Villena is a city located inland in the province of Alicante.
The abundance of water in its territory fostered human settlements from the Middle Paleolithic period. After the Christian conquest, it was a lordship, principality, duchy, and finally a marquisate. This rich past has left behind an important archaeological and monumental heritage, including the Atalaya Castle, the Church of Santiago, the Chapí Theater, and the museum network, where the MUVI (Museum of the Sacred Valley of the Incas) takes center stage by exhibiting the Treasure of Villena, a collection of almost 10 kg of Bronze Age gold. The gastronomy, which straddles typical dishes from the Castilian-Manchegan plateau and those of the Mediterranean coast, the wine, and the numerous and unique events and festivals spread throughout the year make Villena an inland destination suitable for all audiences.
| Incorporation into the Smart Destinations project |
The diagnostic process and action plan for the Villena Smart Tourism Destination will begin in June 2025 and will be completed in September of the same year. |
| Featured initiatives
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- Villena is working on the development of the 2030 Urban Agenda with the vision of achieving goals aligned with sustainability, resilience, and digitalization, constantly leveraging existing endogenous and exogenous resources, ultimately improving the quality of life of Villena’s residents, as well as the business community and environmental sustainability.
- In its commitment to the quality of the local tourism sector, Villena has been a SICTED destination since 2015. It currently comprises 30 establishments recognized with this tourism quality seal.
- Villena is the only Spanish city participating in the EcoCore Project, an initiative of the European URBACT IV program that seeks to create a network of European cities to promote the green transition in small towns located along transport corridors. Its objectives include fostering sustainability, promoting decarbonization, and developing green corridors.
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Technical data
VAT number:
P0314000A Address: Plaza de Santiago 5 Postal code: 3400 Telephone: 965 80 11 50 Region: Comunitat Valenciana Province:
Alicante/Alacant Population:
Villena Country:
España Local entity type: Ayuntamiento Date of membership:
20200520 Diagnosis: Sí Diagnosis date:
26/09/2025 Destination Type:
Urbano de interior Population:
34,373 Area (km²):
345.23 Density (inhab/km²):
99.60
Level in the Network: Nivel 3
