Castillo de Chirel | Epic lookout in Cortes de Pallas

By Roberto – (Updated Aug 2024)

⏱ 3 min

If you are looking for a short but nice hike near Valencia, el Castillo de Chirel hike is a good option. This a short and easy hike that leads you to an old castle on the top of a hill with awesome views of the region Cortes de Pallás, in Comunidad Valenciana.

The Castillo de Chirel (castle = castillo) has an Arab origin around 1400 and it was used as a fortress to control the area. Years later, after the reconquista, the Christians built more walls, two towers and upgraded the castle. Today we can see the ruins of this abandoned fortress and thanks to its location, we can enjoy the amazing views if offers.

How to get to Castillo de Chirel

As mentioned, going to the castle is a short hike, where the castle is the main attraction. The castle is located in the area of Cortes de Pallás. It takes 1h 15 min diving from Valencia, or 45 minutes from Requena. Since it is a short hike, it offers the possibility to explore the area or do wine or cheese tasting experiences in Requena, as we will explain later.

To get to the starting point of the hike just search “acceso al Castillo de Chirel” in Google Maps. This will bring you to a small parking area in the middle of the trees where you can park the car. When we went, only us and another car were there. The parking is not paved but the road until it is, so you don’t need a 4×4 car.

About Castillo de Chirel hike

The hike itself is very easy and takes less than 30 minutes to reach the castle. The total distance is approximately 2,5 km and except some stairs at the beginning of the walk, the rest is not demanding. We suggest going with trainers but can be done with any type of shoes.

The track starts from the parking area, and you have to follow a dirt path. It’s very simple. After some minutes going up you’ll see the Castillo de Chirel at the end and that will be your goal. During the walk, you can enjoy the views of the surroundings. Keep in mind that there is no shade or water on the way, so be prepared!

When we were in the castle (that is free by the way), we liked to explore the different parts of it, and observed the area because it also is a really good lookout. We went around golden hour and loved the colours 🧡.

After taking our time taking photos and talking about trips with the other guy we met there =) we decided to go down to the parking area in the dark.

Other plans around Castillo de Chirel

In case you are planning a trip to the area of Cortes de Pallas, we strongly suggest taking some time to explore the region more. There are other hikes around with amazing lookouts that we want to explore soon. A famous waterfall where you can swim is El Corbinet, but we haven’t done that hike yet.

Another option we suggest and did, is to make a stop in the region of Requena, to do a wine tasting experience or even better, a cheese one. We did the Workshop and Tasting in Quesería Hoya de la Iglesia with friends. It was a different and unique experience trying different cheese while drinking wine. Due to Instagram it’s a bit trendy now, so better make a reservation in advance.

About the wine tasting or winery tours, go check Google to see options in English and schedules in Requena / Utiel area. Many good wines from Valencian Community are from this region and it’s worth the visit.

Let us know in the comments if you have any other recommendations or doubt about the Castillo de Chirel, and keep exploring the world!

Check more hikes in Comunidad Valenciana: