Benagéber combines hiking trails with a layered local history: a 16-kilometre heritage trail runs through the hamlets in the municipality, while the museum recalls the old village left behind beneath the waters of the reservoir. When planning your visit, it is worth looking at the different types of routes, viewpoints and historic sites.
Hiking trails: a circular route or a route between towns
The GR 7 E38 runs from Benagéber to Chera and is 26.60 kilometres long. The listed managing body is the Generalitat Valenciana. The PR-CV 114 Los Miradores de la Serranía–La Atalaya follows a different format: this 12.60-kilometre circular route starts at the Ermita de San Isidro in Benagéber. The length, route and starting point offer two different reference points for planning your hikes.
The PR-CV 114 passes through dense pine forest to Fuente de la Sabina and Collado de la Atalaya. The route runs through both the Alto Turia Biosphere Reserve and the Alto Turia and Sierra del Negrete Special Protection Area for Birds. Since the route was officially approved, shortcomings in signage and maintenance may have arisen. So check its condition before setting out. The managing body is responsible for maintenance.
The Camino del Silencio and its hamlets
The Camino del Silencio is a 16-kilometre heritage trail through the main hamlets in the municipality of Benagéber. It starts in the hamlet of Nieva and leads to the Mirador de Nieva, a washhouse and the Fuente de San Isidro. It then continues to La Muela and the hamlet of Villanueva, where visitors can see the Ermita and Fuente de Santa Ana. The project includes two routes that can be travelled on foot and/or by bicycle.
The town itself also tells a story of a new beginning: today’s Benagéber was built around 1950 next to the former hamlet of Nieva. Straight streets and white houses around a square define the townscape. The Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción is in the town centre; the Ermita de San Isidro Labrador is a church set amid nature.
Museum, reservoir and views
The Benagéber Museum mainly features a historical exhibition of objects from the old village, which was left behind beneath the waters of the reservoir. It also includes an art exhibition, with works mostly originating from competitions at the Feria de los Pueblos Amigos, as well as a more recent palaeontological exhibition. Local history, art and palaeontology are thus presented under one roof as distinct themes.
The Fuente Muñoz recreation and camping area has been established by the reservoir. If you are planning to camp, check the applicable permit requirements. Mirador del Pico Franco offers a different view of the landscape: there are picnic tables, and from here you can see across the Benagéber Reservoir, Javalambre and parts of the Serranía de Cuenca. The low levels of light pollution in Alto Turia also make the viewpoint a suitable place to observe the Milky Way, shooting stars and the moon.
More trails and landscapes
The municipality extends along both banks of the Turia through a landscape of mountains and gorges; pine forest covers most of the area. Those interested in the Regajo will find a riverside trail there from Charco Negro to La Pardala. Sections of the route are travelled on foot and on the water. Check water conditions and access locally. The gorge is mainly home to Aleppo pines, along with abundant mastic shrubs and kermes oaks. The Molino Harinero de La Pardala grain mill was built beside the Regajo in the 19th century.
Discover more destinations: Novelé, Villalonga, Calles, Albalat de la Ribera, Aielo de Malferit, Cortes De Pallás, Sot De Chera, Siete Aguas.
For the broader travel overview: Valencia.
