Caudete is a tranquil Inland Spanish Town situated on the very edge of the provinces of Alicante and Albacete.  You never need to travel far from Caudete to explore one of the many traditional Spanish towns and villages that are steeped in history, many of which have castles and churches that are definitely worth a visit.  Yet, if occasionally, you want a little more than "traditional Spain", Caudete is less than an hour from the cities of Alicante and Valencia both of which offer beaches, shopping, sight-seeing, ports and international airports.

Architecture and buildings have survived from almost every period in the town of Caudete which currently has just over 10,000 inhabitants and the most celebrated Moors and Christians Fiesta that dates back to 1588.  The is an adbundance of things to explore in Caudete :

La Villa is the old quarter of the town that dates from Medieval times.  Originally there were three main gateways and the area was surrounded by stone walls.  Nowadays there are still some narrow streets where it is impossible to drive a car and these make for a perfect summer evening stroll.  As you stroll through these streets appreciating the old architecture of the buildings and carpentry of the doors and windows, you can make your way towards the main square with its large fountain that is edged with bars, a perfect place to while away the balmy summer evenings.

The Church of Santa Catalina has ben built in a Catalan Gothic to Barroque style.  Construction of the church commenced in the 14th Century with the clock tower being added in 1506.  However, completion of the church did not take place until the 18th Century with the addition of the belfry.  The blue lined dome and clock tower is the most famous site in Caudete.

Plaza de Toros (the bull ring) is on the outskirts of the town of Caudete and building commenced in 1908 by the Earl of San Carlos, it was completed in 1910 and is celebrating its centenery this year. Whilst modern in style, it still reflects the Moorish influence and is in use to this day hosting a variety of events throughout the year, it is also the starting point for the Moors and Christians fiesta held in the first week of September each year.

Countryside Trails are very popular with the townsfolk of Caudete and a couple of times a year the townhall in conjunction with Tourist Information organises trips that anybody can join in to enjoy the outstanding views and fresh air.  The spectacular countryside surrounding the town has a rural landscape that comprises primarily of olive groves, almond groves and vineyards.  The Sierra Oliva Mountain Range offers endless oppotunities for hiking, climbing and cycling and the views from the peak "Santa Barbara" (1.141mtrs) are stunning and go on for miles.  For the less energetic, it is possible to drive to this point and still appreciate the scenery on offer.

Caudete is a modern town that has undergone quite a bit of expansion over the past few years and this is still ongoing.  There is an excellent range of shops, bars, restaurants,  supermarkets, dentists, a post office, medical centre, schools for all ages, numerous banks and a couple of garden centres.  Friday morning the town comes alive with the arrival of the weekly street market selling everything from vegetables, snails!, plants, kitchen-ware, clothes, fabric and even furniture, then after all the exertion of looking around the market there is nothing nicer than sitting down at one of the many cafe-bars to have a drink and a few tapas.