About Caudete

Situation

Caudete is situated to the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula, In the province of Albacete. Which is only 40 minutes from the coast.

Caudete has a surface area of around 134,125 Kms.² and is surrounded by the Sierra de Oliva or otherwise known as Santa Bárbara mountain range on one side and the Alácera on another.

The main Madrid-Alicante Motorway the A31, is situated within 5 Kms of the town.

The town has always been an important strategic place as it lies where the route from the coast to Albacete crosses the route from Valencia to Murcia.

History

By its geographic location, Caudete has been always a strategically important point of passage between many different towns. In the past the town was visited and inhabited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs, during the civil war the town had its first contact with the British when 125 British volunteers were garrisoned here.

Caudete is a modern, enterprising and dynamic town. Caudete has around 11,500 inhabitants (of which about 200 are Brits) and their infrastructures and facilities are at a high level. There was a new indoor swimming pool opened in 2009 and a new Medical Centre is being built and should open late 2011 or early 2012

These are just a few things Caudete has to offer: Sports Centres, athletics Tracks, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, several gyms, a tenis club, a house of culture, Library, Academy of Music, Exhibition hall, Museum of Watercolour etc,. Just outside of the town is a small golf course (on the road to Vilenna) and Alenda Golf is about a 30 minute drive down the A31 motorway towards Alicante. Also a wide range of activities, cultures, sports and festivals.

The main industries in Caudete are agriculture, transportation and glass recycling.

Caudete has a huge industrial glass factory making most of Spain's beer bottles, much of the raw materials for which come from Spains largest glass recycling centre.

Transport Caudete is Europe's third biggest international transport company and you will see their trucks all over Europe including the UK

Despite the recession which has hit Caudete hard, there has been investment in building a new industrial estate and the town is currently developing a technological park.

Fiestas

Caudete is well known for its numerous traditional celebrations, The Moor's and Christians fiesta is the best known and the most important, and is held every year from 6th-10th of September.  There are many Parades, lots of mock battles,  music, all night partying and much more.

The fiesta or the virgin Carmen falls in July.

At Christmas they celebrate los Bailes del Niño ( The young ones dance). These take place in the main square in town and other public places and consist of a variety of dances, some of which are very traditional to the town.

The Passover and the resurrection of Christ, or a we know it Easter, takes place in the mountains, this consists of a huge get together of families friends etc. Basically it is like a huge feast and over 4,000 people are known to attend this fiesta ever year.

The celebrations of San Antón and San Blas are celebrations of the district in which are usually celebrated with popular bonfires, games and dances.