Salto de la Novia of Navajas, Spain
Salto de la Novia is the popular name given to a 60-metre waterfall known as Cascada del Brazal, located in the town of Navajas in Castellón.
However, that is not all that Salto de la Novia has to offer. It is a place where you can enjoy a wonderful day surrounded by nature. The beauty of the magnificent waterfall, the River Palancia into which it plunges, the surrounding countryside and even the village of Navajas itself, with its many fountains, all contribute to this.
It turns out that getting to Salto de la Novia is very straightforward, so there’s no need to worry about anyone’s fitness level. You can visit with other adults, children, pets and even people in wheelchairs, as the site is accessible and open to everyone.
Below, we’ll tell you everything you might want to know about the Brazal waterfall. Well, or the Salto de la Novia – which is the same thing, though a bit more poetic, isn’t it?
Salto de la Novia fact sheet (summary)
- Type: a waterfall cascading into the River Palancia.
- Height: 60 metres.
- Location: Navajas (Castellón).
- Suitable for: Adults | Wheelchair users | Families with children | People with pets.
- Admission price: €2 for those aged 10 and over | Free for children under 10 and local residents.
- Car park in Navajas: Plaza del Matadero.
- Tourist information telephone numbers: 964 713 913 | 673 574 632.
- Other nearby points of interest: Mirador del Paraíso | Tío Juan Waterfall | Calle Bajada de las Fuentes | Plaza del Olmo (the oldest elm tree in the world!).
The Bride’s Leap: the legend
As we have mentioned, El Salto de la Novia is the popular name for the Brazal waterfall. But where does this name come from? What is the origin of El Salto de la Novia?
As is so often the case, the origin lies in a tragic story. According to legend, in Navajas, true love used to be demonstrated in an unusual way.
Down by the River Palancia, at a point where it was narrow, the bride had to jump from one bank to the other whilst her neighbours looked on. If she succeeded, the couple would be happy and fertile. If she failed, the omens pointed to unhappiness and misfortune.
On one occasion, the waters of the River Palancia were so turbulent that a whirlpool even formed. Far from being daunted, and as proof of her true love, the bride jumped. But she did not reach the other bank. The bride fell into the water and was swept away.
Witnessing this scene, and without hesitation, the groom also leapt into the water to try to rescue his beloved, whom he wished to marry. Both perished and, in a bittersweet twist, it is said that their bodies were later found together.
It seems that something like this had to happen for the tradition to be called into question and for it to cease. Some say that the locals even dynamited the passage.
This tragedy gives its name to the Bride’s Leap. If you look closely at the photos, the waterfall resembles the bride’s veil.
The story may or may not be true. It may also be true, as is believed, that even Francisco de Goya drew inspiration from it for his engraving “Carrying a Peasant Woman”, on display at the Hispanic Society of America in New York.
Directions to Salto de la Novia
There are plenty of places to park in the village. We recommend parking near the Plaza del Olmo so you can start the walk to the Salto de la Novia from there. The Navajas elm tree is also located there. A monumental tree that was planted in 1636 (that’s almost 400 years ago!) and now stands over 13 metres tall. It is so dear to the locals that it features on the village coat of arms and in its anthem.
After admiring the majestic elm, we walk along Calle Escultor Manolo Rodríguez. Here we can see the sculpture depicting the legend, although we’re not quite sure how, as apparently the groom also threw himself into the water without managing to save his beloved.
Continuing straight on, we reach the start of Calle Bajada de las Fuentes. This street, which leads us towards El Salto de la Novia, is interesting for four reasons:
- There is an interpretation and information centre.
- Tickets for El Salto de la Novia are sold here.
- Along the street there are various colourful fountains that are well worth seeing.
- There is a good car park in Plaza del Matadero where we can leave the car.
At the end of the street, we find ourselves surrounded by nature. The rest of the path to El Salto de la Novia is clearly signposted. Before reaching the large 60-metre waterfall we’re interested in – the Brazal waterfall – there are two nearby spots we’d encourage you to visit:
- The Tío Juan waterfall: this is the Salto de la Novia’s ‘little sister’.
- The Mirador del Paraíso: this is where you’ll find the best views of the Salto de la Novia.
Navajas: the village of Salto de la Novia
Navajas is a village situated in the Alto Palancia region, in the province of Castellón, although it borders the province of Valencia.
This village forms part of the natural route between Aragon and the Valencian Community. So much so that the Ojos Negros Greenway, the longest in Spain and a cycle route, also runs through Navajas – a route we strongly encourage you to try (we can help you with everything: give us a call!).
Navaixes, as it is known in Valencian, is famous both for the Salto de la Novia and for being home to the world’s oldest elm tree, as we explained earlier. Furthermore, this village has historically been one of the favourite summer holiday destinations for Valencians. For this reason, in Navajas you can see several stately homes and majestic 18th-century villas with well-tended gardens.
When it comes to gastronomy – always an important consideration – typical specialities of Navajas include buñuelos de hoja, made with borage, as well as ajoaceite de palo.
You can find more information about Navajas on the town council’s website: www.navajas.es.
Frequently asked questions about the Salto de la Novia
¿Dónde está el Salto de la Novia?
El Salto de la Novia está situado en el bucólico y pintoresco paraje de Navajas, un pueblo con mucho encanto del interior de la provincia de Castellón.
¿Cuánto mide el Salto de la Novia?
La cascada del Brazal, también conocida como Salto de la Novia, mide 60 metros.
