Hotels in Alcalá del Júcar

By the bridge and the river

The lower part of the village, around the bridge over the Júcar, is the flattest and liveliest. Here are the river beach, the riverside terraces and the starting points for walks along the bank and water activities. If you're travelling with children or coming in summer to swim, this area saves you climbing up and down every time you want to go to the river.

At night there's a bit more going on, especially in high season. The castle can be seen from below, floodlit above the houses, and from the riverbank you get the image of the village clinging to the rock that appears in almost every photo.

Upper town, castle and San Andrés

The upper streets, between the church of San Andrés and the castle, look out most over the gorge. Many places to stay are cave houses carved into the rock, with balconies or windows onto the canyon and mild temperatures inside in both winter and summer.

The drawback is the gradient. The slopes are very steep and cars can't reach every door, so travel light or ask where to park. This area suits couples and those who want to sleep in a cave with the canyon outside the window.

Best-rated in this area: HS Alcalá, with a score of 9.1 from 2,249 reviews.

Gorge hamlets

Along the river are small hamlets within the municipality, such as Tolosa, with rural houses surrounded by vegetable plots and rock walls. They're a good alternative when the village is full on long weekends and in August, and suit those seeking rest and riverside hikes. You need a car to get around.

If you want to add other villages in the canyon, Jorquera, perched on another bend of the Júcar, is close and combines well with the visit. Casas-Ibáñez, the main town of La Manchuela, has more shops if you need supplies.