Vall d'Albaida is a comarca in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain.

Etymology

The name of the comarca is derived from the Hispano-Arabic word albáyḍa, which in turn is derived from the classical Arabic البيضاء (al-bayḍāʾ, "The white one" – reference to the white chalk land of the comarca), from which the yellow flowering plant native to the comarca gets its common name Anthyllis cystoides.

History

Reconquered by the Aragonese king James I of Aragon in the first half of the 13th century it was heavily populated by Muslims until the Expulsion of the Moriscos from the Kingdom of Valencia in 1609.

Geography

Lying approximately 70 km south of the city of Valencia and covering an area of some 722 square kilometers, Vall d'Albaida borders on the north with the comarca of Costera, to the east with Safor, to the south with Comtat and Alcoià, and to the west with Alto Vinalopó, the latter three of which belong to the province of Alicante. The Albaida River runs through the comarca from south to north.

Climate

The area enjoys a typically Mediterranean climate, characterised by hot summers and relatively cold winters, with an average of two snowfalls per year.

Municipalities

The Vall d'Albaida comarca is composed of 34 municipalities.

Culture

Route of the Monasteries of Valencia

The Route of the Monasteries of Valencia (GR-236) is a monumental and cultural route that connects five monasteries located in the south of the Province of Valencia. Of the four different itineraries available, three (by foot, by Mountain bike and on horseback) cross various comarques within Vall d'Albaida, following signposted riding trails, mountain trails, old roads and railroad tracks, and include the Monastery of the Corpus Christi and Xio Castle, both in the municipality of Llutxent. By foot, the route takes approximately 3–4 days. The Route was inaugurated in 2008.