Els Ports is a region of small villages. That's why, during your visit...
PLEASE NOTE!
01
Book your meals in advance
Plan your route in advance and book where you want to eat. You can check all the options on our website.
02
Bring cash with you
Not all villages in the region have ATMs where you can withdraw money. Do this in advance.
03
Before starting the route, get organised and check the opening hours of the different establishments and services
If some of them, such as churches or museums, are closed, you can watch the videos on our website to discover what's inside.
THE WOOL AND SASH ROUTE
Suggested visiting times in each village:
Portell, 45 minutes:
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Cinctorres, 1 hour:
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Castellfort, 1 hour:
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ares del Maestrat, 1 hour:
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Vilafranca, 1 hour:
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
DISTANCE: 40 km from the starting point to the end of the route.
RECOMMENDED TIMES:
From 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
PLACES TO EAT:
There are bars/restaurants in all the towns along the route (remember to book in advance).
02
For centuries, livestock farming has been one of the main economic activities in Els Ports. After the Christian conquest of the territory in the first third of the 13th century, the new settlers obtained royal concessions and privileges to develop a sector that would bring them prosperity thanks to the intense wool trade that took place between the 14th and 16th centuries. This product, obtained from the sheep flocks of Els Ports, entered international trade circuits, promoting the economic, demographic, artistic and cultural development that has continued to this day.
Until a few decades ago, the ‘faixeros’ travelled throughout Spain selling products made by the skilled and tireless hands of the people of the region.
This route runs through the south-west of Els Ports, a mountainous region characterised by the existence of villages whose history has been marked by
the textile tradition.
02 · THE WOOL AND SASH ROUTE
Portell
FIRST STOP
Recommended time for visiting the town on the route:
45 minutes
Suggested visiting hours:
From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
To visit the interior of any of Portell's points of interest, you must call the Town Hall and arrange a visit.
Useful telephone numbers
TOWN HALL:
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Tel. 964 17 87 79
Portell de Morella is located at one of the historic entrances to Els Ports from Aragón. It is a small town that surprises visitors with its unique architectural and ethnological heritage. Living in a rugged and mountainous area, throughout history, its residents have developed crafts related to textile production, which have helped to consolidate their economy and form part of the town's past and present.
EXPLORE
Enter Portell via Calle del Portal until you reach the Town Hall square, where you will find this interesting 17th-century building. Go down to the Ermita de la Virgen de la Esperanza chapel and visit the washing places and the fountain. Further up, go up Calle de la Plazoleta to the Rosaleda ethnological museum. From there, walk through the alleys of the old town until you reach the church of the Virgen de la Asunción, visiting the medieval historical complex of the corro and the walls.
VISIT
DID YOU KNOW THAT..
Throughout the last century, many people in Portell worked in the textile industry. While the women wove on the handlooms installed in their own homes, the men travelled across different parts of Spain selling sashes. Moving from one place to another was usually done by bicycle, and the faixeros of Portell covered hundreds of kilometres over the course of the year to bring their sashes wherever they were needed.
02 · THE WOOL AND SASH ROUTE
Cinctorres
SECOND STOP
Recommended time to visit the town along the route: 45 minutes
Suggested schedule: From 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
To visit the interior of the main points of interest, it is necessary to book a guided tour with the tourist office (on the days it is open). Guided visits take place at 11:00 am.
Useful Contacts
Tourist Office Tel. 964 18 14 28
Opening hours:
-
Tuesday to Thursday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
-
Friday: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
-
Saturday: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Sundays and public holidays: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Cinctorres is one of the largest towns in Els Ports, a community that has managed to preserve the essence of its traditions and an interesting heritage that has endured to the present day. Through its museums and points of interest, and by walking through its streets and squares, visitors can enjoy an authentic history and a remarkable past closely linked to the textile industry.
EXPLORE
The sculpture of a faixero welcomes you to Cinctorres. From there, make your way through the town’s streets, walking past the hermitage of Sant Lluís and the Plaza del Pozo until you reach the Church of Sant Pere Apòstol, where you will see the peiró of the new square. Heading towards San Vicente Street, wander through the narrow alleys around it until you arrive at the Town Hall and the Santjoans Palace, near which you will find the Faja Museum.
VISIT
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
The “piuró del Cap de la Vila”, a reproduction of which can be seen in the square of the parish church, is a 15th‑century Gothic cross and a magnificent example of the wealth generated by the wool trade in the region during the Middle Ages, which made it possible to build monuments such as this one. Its original location was on the outskirts of Cinctorres, at the crossroads linking the town with Castellfort and Portell.
The purpose of the “piurons”, “peirons” or “boundary crosses” was to protect travellers along the roads, which is why they were usually placed at crossroads and at the entrances to villages.
