Septenario of the Virgin of Santerón

This one cannot simply be slotted into a trip: it happens once every seven years, and 2026 is one of those years. The image of the Virgin of Santerón is carried on shoulders from her hermitage in Algarra, over the border in Cuenca province, to the parish church of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Vallanca, where a novena and processions follow. The listing gives dates from 15 to 25 September. There is no ticket — these are public religious events.

What a septenario actually is

A septenario is a celebration repeated every seven years rather than annually. That changes the character of it. This is not a summer show put on for visitors; it is the village's own event, and people who moved away come back for it. The weight is on the pilgrimage, the carrying down of the image and the processions, not on a programme of entertainment. Exact times and routes are not in this listing — check the town hall's official page before planning your day.

Where Vallanca is, and getting there

Vallanca sits in the Rincón de Ademuz, a piece of Valencia province that is physically separated from the rest of it and surrounded by Aragón and Castilla-La Mancha. It is mountain country, reached by the CV-35 towards Ademuz and then narrow local roads. There is no railway and public transport is thin, so without a car you need to check bus timetables well in advance — our guide on reaching the villages without a car explains the general method.

Before you go

• Bring cash. A village this size may have no ATM and no card reader in the bar.
• Nights inland in September are far cooler than on the coast. Take a light jacket even if València is still hot.
• Accommodation up there is limited and fills up in a septenario year. Book early, or treat it as a long day trip from València.
• At religious acts, stand clear of the procession route and skip the flash. Locals are used to visitors, but this is a service, not a performance.
• Make the drive count: the comarca is walking country — see hiking routes near València and our pick of the villages. Other dated traditions are in the festival calendar.