While staying in Valencia, I decided to take a spontaneous day trip to Xàtiva, booking my train ticket on the day and travelling from Valencia Estació del Nord.
Xàtiva is a relatively small city, making it easy to explore much of the centre on foot. My main destination, however, was considerably higher up: the impressive Castell de Xàtiva overlooking the city.
Arriving in Xàtiva
After arriving by train, I headed into the centre and decided that walking would be the best way to explore.
My route took me through Plaça del Mercat, where I spent some time looking around the small shops and eateries before continuing towards the castle.
From the streets below, Castell de Xàtiva dominates the hillside and looks like an obvious destination.
What I underestimated was exactly how much walking would be involved in reaching it.
Walking Up to Castell de Xàtiva
For some reason, I decided that rather than finding transport, I would walk all the way up to the castle.
I actually enjoyed the hike, but this is one part of the trip where I would recommend being prepared.
Don't underestimate the walk uphill.
The castle sits high above Xàtiva, and what initially seems like a manageable walk becomes a long and continuous climb. Comfortable shoes, some water and enough time are definitely worthwhile.
The advantage of walking was being able to enjoy the surroundings as I gradually climbed away from the city.
Along the way, I managed to catch glimpses of places including the Palau Islàmic, Torre del Sol and Torre de l'Esperó, giving me several smaller points of interest before reaching the main castle.
Castell de Xàtiva
Eventually arriving at Castell de Xàtiva made the climb worthwhile.
The castle occupies a spectacular position along the ridge above the city, and the viewpoints immediately reveal just how far you have climbed.
Looking down towards Xàtiva and across the surrounding landscape was easily one of the highlights of the day.
But reaching the entrance doesn't mean the climbing is finished.
The castle complex itself continues along the hillside, so exploring it involves even more uphill walking and steps.
I continued towards the Mirador Castell de Xàtiva and Torre Romana, gradually making my way higher through the fortifications.
Reaching the top was worth the effort.
The elevated position provides fantastic views across Xàtiva and the countryside beyond, while the castle itself feels even more impressive when you consider how dramatically it has been constructed along the mountain ridge.
Back to Valencia
After spending a few hours exploring the castle and enjoying the viewpoints, it was time to make the long journey back down.
Fortunately, this time gravity was on my side.
I walked back through Xàtiva towards the railway station and caught the train back to Valencia.
As a spontaneous day trip, Xàtiva turned out to be well worth visiting.
The city centre was pleasant to explore, but the real highlight was undoubtedly Castell de Xàtiva.
Walking all the way from the centre to the castle certainly made the visit more demanding than it needed to be, but it also became part of the experience.
If you're considering doing the same, my advice would simply be: don't underestimate the climb.
Give yourself plenty of time, wear comfortable shoes, take some water and be prepared for even more climbing once you enter the castle.
The reward waiting at the top is one of the best views I experienced during my time around Valencia.