Ontinyent, Pou Clar Water Falls
Ontinyent is about 1 hour 30 minutes drive (124km) from Benidorm there are a couple of different routes you can take which will be listed below.
Xativa would also be a great place to visit whilst in this area.
Ontinyent is a municipality in the province of Valencia of Spain. It is actually located in the comarca of Vall d’Albaida. Former World No. 1 tennis player Juan Carlos Ferrero was born in this city. The city is situated on the Clariano river.
The trace of the human population in this municipal city dates back to the prehistoric era. The first discovery was made in La Cova l´ Hedra. There are also some sites of the town. They belong to the Neolithic period, namely the larenal de la Costa and the Bronze Age sites. You also get to see some sites of the Iberian Age and the Roman times.
Places to visit in the city -
Bridge del Salt del Bou
Church of Santa Maria
Hermitage of Sant Esteve
Pont Vell
Wineries Ontinium
Fester Museum
But what attracts most people to this area is the waterfalls situated about 3kms outside of the city, the most popular is Le Pou Clar
The Pou Clar. The Rio Clariano has its source here and the first section of its course is marked by a series of pools and waterfalls, which have all been sculpted by the water and go to make up an attractive area, used by the local people.
Over the generations, each pool has acquired a name; The Pool of Slaves, The Clear Pool, The Frozen Pool, The Side Pool, The Dark Pool and finally The Pool of Horses.
There is easy access to the Pozo Claro and the visitor can walk along the whole section, as they enjoy the contrasts of colour in the rock formations and water and maybe take a refreshing summer swim in the freezing natural pools. You will find plenty of Spanish families enjoying the pools and there are plenty of diving areas. (there is no life guard on duty).
Sadly the car park that was situated right next to the Pou Clar has now been removed , which was normally very full. There is now a car park near the Polideportivo (Sports Centre) in Ontinyent (with 95 spaces). The exact address is Carrer Vicent Lluís Montés Penadés, 46870 Ontinyent. From here it is less than 2 km to reach Pou Clar, during the summer it does get very busy and prior reservation is required during July and August https://reservespouclar.es/es/
Pou Clar bus timetables Saturdays and Sundays in July and August:
Sports Center → Pou Clar 10:00, 13:20, 17:00, 19:50. Pou Clar → Sports Center - 10:10, 13:30, 17:10, 20:00.
Getting to Ontinyent from Benidorm
Route 1, with tolls, 1hr 25 mins, 124 km
Get on AP-7 from Av. de Europa, Av. Comunidad Europea and CV-753
Follow AP-7 and A-7 to CV-81. Take exit 20 from A-7
Continue on CV-81. Take Av. del Tèxtil, Av. Ramón y Cajal and Carrer del Dos de Maig to Carrer de l'Altet de Sant Joan in Ontinyent.
Route 2, 1hr 27 mins, 107 km
Get on AP-7 from Av. de Europa, Av. Comunidad Europea and CV-753
Follow AP-7 to Calle Calderón de la Barca/CV-800. Take exit 681 from AP-7
Get on A-7
Follow A-7 to CV-81. Take exit 20 from A-7
Continue on CV-81. Take Av. del Tèxtil, Av. Ramón y Cajal and Carrer del Dos de Maig to Carrer de l'Altet de Sant Joan in Ontinyent
Route 3 1hr 32mins, 78.5km by far the most attractive route across the mountains.
Follow Calle del Esperanto and Calle Lepanto to Av. de Europa
Follow CV-70, CV-790 and A-7 to Av. del Tèxtil
Follow Av. del Tèxtil, Av. Ramón y Cajal and Carrer del Dos de Maig to Carrer de l'Altet de Sant Joan in Ontinyent
FROM ONTINYENT - By car. Take the CV-81 Ontinyent-Bocairent road and at the crossroads for Fontanars
Another place worth visiting whilst in the area is the town of Bocairent
Bocairent is famous for its 50 or so Moorish manmade caves that date back to medieval times, these are set into a rock faces 300 meters from the village.
The caves are all interlinked inside through a series of openings in the rock, you are permitted to explore them freely
The countryside in this area is stunning and depending upon the time of year you visit you will come across fields of sunflowers.
