Cocentaina

Cocentaina is a town of 11,500 people (2018) in Alicante. It is known primarily for its textile industry, and tourists flock to experience its two festivals, both of them originating in the Middle Ages and declared 'Festivals of National Tourist Interest'.

Understand
Cocentaina (from Iberian: Contestani – the name of the regional Iberian tribe) has been inhabited since Paleolithic times, as attested by nearby cave paintings. Under Moorish rule Qustantaniya was an important enclave; the castle foundations, street layout, and numerous alquerias (fortified farmhouses) survive from that period.



By bus
Autocares Travicoi runs several buses daily, including on weekends, between Valencia and Alcoy. From Alcoy, Subus runs buses multiple times daily; a summer schedule is available for download here and a winter schedule is available here. Travicoi and Subus buses stop at in Cocentaina.

By car
Cocentaina lies on the highway N-340 which connects to the A-7, running from Alicante to Alcoy and further on to Valencia.

Get around
Cocentaina is quite small, and easily navigable by foot.

Drink
Cocentaina, along with nearby Alcoy, is known for its café licor ('coffee liquor'), not to be confused with the sweeter licor café in Murcia and Galicia. The drink is known to date to the early 13th century, and grew in popularity during the industrial revolution when factory workers would add it to their coffee thermoses. Today it has the Spanish denomination of origin of Bebidas Espirituosas Tradicionales ('Traditional Spirits'), and is consumed alone or mixed with other ingredients, such as orxata (Spanish: horchata), soda water, or lemon water.

Sleep
There are just a couple hotels and a handful of holiday apartments in Cocentaina; more options are available in nearby Alcoy.



Go next

 * Alcoy