Passing Through the Callejero Elche

The callejero Elche or the streets of Elche provide some interesting surprises, whether being a resident or a passing traveler. Elche is located around 20 kilometers from the major city of Alicante and approximately another 50 kilometers from the town of Murcia. It is the third biggest urban center in the entire region of Valencia. This is in relation to the number of residents, the size of the area as well as the number of available resources within the city. There is a lot to explore and discover within each street of the city of Elche. It is suggested that tourists who are coming to this city for the first time must obtain a copy of the Elche city map or a Elche street plan, which can be found with the local tourist board.

The city of Elche is known in many parts of the globe for a variety of reasons. Within the confines of the city alone are two sites declared as World Heritage Sites. Approaching the city from its palm lined streets, travelers will already get a sense of why it is a World Heritage Site. The Elx Palm Groves is an area within the city which contains at least 180,000 palm trees, planted more than a millennium ago by the first Moorish inhabitants. It is a testament of their prowess with regards to agriculture. These palms can be found almost anywhere within the city, an important symbol of this urban center.

Callejero Elche

The other asset declared by UNESCO’s World Heritage is the Mystery of Elche, a reenactment of the life of the Virgin Mary. What makes this significant is that it is the first play that has been performed within the Catholic Church on a yearly basis since its inception. Documents indicate that the first performance of this play was made in the latter parts of the 15th century in the Basilica of Santa Maria. From then on, the play has been performed annually every 14th-15th of August. It is also interesting to note that the elements of the performance have not been changed at all since it began, including forming an all male cast to play the characters in the play.

For tourists interested in more modern amenities, it is worth noting that the city of Elche is known the world’s capital of footwear. The city produces nearly 50% of all the needed footwear in the entire country of Spain. Some of its products have been exported to their other main clients within Europe as well as the United States. The callejero Elche is also known for containing a massive number of shops. It is an urban center which boasts of an immense number of commercial centers, drawing a greater number of tourists and locals alike.

When visiting the city of Elche, there are several routes which tourists can take. These are suggestions in order to make the exploration much easier. The first is referred to as the Monumental Route. It begins with Visitor’s Center situated at the Municipal Park. From here, the first stop is the Altamira Palace. The next road features the Basilica de Santa Maria. Moving on, tourists will then pass through the Carrer Major de la Vila where the Hospital de la Caritat is located. This particular hospital was initially built in the 14th century and later converted as the Casa la Festa. Further down the road is the 15th century Gothic inspired Sant Sebastia chapel. Initially a church, it is currently being used as a Museum for Mystery Play. Next in line is the Ayuntamiento de Elche or the Town Hall which is adjacent to the Calendura Tower. The route circles back to the Municipal Park where the tour started. There are a number of other routes which go through callejero Elche. There are those which go through the Palm Groves, the Clot de Calvany as well as the El Hondo Nature Park but may require more time as well as expertise as a number of sites require exploring the areas outside the city.

This post has also been translated into Spanish by using the Google online translation tool, Al Pasar Por El Elche Callejero is the translated post. If you feel you can add something positive to the Spanish translation please feel free to contact me through the comments section below or though The Olive Branch contact page, many thanks.