MONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS
Upon entering the ancient town center, the medieval distribution of the original village can be seen, with steep, narrow street echoing a distant past. The upper area contains the ruins of the castle and walls of Moorish origin, later occupied by El Cid. Close by is the parochial church of the Virgin, with a simple construction consisting of a nave and lateral chapels. Inside there are 18th century examples of tiling from the nearby town of Alcora, and an image of the patroness of the town, the Virgen of Patience, from the 16th century. Sharing the church plaza is municipal Ethnological Museum, located in the ancient town hall and showing the customs of local people down through the ages.

Throughout the centuries, the town has extended down towards the sea. On the coast itself is the Torre del Rey, or king´s tower, next to the lighthouse, presenting a Renaissance style which is the sole surviving example of 16th century military architecture. Other defensive towers such as the Sant Juliá or the Dona towers, called colomeras, or dovecotes, remind us of Oropesa´s former battles against invaders from the sea. 

FIESTAS AND LEISURE
When in Oropesa, you can participate in a variety of activities organized during the feast of the patron saint - competitions, processions, garden parties, stage shows and so on. July 25th marks the feast of St James, and the first Sunday in October is the festivity in honor of the patroness, the Virgin of Patience. The name of this feast comes from the story of the icon of Our Lady of the Rosary, which was partially destroyed in the 17th century by pirates and was only restored after a patient wait of many years, hence the name of the Virgin of Patience. On the Monday following the fear of the patroness, there is a paella competition, during which visitors can taste this traditional disk steaming-hot from the wood fire.

But if you can't visit Oropesa during these festivities, there's no cause for concern. During the rest of the year there's a variety of fun and entertainment to be had. The town has a wide choice of bars and restaurants along the seafront, with modern discos, open-air cinemas and an entire entertainment area along the avenue to the lighthouse with pubs and terraces for locals and visitors interested in the night scene.

GASTRONOMY
Oropesa has many gastronomical delights from which to choose, with fish and seafood and fresh fruits and vegetables from its extensive huertas. The well-known paella can always be ordered, but you might like to try other types of rice dishes such as arrós negre ("black" rice, i.e., with squid ink), caldoso (a more liquid version of the paella) or rossejat (crusty) and arrós al forn (oven-baked rice). Restaurants in town also offer dishes such as the fideuá (a seafood dish made with noodles instead of rice), caragolada (snails in sauce) and a variety of fresh fish and shellfish. 

SPORTS & LEISURE
The excellent climate enjoyed by Oropesa invites you to stay fit and healthy by getting out into the open and practicing your favorite sport. And there is no lack of facilities for doing so. If you prefer the sea to the land, Oropesa´s marina is for you, from which you can cruise up to and down the coast and drop anchor in the many covers and pleasure ports awaiting you.

A sport complex including frontón and tennis courts offers residents a complete range of facilities. There is also a riding club that rents out horses for rides along the beach or trails of the interior.

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