Els Frares de Serrella, also called the Agulles dels Frares, are a line of weathered rock needles on the Serra de Serrella above Quatretondeta, in the inland north of Alicante province. The name means "the friars", after the hooded figures the towers call to mind. The rock and its plants are protected as a flora micro-reserve. The pinnacles are reached on a hiking loop from the village that crosses boulder fields and scree, with cairns as the only waymarks.
Els Frares de Serrella
Row of rock pinnacles on the Serra de Serrella above Quatretondeta, reached on an unmarked, technical loop
- Entrance
- Free; there is no ticket.
- Accessibility
- Not accessible by wheelchair or for anyone with limited mobility: the route crosses boulder fields and scree and climbs steep rock walls.
- Parking
- Room for a few cars by the museum and fountain where the loop starts in the village. Mapped car parks lie about 1.7 km and 3.5 km away in a straight line, the farther one on a dirt surface.
- Difficulty
- Technical: boulder fields from about 1.5 hours in, loose rock and scree on steep slopes, several steep rock walls to climb, and an unmarked final section. Unsuitable for anyone with vertigo.
- Advance booking
- No booking needed.
- Hours
- Open hillside with no gates or set hours; walk it in daylight.
- Address
- Quatretondeta, 03811, Alicante, Spain
What makes it special
The needles are in view from the first stretch of the walk, a broken line of rock fingers along the ridge of the Serra de Serrella. They look better still from up among them, with the towers standing close on every side and the surrounding mountains spread out below.
Getting there is part of the draw. Beyond the first boulder field the path gives out, and the final section climbs a steep field of boulders and several steep rock walls. Cairns left by other hikers are all that show the way.
Good to know
- Navigation: there are no waymarks beyond hikers' cairns, and the descent to Quatretondeta is unsigned. Load the route in the Traseo app or carry a map.
- Heights: the scramble up steep rock walls near the pinnacles is no place for anyone with vertigo.
- Water: there is no drinking water and there are no toilets near the pinnacles. Carry all you will drink.
- Timing: the first boulder field comes after about 1.5 hours, and the hardest ground lies beyond it. Leave enough daylight for the final section.
Getting there
The walk is a loop from the village below the ridge. It starts by a museum with a fountain, where there is room for a few cars, and the pinnacles show in glimpses from the start.
After about an hour and a half the route reaches the first boulder field, and a path leads across it. Where the route runs parallel to the pinnacles, the ground is loose rock and scree on steep slopes. In the final section the path ends: what remains is a steep boulder field and several steep rock walls, with only cairns to follow. The last stretch back down into Quatretondeta has no signs, so keep the track open on your phone until you reach the village.
Best time to visit
Best: spring and autumn, on a dry day with a settled forecast.
Avoid: the heat of summer, and the days just after rain.
The route crosses bare rock with no water near the pinnacles, so summer heat builds with nowhere to refill, and wet rock and loose scree make the boulder fields and walls slippery.
Access & restrictions
The pinnacles lie inside a plant micro-reserve (Microreserva de Flora Agulles dels Frares), marked by a board on the approach. Micro-reserves are protected sites the Valencian government sets aside for rare and threatened plants. Leave plants where they grow: picking or uprooting them is prohibited.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Els Frares de Serrella on the map
Loose rock and scree shift underfoot on the steep ground beside the pinnacles, and the way across the boulder fields is unmarked. Carry a GPS track or map, and turn back if the rock walls feel beyond you.
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Frequently asked questions
How hard is the walk to Els Frares de Serrella?
It is technical, and demanding for anyone unused to rough mountain ground. The loop crosses boulder fields, loose rock and scree on steep slopes, and in the final section the path ends and you climb several steep rock walls. Anyone with vertigo should skip it.Is the trail waymarked?
There are no markings beyond cairns left by hikers, and the final stretch down to Quatretondeta has no signs. The route is in the Traseo app; set out with it or with a map.Where do you park?
The loop starts by a museum with a fountain in the village, where there is room for a few cars.How long before the difficult ground starts?
The first boulder field comes after about an hour and a half of walking. The most demanding ground, with the steep boulder field and rock walls, is in the final section beyond it.Is there water or a toilet on the route?
There is no drinking water and there are no toilets near the pinnacles. Bring everything you need from the village.