Rafal
Guide to Rafal, a small village on the Costa Blanca, Alicante, Spain.
Rafal - Costa Blanca - Spain
Although most of the Vega Baja villages have a common thread they all have their own individual histories and that is what makes them so interesting to visit. It is in the history of the villages that they come to life and we begin to appreciate just how much the independence of each village means to the local inhabitants and Rafal, situated off the CV-911, is no different.
Its history begins in 1243 when Orihuela was conquered by Alfonso X and the land now known as Rafal was part of that conquest. At that time the land was placed in the ownership of Arabs who called the pueblo Rahal Al-Wazir but in1266 they cleared an area of the land and allowed 42 Christian families to live there. Gradually, under the Catalonian influence the name of the village changed and Rahal became Rafal and it is known by that name to this day.
During the 14th and 16th centuries Rafal was under the ownership of many people particularly the Rocamora family and in June 1636 Felipe IV elevated the status of the pueblo to a town under the custodianship of D. Jeronimo Rocamora and eventually it became an independent municipality of Orihuela.
Now, Rafal believes that it has two main characteristics which distinguish it from it’s neighbours. Firstly, there is their great passion for music and the town boasts not only a musical academy but also an impressive purpose built auditorium which is part of the new Ayuntamiento building and this was constructed in 1999. This auditorium with wonderful acoustics is listed as one of the places of interest to see when you visit Rafal; such is their pride in the structure. A number of performances are staged during the course of the year and it is worthwhile to look in the local press for details or indeed to get information from the Ayuntamiento. The Musical Academy is a corner building near the Plaza de España and one amusing feature is that even the window grills display musical notes.
Rafal’s second claim to exclusivity is their deep desire to modernise the village and to encourage new people to live in the town, so that the amenities and infrastructure can be improved. The gastronomy of the village is typical of the Vega Baja region with one of the most popular dishes being stew with rice balls.
Rafal is a pretty village to visit. Park the car and walk round the various parks and plazas for there is much to see which could be so easily missed if one stayed in the car. Indeed if driving through Rafal you could almost be forgiven for thinking that it is not much more than one ‘bendy’ main road, it is only when you start to explore that you appreciate all that it has to offer. Shops, banks, bars and restaurants sit side by side with the older Spanish style houses, some new buildings and the schools and sports ground including the sports hall.
The parochial church of Our Lady del Rosario, who is also the Patrona of the village, was constructed in 1640 but amusingly has a church clock dated 1948. The fiestas for the Patrona are at the beginning of October and are celebrated in the usual Spanish way with processions, open air dances, parades and bull fights which are loved by some and hated by others.
The open air dances are performed on an impressive stage in the Plaza de España which is a town square with the Ayuntamiento and the Pensioners Club. It is a good idea when visiting these villages to call in to the various Ayuntamientos as the staff are happy to hand out any available tourist information and the leaflet for Rafal is particularly good.
The weekly street market is held on a Thursday morning when this quiet town becomes vibrant with the colourful stalls and the shoppers which include many visitors. The market is held on the Calle de Melino. For the children there is a playground in the Plaza Los Labradores with swings, slide, and plenty of seating for those who merely want to sit and watch.
Article provided by kind permission of The Leader Newspaper.
Rafal Links: Rafal Map
Rafal Property: We currently have no Rafal property listed on the website. Be the first: advertise here.
Nearby Places: Abanilla - La Aparecida - Redovan - Cox - Rafal - Benferri - Catral - San Bartolome - Dolores - Callosa de Segura - Crevillente
Golf Courses: Villamartin - Lo Romera - Las Ramblas - Campoamor Golf - La Finca - La Marquesa - Spain Golf Courses
Related Links: Torrevieja - Alicante - Valencia - Murcia - Orihuela - Elche - Orihuela Costa - Ciudad Quesada - Alicante Weather - Alicante Airport Transfers
Need something else? Search our website:-
