Vinaros is a city located in eastern Spain and the capital of the Baix Maestrat. It’s in the province of Castellon, so it’s part of the Valencian Community. Vinaros is a fishing harbour and tourist destination.
History : The first historical record of Vinaros is in 1233, when the Moorish hamlet of Binarlaros-Ibn Arus in eastern al-Andaluz was captured by King James I of Aragon. It was under rule of the Knights templar order between 1294 and 1311, and of the order of Montesa during the 14th century.
The town grew during the 16th and 17th centuries, when fortifications and navy yards were built, and attained great prosperity during the following two centuries, due to its involvement in ship building and Valencian wine trade. The town suffered a strong decline in the early 20th century as a consequence of the spread of phylloxera in the regions vineyards, which devastated wine production.
Today, the prosperity of Vinaros is bound to tourism and fishing, it is renowned for its tasty prawns. Vinaros is part of the Taula del Senia free association of municipalities.
Access : Coordinates: By train : Trains To/From Vinaros Vinaros is served on the main route that runs along the coast between Barcelona and Valencia
Trains run every 2 hours. The train station is out of the town centre, so you will need transport to get there. It’s approximately 2km or about 1 and a half miles from the centre.
By car : The N-340 road borders the town to access it through any kind of ground transportation. Also, the A-7 motorway has two detours that get you close to the north of the town (exit 42 -Ulldecona Alcanar) or south (exit 43 – Peniscola, Benicarlo, Vinaros).
By Yacht : Vinaroz is home to a working port and marina,Vinaros Port : Lugar Puerto de Vinaros,
Get Around : There’s a local bus service the runs between the north and south coast of Vinaros. You can see the schedule Vinaros Local Buses– please note it does say 2009 on it, but hopefully it is still correct. There are also some buses that run up to the pretty hermitage.
Highlights :
- Port. The first stone of the current port was placed on February 9, 1866, and inaugurated in 1875. In 1885 the prolongation of the anchorage was inaugurated. In the last century the port was protected with the construction of a parallel dock of Poniente and a transversal one of Levante. In it we can observe the fish market, where the fish and shellfish arrive to auction it, and the lighthouse.
Religious monuments : - The Hermitage of San Sebastian and the Virgen de la Misericordia (XV – XVIII centuries), in reference to the two patrons of the city. It is an old building, painted all white, located on a small hill known as el Puig, from which you can see a wide panorama.
The Hermitage of San Gregorio, a hundred meters from the city, beautiful eighteenth-century chapel church, work of Fray Pere Gonel, Augustinian friar.
The Archpriest Church of the Virgin of the Assumption (XVI Century). It has a beautiful baroque doorway, being the Gothic-Renaissance temple
The Church of San Agustin, that at the moment exerts the functions of Municipal Auditorium.
Civil Monuments :
- The remains of the Iberian settlement (seventh and first centuries BC). They are in the Hermitage
- Old Gothic town hall. Located on Main Street.
- The Town Hall (17th century). Located in the Plaza Parroquial, in front of the arciprestal church and the bell tower.
- The Municipal Market building (twentieth century). Its construction began in 1928, on land occupied by an old Augustinian convent. The Market is located in Plaza San Agustin, in the center of the city.
- Bullring. In recent years it has hosted the Gala of the Queens of the Carnival of Vinaroz, which has been presented by different celebrities, such as: Juan and Medio, Paz Padilla, Angel Llacer, Jorge Javier Vazquez, Bibiana Fernandez, Amor Romeira, Tamara Gorro , etc
- Modernist buildings. Casa Angel Giner and Casa Sendra, both of Valencian modernist style.
Beaches: Fortin Beach and Fora Forat Beach. It extends from the dock to the mouth of the Cervol river. It is a wide beach of more than 800 m. of golden sand that is integrated into the city, with characteristics that make possible the practice of any nautical sport.
Coves and small beaches. In the north and south of the city: South Beach, Ameradors, Els Cossis Beach, Saldonar, Boverals, Barbiguera, El Triador and Cala Puntal.
Carnival : The Carnival of Vinaros usually take place during January, February or March. The Carnival has 33 troupes which are composed of lots of people (The biggest troupe has around 550 components). Each troupe is represented by a queen who creates a spectacular costume.
Calendar : 1st day (Friday): in the Town Hall, Carnival starts by a performance decorated with the Carnival’s topic (In 2017 “Bollywood”) and the “Carnestoltes” presentation (“Carnestoltes” is a huge man made by a wood structure and dressed by a costume suitable with the Carnival’s Topic). Then, the Mayor and the queens open the Carnival’s hutts enclosure (Placed in the Fora Forat Walk where all nights parties take place in. Each troupe has got a hut where you can go into by free and enjoy night parties).
2nd day (Saturday): The Queen’s Presentation, where they show their fantastic costumes to all the people (Until this day, anyone knows how queen’s costumes will be like). It’s located on the old football pitch (Boverals H street / Football pitch street. It’s placed in front of the river).
3rd day (Sunday): Flour’s battle and Disguised pets Competition in the Carnival’s hutts enclosure (Fora Forat Walk), placed in the Fora Forat Walk both.
4th day (Monday): elderlies’ dinner.
5th day (Tuesday): some troupes fight for win the Karaoke Song Contest.
6th day (Wednesday): people dress up with thematic costumes that are suitable with the Carnival’s Topic and they enjoy the night at the Carnival’s hutts enclosure (Fora Forat Walk).
7th day (Thursday): all people dress up with pyjamas and enjoy the night at the Carnival’s hutts enclosure (Fora Forat Walk).
8th day (Friday): people dress up costumes (There are people who, instead of buying a normal costume, designs, make and sew up their own one) and enjoy the night at the Carnival’s hutts enclosure (Fora Forat Walk).
9th day (Saturday) and 10th day (Sunday): on Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (6 p.m.), troupes parade around the main streets in a closed route (Calle Pilar, Calle Pablo Ruiz Picasso, Calle San Francisco, Avenida Pais Valencia, Calle Arcipreste Bono, Plaza 1 de Mayo, Calle Costa y Borras, Avenida Pais Valencia, Calle Arcipreste Bono, Calle Socorro, Plaza Jovellar and Calle Pilar).
11th day (Monday): Carnival ends at the Town Hall and then the “Carnestoltes” is burned in the beach or in a waste ground.
Moreover, in August there’s the Summer Carnival with The Queen’s Presentation to show the tourists how Carnival is like in Vinaros.
