Villena can only be described as a large and prosperous town lying at the centre of the wine-producing country along the Vinalopo Valley.  Being overlooked by its picture book 11th Century Castle, Castillo de la Atalaya, Villena lies between the regions of Murcia, Valencia and Castilla-la-Mancha and has around 25,000 inhabitants.

The 11th Century Castle that was built by the Moors and can only be described as something that would appear in a childs fairytale.  To this day it still retains its monumental outer wall and twelve guard towers and has been competed with crenulatd walls.  The Castle is a breath-taking view by day but truly stunning by night when all lit up.  Inside the Castle there is a courtyard containg a well and numerous pathways leading to each of the guard towers, and also from the days when they were needed, there are several escape tunnels.

Villena has a history that goes back much further than the Moorish occupation as was originally thought since the 1960's discovery of a magnificent hoard of Bronze Age gold artfacts that are now displayed in the Museo Archaelogico.  Here you can see the amazing collection of sixty items, comprising bottles, bowls and bracelets that were created from sheets of beaten gold and that jointly weigh over 10 kilograms.  Dating from about 1000BC, this amazing hoard was uncovered purely by chance in an old riverbed.

Wine has ben a significant product of Villena for centuries and the wine of Villena is now renowned as a quality product.  However, other indistries that have been linked to the propsperity of the town are: footwear, pottery and furniture.

Villena is steeped in history and the locals are proud of this historical background and try to preserve as much as possible.  Many things they have accumulated over the years are available for all to see at the Plaza de Santiago where you will find the Pacio Municipal and within this, the Musel Archaeologico.

There is also the "Iglesia de Santiago", Church of Santiago , which was designed by Jacopo Florentino (an assistant of the more famous Michael Angelo) who once settled in Villena.

Villena definitely allows for modern day living with its main street (starting at the Plaza del Toros which is currently undergoing refurbishment) lined with shops of every kind: clothes: electrical: phone: diy: shoes; supermarkets, banks, post office and hairdressers.  Then of course you have the essential cafe-bars and restaurants which are definately worth a visit after the weekly market that is held on a Thursday.