It’s a very picturesque town clinging to the side of a cliff in the province of Albacete. The little houses seem to hang from the rock, stretching from the riverbank all the way to the top, forming a continuous "human hive" crowned by a medieval castle.
The best view opens up from the Roman Bridge (18th century). The old part of the town looks like a mountain made entirely of stacked houses. On the opposite side of the river we can see the newer part of Alcalá del Júcar — with parks, restaurants and pedestrian streets.
From the side, you can see the narrow alleys winding between the houses.
Alcalá del Júcar is an ancient fortified town founded by the Muslims. It dates back to the 8th century, and its name can be translated as "Castle on the River Júcar." Al-Qala’a means "castle" in Arabic, while Júcar is simply the name of the river that flows around it.
The town’s current appearance took shape around the 13th century, during the Christian era.
Like Albarracín, Alcalá del Júcar stood on the frontier between the Muslim and Christian worlds. It was an important point on trading routes during the Emirate period and later, after the town was conquered by Castile. Prosperity from trade and a convenient geographic position allowed the settlement to grow — in 1364, King Peter of Castile granted it the status of a town. Technically, it was a village before that time, though "fortified village" sounds a bit odd.
Some house façades just stick out of the rock. The Muslims who founded the town (most likely Berbers) skillfully used the terrain, carving not only dwellings but also water channels into the limestone. We saw something similar among the Greeks in Syracuse, Sicily.
Limestone is soft enough to chisel, so you can even carve shelves right inside the wall.
Ceilings, as always, are quite low!
These cave houses help to save the money — the rock maintains a stable indoor temperature of around +18 °C all year round.
Cave-house bedroom!
Several cave houses in the town are open to visitors. The most famous ones are the Cueva del Diablo (Devil’s Cave) and the Cuevas de Masagó y del Duende (Masagó and Duende Caves).
Cuevas de Masagó y del Duende
Some of these caves lead into the other side of the cliff. Inside, locals have set up cafés and filled them with all sorts of "vintage treasures" — the kind of quirky stuff you’d find in a grandma’s attic — which adds its own charm.
Fighting rabbit in one of the caves
You can also visit the castle at the top of the hill — though "castle" might be too grand a word. It’s really just a tall tower with stairs inside. There’s a small hall with paintings and a couple of rooms, but the main attraction is the breathtaking panoramic view.
The castle was originally built in the 12th–13th centuries by the Almoravids — Muslim "crusaders", in a sense. After the Reconquista, it was rebuilt as a Gothic-style residence.
Example of stonework.
But that’s just the old part of town. Across the Roman Bridge lies the newer Alcalá del Júcar — with a park, a small island in the river, pedestrian streets, and cozy restaurants.
We came here by car while staying in Benicàssim. The winter weather was cloudy and gray, but it didn’t spoil the experience one bit — except for the thick layer of clay that stuck to our shoes. Overall, it was a perfect one-day trip, though you could easily explore the town in just a few hours if you’re short on time.
