About Sella and its surroundings.

The ancient Moorish village of Sella (419m/1375ft above sea level), sheltered by the Sierra Aitana (1557m/5108ft) and 16 km from the coast, is crowned by what was a Moorish fortress and is now a small hilltop chapel called the Ermita de Santa Bárbara.

It is well worth the climb for fantastic views of the Sella almond terraces with the sea in the distance and the spectacular Puig Campana Mountain (1408m/4619ft).

The water is clean and pure, the people friendly and the mountains and surrounding countryside breathtakingly beautiful.

This is not a tourist town and therefore English is not widely spoken but the villagers are welcoming and helpful and will always try to communicate with you, sometimes with hilarious results! However, attempts to speak in Spanish are appreciated – no matter how bad it is!

Although Sella is small, about 600 inhabitants, there are two wood oven bakeries (open 7 mornings a week), a butcher / supermarket, a ‘estanco’ (tobacco, stamps and Spanish newspapers), a chemist,  a visiting fishmonger, two

banks and an open air swimming pool. There is also a small market in the main square on Wednesdays and Fridays.  Local produce includes honey, wine, almonds, olives, lemons, oranges, olive oil and a variety of sausages and salamis (embutidos).

Lunch is the main meal of the day in Spain and therefore, away from the tourist resorts, you are more likely to find better value meals at lunchtime (menú del día) than in the evenings, when most restaurants offer a la carte.  There are five bars/restaurants in Sella: 

Bar Fonda                    Popular restaurant serving typical meat dishes.

                                    Open every day for lunch

Bar María                   Famous for their Paella.  Has a large outdoor terrace.

                                    Open every day for lunch. Take away paellas

                                    available on request.

Isa and Toni               Has a different menu daily and also serves tapas,

                                    baguettes and hamburgers. Toni speaks English.

                                    Closed Monday evenings and all day Tuesday.

Bar Paco                    Situated on the Plaza Mayor.  Serves baguettes

                                    and tapas. Closed Thursdays

Bar Casino                 Run by Martin (English) and located next to the church

                                   in the Plaza Mayor, this historic building was once a

                                   palace. Serves a daily menu as well as baguettes and

                                   tapas. Closed Mondays.

Sella and Fiestas

April            The Regional Crafts and Local Produce Fair

August         Cultural Week featuring music, dance and theatre

October       The main fiesta in honour of the Divina Santa Aurora

                   (Sella’s patron saint)

December    The fiestas of Santa Barbara and La Purisima y Santa Teresa

There are many fund raising events staged throughout the year with all proceeds going towards financing the main fiesta in October. The paella competition (May), Carnival (Feb), Village open air dinner (July), Water fight in Plaza Mayor (July), New Year’s Eve party in Plaza Mayor, Epiphany (Jan) etc..

Places of Interest In Sella

The Sella Watermill is a 900-year-old mill which was used for flour production until the 1970s.  Amable will give you a tour and is a mine of information with regard to its history and workings (he was brought up there).  He also speaks English!  Locally produced refreshments are provided while you enjoy this tranquil and magical place.  It is possible to swim in the Sella river so take your swimwear with you!  By visiting the mill (7.50 euros per person) you will help Amable with his mill restoration project for the enjoyment of future generations.

The Font Major (main spring) is just a ten-minute walk outside of the village and is a natural spring and lagoon used by the locals as a natural mountain swimming pool!

The Village Church is situated in the main square right next to the ‘Bar Casino’. It is beautifully decorated with paintings and lots of gold leaf! The statue of the Divina Santa Aurora is housed here and is taken out for street processions during the local fiestas.

The Old Wash House is on the Carretera de Alcoy and is where the housewives used to do their washing. With huge slabs of extremely well worn stone and a continual supply of fresh mountain water, the wash house is still in occasional use today – why not give it a try!

The Casa Antigua is an old village house which retains all it’s original features and has been furnished as it would have been years ago. Step into the past and see how people (and their animals) would have lived! Open during fiestas and by previous arrangement at weekends.

The Municipal Swimming Pool (open July and August) is a ten minute walk on the outskirts of the village. For around 2 Euro’s per day you can swim and sunbathe in this modern pool with spectacular scenery all around you. There is a bar at the pool which also serves tapas, coffee and ice creams.

The Village Band L’Aurora is made up of locals of all ages (often several generations from the same family) and has won numerous prizes and championships. Their headquarters are in the main square (opposite the church and the Bar Casino) and practice nights are on Wednesdays.