Things to do in Castellón de la Plana
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Castellón de la Plana
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months, with warm days, orange blossom in spring, a swimmable sea from late May and fewer crowds in September.
Magdalena month. The city is at its liveliest and priciest for nine festival days, and at its best for culture.
FIB in Benicàssim fills hotels and raises prices. Come for the festival or plan beach days away from that area.
Hottest and busiest beach month, with Rototom in Benicàssim. Beaches cope, but book everything ahead.
Quietest and cheapest in the city, but Morella day trips can be bitterly cold and the Grao is sleepy.
What's on
- Fiestas de la Magdalena Nine days from the third Saturday of Lent
Founding festival with the Romería de les Canyes pilgrimage, illuminated gaiatas, mascletàs and the closing Vítol.
- Fiestas de San Pedro Late June
El Grao's own festival for its patron, centred on the harbour and the fishing fleet.
- Nit de Sant Joan 23 June
Midsummer bonfires and midnight swimming on the city beaches.
- FIB Festival Internacional de Benicàssim July
Major international music festival ten minutes north that fills Castellón hotels with people who prefer a bed.
- Rototom Sunsplash August
Major reggae festival in Benicàssim with the same hotel overflow effect as FIB.
- San San Festival Easter
Spanish indie festival in Benicàssim that opens the festival season.
Best things to do in Castellón de la Plana
El Fadrí
The freestanding bell tower on the main square, worth climbing when open for the view over the plain to the sea.
Concatedral de Santa María
The rebuilt Gothic co-cathedral on the main square, a quiet ten minute stop at the heart of any old town walk.
Museo de Bellas Artes de Castellón
A free museum whose ceramics floors explain the tile industry this province lives on, with Sorolla and Ribera above.
Mercado Central de Castellón
The working central market in two halves, produce on one side and fish from the Grao boats on the other.
Parc Ribalta
The city park of tiled benches, a duck lake and old trees, where Castellón takes its evening walk.
Planetari de Castelló
A seafront planetarium with dome shows and a Foucault pendulum, easy to pair with a beach morning and a rice lunch.
Espai d'Art Contemporani de Castelló
The contemporary art centre near Parc Ribalta, worth an hour when the current exhibition suits your taste.
Plaça Major
The main square and start of the old town walk, joining the town hall, the bell tower, the co-cathedral and the market.
Where to stay in Castellón de la Plana
Centro
first trip, all-round base
Walk to the market, cathedral, bell tower and tascas, with the station nearby and the tram to the beaches.
El Grao and Playa del Pinar
beach stays in late spring and summer
The port, rice restaurants, planetarium, golf club and Pinar beach on your doorstep, five kilometres from the centre.
Ribalta and the station side
value, drivers and festival overflow
Safe and practical by the park and station, cheaper when the centre sells out, with a short walk in for dinner.
Think twice about
- El Serrallo industrial zone
A working port and refinery area south of El Grao with truck traffic and no visitor base. Check any listing south of the port on a map.
- Far western and southern outskirts
Not unsafe, but far from sights and poorly served in the evening. You save little and lose the walkable city.
- Benicàssim in FIB week
Fine in June and September, but in festival week it is priced and partied for festivalgoers. Base in Castellón and shuttle in if sleep matters.
Best restaurants in Castellón de la Plana
La Cuina de Fernando
The city splurge, a chef's lunch only restaurant in a century old house serving local rices, fish and a famous tomato coca.
Restaurante Mediterráneo
A third generation family restaurant in El Grao for arroz a banda and seafood rice, with a strong local wine list.
Tasca La Caseta Del Italiano
A small trattoria with no pizza that locals love for homemade pasta, chargrilled octopus and cannoli.
Le Bistrot Gastronómico
A cosy fusion bistrot in the centre blending Spanish, Mediterranean and Asian flavours in inventive small plates.
Temprado 19
A locals' restaurant that books out at lunch for senyoret rice, duck paella and careful, attentive service.
