Hermitage of San Gregorio

Little more than a stroll from the centre of Vinaròs, the hermitage of San Gregorio, Sant Gregori in Valencian, invites you to leave the town's streets behind and head out into its immediate surroundings. It stands some 700 metres from the town centre, a distance easily covered on foot that makes the visit the perfect excuse to stretch your legs without needing a car.

Its setting is what defines it best. The hermitage rises right at the point where two named paths meet: the cemetery path, also known as the camino de las Dues Viles, and the one that bears the saint's own name, the camino de San Gregorio. This position at a crossroads, on the edge of town, is one that so many hermitages have occupied over the centuries, serving as a landmark between the built-up area and the countryside around it.

The name Dues Viles, 'the two towns', is bound to pique the curiosity of any traveller with an eye for place names, and it is worth pondering as you walk. Following these paths is a simple way to understand how the routes out of Vinaròs once led into its surrounding lands.

It is best to plan the visit as part of a day in the town: a peaceful detour, just a short distance away, to discover a quiet spot that rounds out the picture of Vinaròs beyond its centre.