Altea la Vella

Altea la Vella, located inside the municipality of Altea, had its own entity from the Middle Ages to the sixteenth century. This territory, between the Algar River and the Sierra de Bernia, suffered population displacements and even demographic vacuums. The first evidence of occupation of the lands of Altea la Vella, although they are scarce, place us in the Neolithic. From s. V d.C. there was a demographic contraction but everything was revitalized in the Andalusian period, when the Altāya farmhouse became the organizing nucle of the territory. The Christians changed the name to “Altea”, a town which the feudal economic exploitation of the north of the Algar River was organized until the 16th century. In this period the houses of Altea were uninhabited until in the 18th century other people came back to live there, whose village they called “Altea la Vella”. This route connects Altea with Altea la Vella through the Camí Fondo and returns to the Algar River through the historic Sogai. In addition to knowing the cozy old town of Altea la Vella, you can visit the hermitage of Santa Bárbara or enjoy natural spaces of great value such as the Font del Garroferet or the Algar River itself.