Sagunto, a little-known town about 30km outside of Valencia, played a pivotal role in Spanish and European history. It’s worth a visit. What follows is my account of my day trip to Sagunto.
The first thing you notice as your train rolls in is the ruinous castle that sits proudly on the hill-top looming over the town. Sprawling, dilapidated and imposing, it’s an image that stays with you.
The Sagunto old town
A short stroll from the station brings you to the attractive old town. Here you’ll find a charming ayuntamiento, the gothic church of Santa Maria and the medieval Plaza Mayor with original roman pillars still supporting the colonnade.
Venturing further up the hill you pass the Jewish quarter, entered via an arched gateway with a sign that proclaims, “Portalet de la Juderia”. The neighbourhood preserves its original layout from medieval times. As in so many Spanish towns, the quarter represents a lasting physical memory of a community long since gone.
As the path gets steeper the impressive Roman amphitheater jumps into view. Built into the hill and dating from the 1st century AD, the theatre is still used today. As I pass, men are ferrying in equipment for the night’s performance.
Castillo De Sagunto
At last, you reach the castle. Occupied for over 2000 years, the seven different sections of the castle each speak of a different period in Sagunto and indeed Spain’s history. Iberians, Romans, Moors, and the Reconquistadors have all occupied this strategic site. In more recent history the Spanish Civil War saw the parapets used as machine gun posts.
The castle provides spectacular views of the town, the coast and the surrounding Valencian countryside.
Hannibal’s brutal siege
Its most famous moment came in 219 BC when Hannibal captured the pro-Roman castle and sacked the city, prompting Rome to declare war. Hannibal, doubling down on his success, marched his army across the Alps and won several battles, giving him the control of much of Italy.
However the Romans eventually turned the tide, vanquishing the Carthaginians from Italy and later Iberia, leading to Roman hegemony in what is modern-day Spain and forever changing the peninsula.
The siege of Sagunto was brutal. The local population were all put to death refusing Hannibal’s offer of amnesty if they were “willing to depart …., unarmed, with two garments”. The whole city was pillaged and destroyed, the only physical survivor being the Temple to Diana, reportedly owing to Hannibal religiosity. The large foundations stones of the temple can be seen in the old town.
How to get to Sagunto
The best option from Valencia is to take either lines C5 or C6 from Valencia Nord in the centre of the city. It costs 7.50 euro return and there are regular departures.
3 replies on “Day trip to Sagunto”
Great stuff. There you are in Sagunto, while I am in Rome. United recently by the Alps. Hannibal’s boys. 🙂
[…] consolidate his power, Hannibal captured Saguntum (my day-trip to Sagunto is covered in this post), a pro-Roman city on the east-coast of Spain near modern day Valencia, sparking Rome to declare […]
[…] Sagunto is a little-known gem of a town only 30 minutes north of Valencia. It boasts a hill-top castle that dates back two millennia, a Roman ampitheatre that is still in use today, a charming medieval centre and a stately gothic palaces. The golden beach – Port Sagunto – is only a very short bus ride away too. Get lines C5 or C6 from Valencia Nord. Check out my recent day-trip. […]