El Xalet Blau (Chalé Azul)
A striking 1931 villa known for its blue façade and its garden of fruit trees, quite unlike the houses of central Alboraya. Its first owner served as the town's mayor between 1931 and 1936; during and after the Civil War it was used as a clandestine workshop and later as a tannery. Once on the outskirts, it is now absorbed into the town centre.
In a town of pale façades, one house is painted blue. The Xalet Blau, built around 1930 on Calle del Milagro, is the only home in Alboraya set in its own garden, with orange and lemon trees screening it from the rest of the centre. It went up on the outskirts, and the town's growth eventually reached it.
The house and its owners
It has stood almost a century with barely a change. The Monrós-Grau family lived here for decades, and the memoir written by Rosario Monrós is much of what is known about the building today; the town council even devoted an exhibition to it, El xalet d'Alboraia.
How to see it
The villa is best appreciated from the street and slots easily into a walk through the old town. Pair it with Plaza de la Constitución and the Casa del Comte de Zanoguera to get a sense of the town's architectural contrast.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit El Xalet Blau inside?
The chalet is best appreciated from the outside and fits well into a walk through the town centre; its blue façade and garden are the main draw.
Why is El Xalet Blau so unusual?
Because it is the only house in Alboraya surrounded by a garden, with orange and lemon trees, and because of its blue façade, very different from the pale houses of the centre.
What is the history of El Xalet Blau?
It is a 1931 chalet whose first owner was the town's mayor from 1931 to 1936; during the war and postwar it served as a clandestine factory and later as a tannery. Built on the outskirts, it is now part of the urban core.
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