Alicante Property

About Jalón (Xaló in Valencian) and the Pop Valley

Jalón, now officially known as Xaló is a rather typical, Alicantinian, tiny, agricultural village just 10 kilometres inland from the coast. However, it is also an eclectic little place with its villagers, its foreign residents and its all-year round visitors.

Although frequented by various nationalities and a variety of languages can be heard in the streets, it is steeped in the time-honoured traditions of Alicante and the Valencian Community. You are as likely to see a yellow lamborghini with personalized plates as a marching steel band or a horse-drawn cart going for a week-long hike in the hills of Bèrnia steering through the village's streets.

Xaló has a population of approximately 2000. It is surrounded by the hilly terrain and mountains of the Bèrnia sierra (1.128m), the Ferrer sierra (889m), El Castellet (608m) and the Penyó de la Mica (506m), all of which are landmarks.

Throughout the ages, several prehistoric cultures have left their distinctive marks on the town: the Cova de les Meravelles ( a cave full of stalactites and stalagmites), the Bassa dels Arcs and the Solana hills. Two Arab castles were built during the 500 years of Arab rule: The Aixa castle, and the castle that crowned the Bèrnia sierra, yet no relics remain today. The neoclassical Santa Maria church and the Santo Domingo hermitage are other monuments in Xaló. There is a great deal of mountain walking in this area, and the routes such as the Xaló or Gorgos River, or the 12km route from Xaló to Bèrnia, are very popular.

"Embutidos" or sausages have well-deserved fame in the district, where authentic butcher masters continue the ancestral practice of making pork sausages. Viticultue is one of the most deeply rooted agricultural traditions in Xaló.

Traditional Xaló wine obtained from the Gironet (garancha) grape is smooth and dry, highlighting the robust red and the lightest floral undertones. Xaló also produces a delightful, when served chilled, sweet muscadet wine - generally known as mistela.

Grapes ready for harvesting - Xaló

Neoclassical Santa Maria Church in the plaza of Xaló

Shetland pony and goat tied up outside locally
famous watering hole, Casa Aleluya!


"Festeros" - organisers of the annual fiestas are picked up at the front door of their homes. All the houses where there is a fiesta organiser are decorated with palms, flowers and streamers. The festeros then parade through Xaló dressed in black tie accompanied by the steel band.

At the end of April, the Romero festival is celebrated. The town's main festival, Fiestas de Sant Domènec are held this year between 1-12 August 2007. During these fiestas, the bulls run through the streets, the steel-band marches almost continuously and the partying goes on late into the night with starlit, open-air dances in the plaza.
Every Saturday morning, Xaló holds an antiques, bric-a-brac and flea market. Collectors and browsers come from all over Spain to buy at the well-known, Jalón Rastro.