Requena

The municipality of Requena, with its 26 districts, is one of the largest in Spain. This arid terrain, predominantly adorned by vineyard landscapes, is watered by the Magro and Reatillo rivers, along with the Albosa rambla. In the southern region, the winding paths of the Cabriel river form a part of the Hoces del Cabriel Natural Park. The Tejo peak is the highest point in the municipality.

Requena boasts the historical Barrio de la Villa, designated as a Historic-Artistic Site back in 1966. It is a Muslim walled complex, from the Caliphate period (8th-11th century), where the traveller will find the Tower of Homenaje, the Casa del Arte Mayor de la Seda, the Gothic churches of Santa María and El Salvador, the neoclassical church of San Nicolás, the Palacio del Cid, numerous noble buildings and notable examples of popular architecture. In the subsoil of this neighbourhood, there are numerous galleries and caves from the Arab period, which were used as dwellings and cellars, where dozens of jars are still preserved. It is also worth visiting the church of San Sebastian, in the Las Peñas neighbourhood, where you can see a unique example of Mudejar architecture.

The Arrabal neighbourhood, where the main commercial and urban activity is concentrated, is home to the church of Carmen and the cloister of the former Armelitan convent,  now housing the Municipal Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. The Technological Institute of Viticulture and Enology is also located in this neighbourhood, which focuses its activity on research projects in the wine sector, and the School of Viticulture and Oenology.

Among the main events and celebrations are the Grape Harvest Festival, declared of national tourist interest (end of August); the Artisan and Quality Charcuterie Exhibition, which promotes products recognised with Protected Geographical Indication (mid-February); the Easter Week processions, and the Wine Fair, Ferevin, which coincides with the Grape Harvest Festival.

This municipality has a large number of wineries that produce and bottle excellent wines and also cavas, as Requena is the only municipality in the Valencian Community that is included in the Cava D.O.

www.requena.es