02 · THE WOOL AND SASH ROUTE
Castellfort
THIRD STOP
Recommended time to visit the town along the route 45 minutes
Suggested schedule In the afternoon, depending on where you have had lunch.
Useful Contacts
Town Hall Tel. 964 44 57 81
Castellfort is an impressive town set within a sea of mountains. From an altitude of more than 1,300 metres, it preserves a unique architectural and historical heritage. A walk through its old town allows you to enjoy the history that breathes from every stone, while exploring its surroundings reveals spectacular landscapes and mythical sacred places that will remain in your memory forever.
EXPLORE
From the Church Square, take in the temple dedicated to l’Assumpció de Maria. A walk around the four corners of this remarkable space will lead you to discover the building of the confraternity, the 17th–18th‑century porticoes, and the Town Hall, whose ground floor still preserves the old market hall and the medieval prison. Continue on to the House of the Marquises of Castellfort and wander through the streets, enjoying exquisite historic façades adorned with beautiful ceramic altarpieces. Outside the town, it is well worth visiting the hermitage of Sant Pere (12th–13th c.), the hermitage of Santa Llúcia, and the sanctuary of the Mare de Déu de la Font (16th–17th c.).
VISIT
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
“Sant Pere” of Castellfort is one of the oldest hermitages in the province of Castellón.
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Ares del Maestrat
FOURTH STOP
Suggested schedule
In the afternoon
Useful Contacts
Town Hall Tel. 964 18 00 01
Guided tour schedule:
Wednesday to Sunday at 10:30 am and 12:00 pm
Tourist Offices Tel. 669 30 48 30
Opening hours:
Wednesday to Sunday: 10:00 am – 3:30 pm
Monday and Tuesday: closed
Amid a sea of mountains and sheltered by the emblematic rock where its castle once stood, lies Ares del Maestrat, a town situated at over one thousand metres above sea level. Its privileged location offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape, and its historic centre hides corners filled with history.
EXPLORE
Walk through the old quarter of the town, entering from the Plaza Mayor and continuing to the church square. Take a moment to admire the building that houses the Town Hall and the former commercial market hall, of which the porticoes with Gothic and Mudejar elements are still preserved. Next to it, you can see the 13th‑century prison and, opposite it, on the other side of the square, the parish church of the Virgin of the Assumption. From there, follow Campanar Street to reach the viewpoint, where you can enjoy magnificent views of the surroundings and visit the cave museum.
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DID YOU KNOW THAT...
According to the chronicle of King James I, Ares del Maestrat was the first town in the Kingdom of Valencia to be conquered by the Christians in the 13th century. Upon hearing the news, the king set out from Teruel towards Ares to take possession of it when, on his way, he received word that the knight Blasco de Alagón had just seized Morella from the Saracens. This event made him change direction in order to resolve the matter and claim possession of the capital of Els Ports, arriving a few days later in the town of Ares.
02 · THE WOOL AND SASH ROUTE
Vilafranca
FIFTH STOP
Suggested schedule
45 minutes
Useful Contacts
Tourist Office
Opening hours:
Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday: 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am – 1:30 pm and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Contact: Telephone: 964 44 14 32
Vilafranca is the second‑largest town in the Els Ports region. A walk through its historic centre reveals remarkable buildings and its history, closely linked to the textile industry—a tradition that forms part of the town’s past, present and future.
A stroll through its surroundings allows you to enjoy landscapes of great natural and scenic value.
EXPLORE
Enjoy the historic centre of Vilafranca and stroll along Calle Mayor to the Church of Santa María Magdalena and the Town Hall. Along this route, you will see the modernist houses of the local bourgeoisie, enriched during the industrialisation period. You can also visit the parish church, with its Torre de Conjurar and museum, and walk up to the Church Square to discover the remarkable manor houses preserved there. Finally, explore the old market hall and wander through the streets leading to the Charity Hospital and the Sant Roc Gate.
VISIT
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Marie Claire was founded in Vilafranca in 1907 as a textile company dedicated to the production of stockings and socks. Its founders were natives of the town, and their entrepreneurial drive was inspired by Vilafranca’s long‑standing textile tradition.
THE WOOL AND SASH ROUTE
TO KEEP ENJOYING THE CRAFT TRADITIONS OF ELS PORTS, YOU SHOULDN’T MISS
FORCALL Espadrille Museum. Forcall Tourist Office. Tel. 964 17 12 90
LA MATA Qualitart Centre, Espadrille Museum. Town Hall. Tel. 964 18 00 01
VILLORES Open‑air Espadrille Museum in Villores (MALEV). Free visit. Town Hall Tel. 964 17 10 85
HERBÉS Lo Botadó Ethnological Museum. Town Hall (WhatsApp): 606 14 00 66