The Valley of Ayora is a stunning green valley with mountains in every direction you look. With its approx. 5500 inhabitants, Ayora is the biggest village in the Ayora Valley County. The green, peaceful and unspoilt valley of Ayora is situated inland near the town of Almansa. There is also the meeting point of the rivers “Jucar” and “Cabriel”.

The Ayora valley is made up of six villages: Ayora, Zarra, Teresa de Cofrentes, Jarafuel, Jalance and Cofrentes, the valley has all the services required for modern day living yet with the peace and tranquillity one would expect from a typical inland Spanish Area.

The atmosphere when entering the valley is welcoming but bearing in mind that you are in Inland Spain, the amazement comes from seeing how green the valley is itself. The valley is in the region of Valencia and covers an area of 26 kilometres by 4 kilometres so in total 104 square kilometres.

The whole region of the Ayora Valley has an extensive range of flora and fauna so it really is an every changing picture throughout the seasons and on the whole resembles a typical landscape of an Inland Mediterranean Area.

The town of Ayora is convenient to both Alicante and Valencia airports.
The public transport isn’t great so a car is essential. Here´s an overview of the public transport to and from Ayora/Almansa. There is a daily bus service to both Alicante and Valencia plus nearby train services to Alicante, Valencia and Madrid.

The historical town of Almansa is situated 10 minutes’ drive from Ayora and lies in the far eastern corner of Castilla La Mancha, less than an hour’s drive north of Alicante, or southwest of Valencia. It shares many attributes of the Ayora Valley though it is a large, modern town with a population of around 25,000 and is situated at approximately 700 mts. (2300 feet) above sea level.

The long summers are very warm, suitable for relaxing by the pool, or just simply enjoying the traditional Spanish siesta. The Mediterranean is near enough to enjoy a day by the sea, with the advantage of the less humid inland night air on return.

Spring and autumn are ideal for all kinds of outdoor activities, such as fishing, cycling, hiking, birdwatching, to mention but a few. There are numerous local fiestas, including the famous Honey Festival when the town of Ayora opens its arms to visitors from all over Spain.

Being a Mediterranean-continental climate, occasional cold spells in winter can even bring a snow for a day or two.

Although the valley comes within the Community of Valencia where Valenciana is fairly widely spoken, the everyday language of the local people is Castilian Spanish. The small but expanding community of ex-pats enjoy a friendly relationship with the local Spanish inhabitants.

Things to do:

  • Route of the Jucar is a wonderful boat trip along the river Jucar, from Cofrentes to Cortes de Pallas. Along the route you are surrounded by the turquoise water which in itself is a wonderful sight, but you also have a chance to see the valley from a different perspective and also spot the wildlife that is in abundance in this area. The boat trip takes approximately an hour in each direction and covers a distance of some 14 kilometres.
  • Muela de Cortes National Hunting Reserve is an area of outstanding beauty and offers spectacular scenery for hikers, mountain bikers or even those wishing to participate in the more serene hobbies of photography and painting. The wildlife: hares; boars; Hispanic goat; red-legged partridge, tawny owl and golden eagle all live here in their natural habitat without fear. The clear waters of the rivers and streams are home to: carp, barell, trout and crayfish to name but a few.
  • Water Sports are undertaken along some of the rivers in the Ayora Valley. Both canoeing and kayaking are available as both individual pursuits or as group organised trips. For further information about this just call into the local Tourist Information Office and they will not only tell you about it but also help organise it for you.
  • The main hub of the Ayora Valley has to be Ayora itself. Ayora is a modern town with plenty of shops, supermarkets, bars, restaurants, a medical centre and schools. It has everything you need for day to day living on your doorstep. If you really want to enter in the Spanish way of life, then Monday is market day and here you will be able to buy all your fresh produce for the week ahead and no doubt be tempted by some of the other items on offer. Local produce consists mainly of honey, olives, almonds and cherries.
  • Also to experience how the Spanish live, visit the main square as in the evenings this area really comes alive from about 11pm in typical Spanish style.