Irasshai Izakaya Castellón
The city izakaya and its best regarded sushi, the detour for a night when the table wants a break from rice.
Casa Lola
The popular Grao rice house for big pans of arroz a banda at local prices, at lunch with local families.
El Mirador del Port
A port side seafood restaurant in El Grao where you order what came in that morning, grilled, before any rice.
Outdoor things to do in Castellón de la Plana
Platja del Pinar
The main city beach, long and wide with pines behind it, full facilities and the easiest access from the centre.
Platja del Serradal
The quieter beach by protected dunes, best for walking and swimming away from the Pinar crowds.
Platja del Gurugú
The sporty middle beach for water sports and volleyball, with the liveliest chiringuito scene in summer.
Parc Natural del Desert de les Palmes
A forested sierra behind the coast with hermitages and the Bartolo summit climb for views to the Columbretes.
Via Verda del Mar
A flat coastal greenway on the old railway from Benicàssim to Oropesa, past coves and watchtowers, made for bikes.
Club de Golf Costa de Azahar
Nine tight, pine lined holes fifty metres from the beach, a cheap and friendly local round in El Grao.
Mediterráneo Golf
Sergio García's home course at Borriol, an 18 hole valley layout with fast greens and water on seven holes.
Parque Natural de las Islas Columbretes
A protected volcanic archipelago reached by boat from El Grao, for a lighthouse walk and a swim in a marine reserve.
Best hotels in Castellón de la Plana
Intelier Rosa
The city flagship four star in the centre, with spotless modern rooms, a praised breakfast and a small pool.
NH Castellón Mindoro
The reliable central chain hotel, a known quantity with good breakfast a short walk from the main square.
B&B Hotel Castellón
A clean modern budget chain hotel for a short stop or a festival trip where you barely use the room.
Hotel del Golf Playa
A large family hotel one hundred metres from Pinar beach, with a pool, gardens and the golf club beside it.
Eurohotel Castelló Estació
A modern budget hotel by the station for late arrivals, early trains and drivers starting day trips.
Is Castellón de la Plana expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €55 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €110 a person |
| Splurge | €220 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Planetari de Castelló: a few days ahead
- Teatro Principal de Castellón: a few days ahead
- Club de Golf Costa de Azahar: a few days ahead
- Mediterráneo Golf: weeks ahead
- Parque Natural de las Islas Columbretes: weeks ahead
- La Cuina de Fernando: weeks ahead
- Restaurante Mediterráneo: a few days ahead
- Tasca La Caseta Del Italiano: a few days ahead
- Book La Cuina de Fernando before you travel, as it serves lunch only and fills.
- Book the Grao and centre restaurants days ahead for weekends and festival dates.
- Book Columbretes boats weeks ahead in summer and golf at Mediterráneo in spring and autumn.
- Book hotels months ahead for Magdalena week and early for FIB week in July.
Is Castellón de la Plana safe?
- Watch bags in the market and at festival crowds, as in any Spanish city.
- Keep clear of mascletà fireworks crowds with young children and dogs during Magdalena.
- Hike the Desert park early in summer and carry water, as upper trails have little shade.
- Emergency number is 112.
Castellón de la Plana travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Seafront port restaurants with photo menus and a tout outside. Walk to the named rice houses instead.
- Peñíscola castle interiors are replica heavy. Pay for the fortress and views, not a museum.
- El Fadrí may be closed on arrival. Check that morning before planning around the climb.
- Castellón is not a smaller Valencia. Expect a quieter and cheaper city and it will not disappoint.
Getting around Castellón de la Plana: public transport and more
- Walk the centre, where almost everything is within 15 minutes of the main square.
- Ride the TRAM from the centre and station out to El Grao for the beaches, port and planetarium.
- Take the train up the coast for Peñíscola and drive for Morella, where the bus is only once a day and takes about two hours.
- Use Valencia airport and the train from Valencia for most international arrivals.
Who Castellón de la Plana suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Castellón de la Plana your trip
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