Elche, Spain

Elche is the third largest city in the Comunidad Valenciana region in terms of population size and resources. A stroll through the city’s streets will reveal an interesting historical centre, a silent witness to its glorious past. Between the 8th and 9th centuries it was a walled city of Al-Andalus, falling to the Christians in 1265; however, a mere two kilometres south of the present city is its original site, La Alcudia, known as Heliké. It was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic period until the Visigothic period. The primitive settlement developed into the Iberian city of Heliké. The city’s Iberian culture experienced a golden age, producing sculptures such as the Dama d’Elx. The Iberian city was romanised in 209 BC and in the 1st century BC it was granted the title of Colonia Iulia Ilice Augusta.

This glorious past contrasts harmoniously with all of the elements characteristic of a young, dynamic city with a unique townscape due to its location in Europe’s largest palm grove. The Palm Grove, legacy of the Andalusí farming culture, has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Elche also boasts a second cultural asset that has been declared World Heritage by UNESCO: the Elche Mystery Play. This Masterpiece of World Oral and Intangible Heritage, a religious lyrical drama, is the last surviving example of European medieval religious drama and is performed every year during the month of August.

Moreover, Elche is the Spanish footwear capital, a modern town with a booming services sector, making it a dynamic, open and welcoming city.