ordered by the council during the Spanish civil war (1936).
- El Fadrí. The cathedral's bell tower
- The Llotja del Cànem (Hemp Exchange Market). Built during the first half of the 17th century to be used by traders in hempen cloth and ropes, a very important activity in the area at the time. Today the building is used by the university for cultural events and temporary exhibitions.
- Basílica of Santa Maria del Lledó (on the northeast edge of the town, at the end of a broad avenue decorated with orange trees). A basilica devoted to an image of the Virgin Mary found in 1366 by a farmer when he was ploughing his lands. The original 14th-century chapel was extended to its present Baroque form during the 16th century.
Museums and galleries
- 🌍 Museu Etnològic (Museo de Etnología / Ethnological Museum), Carrer Cavallers, 25, ☏ +34 964 239 878. M-F 10:00-14:00 16:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-12:30 14:00-18:00. Free.
- 🌍 Museu de Belles Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), Av dels Germans Bou, 28, ☏ +34 964 727 500. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Free.
- 🌍 Espai d'Art Contemporani de Castelló (EACC / Contemporary Art Space of Castellón), Carrer de Prim, s/n, ☏ +34 964 723 540, eacc@eacc.es. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Free.
- Museo de Historia Militar (Military History Museum), Acuartelamiento Tetuán, s/n, info@aulamilitar.com. M-Sa 10:30-13:00.
- 🌍 Museu de la Mar (Museo del Mar / Sea Museum), Carrer de Joan d'Austria (Grau de Castelló). Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Su and holidays 10:00-14:00.
- 🌍 Torre dels Alçaments, Plaça de les Aules, ☏ +34 964 227 556. M-F 08:00-15:00 by prior arrangement.
- 🌍 Planetario (Planetarium), Paseig Marítim, 1 (Grao de Castellón), ☏ +34 964 282 968, fax: +34 964 285 161, planetari@castello.es.
Parks
Do
- Beaches
- Sea kayaking
Performing arts
- 🌍 Auditori i Palau de Congressos de Castelló (Auditorio y Palacio de Congresos de Castellón), Av de la Mare de Déu del Lledó, 50, ☏ +34 964 727 550, fax: +34 964 225 543, culturalcas@culturalcas.com. Box office: Tu-F 09:00-14:00, Th 17:00-19:00, performance days: 17:00-; special exhibits: Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Su 10:00-14:00. A venue for theatre (in Spanish), modern dance, and classical and other music performances. There is also an art exhibition area with changing exhibits, along with an accompanying giftshop. The building was designed by Catalán architect Carlos Ferrater. Free admission to exhibitions; tickets to performances can be purchased at the box office or online.
Buy
- 🌍 Mercat Central (Mercado Central / Central Market), Plaça Major, 1, ☏ +34 964 236 803. M-Sa 07:00-15:00. A standard food market selling local produce, meat, and fish, and has an onsite bar/café.
Street markets
- 🌍 Rastro (flea market), Plaça de Santa Clara. 1st Sa morning of every month except Jan and Jul-Sep. A good place to find an assortment of second-hand goods.
- 🌍 Mercadillo. M mornings. A weekly street market for local produce and other goods.
- 🌍 Mercadillo del Grau, Plaça de la Mare de Déu del Carme (El Grao). F mornings.
Eat
City centre
- 🌍 Tasca La Necora, Carrer Barraques, 6.
- 🌍 Restaurante Arnica, Calle Carcaixent, 7 (Plaza Mar Mediterráneo).
- 🌍 Pans&Company, Carrer Major, 28.
- 🌍 Taberna Karagols, Carrer de Crevillent, nº9.
- 🌍 Donde Marisa, Calle de Sanchís Abella, 8.
- 🌍 King Doner, Ronda de la Magdalena, 8.
- 🌍 Lyonburgo, Carrer del Mestre Ripollés, 10.
Marina
Mid-range
Sleep
Midrange
- 🌍 Doña Lola Hotel, Carrer de Llucena, 3 (across from Ribalta Park), ☏ +34 964 214 011, reservas@hoteldonalola.com. Has an onsite bar, nonsmoking rooms, and bicycles for rent. Free Wi-Fi, parking €10/day. Doubles from €50, including breakfast.
- 🌍 Eurohotel Castellón, Carrer del Pintor Oliet, 9 (across from the train and bus stations), ☏ +34 964 342 559, fax: +34 964 340 082, reservas@eurohotelcastello.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 06:00-12:00. Has an onsite fitness centre and restaurant which can accommodate special meals by request. Free Wi-Fi, parking €12/day. Doubles from €54, breakfast €10.
- 🌍 Hotel del Golf Playa, Avda del Golf, 2, ☏ +34 964 280 180. Check-in: 14:00-24:00, check-out: 07:00-12:00. Well-situated by the Pinar de Castellón Beach, near the Costa Azahar Golf Course and the port area. Has an outdoor pool, fitness centre, onsite bar/restaurant, and free Wi-Fi. Doubles from €64.
- 🌍 Hotel H2 Castelló, Carrer de Carcaixent, 3, ☏ +34 964 723 825. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Has an onsite restaurant, fitness centre, nonsmoking rooms, and free Wi-Fi. Pets permitted on request. Doubles €60, including breakfast.
- 🌍 Hotel Intur Castellon, Carrer d'Herrero, 20, ☏ +34 964 225 000, fax: +34 964 232606, castellon@intur.com. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. Has an onsite restaurant, fitness centre, and nonsmoking rooms. Free Wi-Fi, parking €12/day. Doubles €71, including breakfast.
- 🌍 Hotel NH Castellón Mindoro, Carrer de Moyano, 4, ☏ +34 964 222 300. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Centrally located, next to the theatre and city hall. Facilities include a fitness centre, onsite bar/restaurant, and free Wi-Fi. Private parking €13.75/day. Doubles from €61, breakfast extra.
Connect
As of June 2022, Castellón has 4G from MasMovil/Yoigo and Vodafone, and 5G from Movistar and Orange.
Cope
Consulates
- Romania, Avenida de Valencia 144 (esquina con Rambla de la Viuda), ☏ +34 964 206 764, castellon@mae.ro.