¿Cómo llegar al Salto de la Novia?
En coche, desde Valencia, coge la AP-7 en dirección a Barcelona. Sal a la A-23 (Autovía Mudéjar) antes de llegar a Sagunto y sigue en dirección a Teruel. Si en cambio vienes desde Barcelona, es la misma salida a la A-23, tras Sagunto, desde la AP-7 dirección Valencia. En cualquier caso, una vez en la A-23, coge la salida después de Segorbe y estarás en Navajas en un momento. Aparca en el pueblo y solamente camina 10 minutos para llegar al Salto de la Novia.
Si prefieres ir en tren desde Valencia, coge la línea C5 de Cercanías Valencia – Caudiel. Si vienes desde Castellón de la Plana coge un tren hasta Sagunto y allí la línea C5. El tren te deja en la estación de Navajas. Desde ahí camina unos 10 minutos y estarás en la entrada del paraje del Salto de la Novia. Venta telefónica: 912 320 320.
Pero el transporte que más nos gusta para ir al Salto de la Novia es la bicicleta eléctrica. Si tienes tiempo, te recomendamos hacer una ruta desde el pueblo cercano a Navajas de Torres Torres (donde estamos). Son 25 km sin esfuerzo alguno, pero una pasada por la naturaleza y los paisajes que hay.
¿Cuánto cuesta ver El Salto de la Novia?
La entrada cuesta 2 euros (2€). Pagan todas las personas mayores de 10 años salvo los vecinos de Navajas y los que se hospedan en el municipio. Solamente hay descuento, del 50%, si vienes con un grupo de 25 personas o más. Este billete existe desde 2017 para regular la afluencia de visitantes y conservar el entorno del Salto de la Novia. El precio se aplica durante todo el año: todos los fines de semana y todos los días de la semana durante julio, agosto y septiembre. Es decir, en temporada baja, el acceso al paraje es gratuito entre semana.
¿Cuándo es mejor ir al Salto de la Novia?
El Salto de la Novia es visitable a lo largo del año. Quizás el mejor período es finales de primavera, cuando ya apetece un refrescante baño y las aguas aún bajan abundantes por las lluvias (ya no tanto por la nieve). El problema del verano, si bien el baño es un placer y el centro de interpretación está abierto, es la gran masificación del lugar, sobre todo los fines de semana. Ya no es cuestión de si el río o la cascada llevan menos agua, algo normal, sino el hecho de que hay mucha gente, con el consiguiente nivel alto de ruido. Así pues, si eres de aquellos a los que le gusta conectarse a la naturaleza sin agobios, entonces lo mejor es que vayas entre semana. Y si además no vas en verano, ¡tendrás El Salto de la Novia sólo para ti!
¿Puedo ir con perro al Salto de la Novia?
Sí. Se permite la entrada de perros. Eso sí, debes llevarlos siempre con correa y tienen prohibido bañarse en el río Palancia.
¿Puedo bañarme en el Salto de la Novia?
Sí y no. No puedes hacerlo antes de la cascada por motivos obvios. Pero sí puedes bañarte allí donde cae el agua: el río Palancia. Bañarse allí es un gustazo, más aún si no hay mucha gente. Te recomendamos ir con cuidado con las rocas.
¿Puedo ponerme debajo de la cascada?
Sí, claro. Ponerse debajo es divertido. Y no te va a pasar nada malo: el agua no te va a atravesar por mucho que caiga de 60 metros. Eso sí, ten en cuenta que el agua de El Salto de la Novia es muy fría.
¿Dónde hay un punto de información?
Al principio de la calle Bajada de las Fuentes, en Navajas, encontrarás un centro de interpretación y un puesto de venta de billetes o entradas para acceder al Salto de la Novia.
¿Qué río pasa por El Salto de la Novia?
Las aguas del Salto de la Novia caen sobre el río Palancia. Este río de 85 km nace en el municipio de El Toro (provincia de Castellón) y desemboca en el Mar Mediterráneo en Sagunto (provincia de Valencia).
¿Qué debo llevar al Salto de la Novia?
La gente suele pasar el día en El Salto de la Novia pues supone estar en medio de la naturaleza y al lado de una magnífica cascada de más de 30 metros. Para aprovechar a tope el día recomendamos equiparte de lo siguiente: Picnic, Bañador, Crema Solar, Toallas, Sillas de camping, Gafas de sol, Impermeable, Zapatos río, zapatillas deportivas y Ropa confortable.
¿Qué flora y fauna puedo ver en El Salto de la Novia?
El Salto de la Novia es también hábitat de muchas especies. En cuanto a fauna, puedes ver muchos mamíferos (conejos, liebres, zorros y a veces cabras salvajes), aves (martín pescador, jilguero, gorrión, abejaruco, oropéndola, tordos, palomas torcaces, fochas y garzas reales), reptiles (culebra viperina, lagarto ocelado y lagartija), insectos (libélulas) y por supuesto peces (barbos, carpas, lobina negra, cangrejo de río, anguilas y anfibios). Pero también hay mucha flora, con especies de bosque mediterráneo (pinos, arbustos, aliagas, romeros y lentiscos), bosque de ribera (chopos) y vegetación de río (adelfas, juncos, eneas y culantrillos).
3 ways to make the most of your visit to Salto de la Novia
A trip to the Salto de la Novia in Navajas isn’t just about spending five minutes looking at a waterfall and then leaving. The best thing to do is spend the whole day in the area. So here are three different options to help you make the most of this wonderful experience.
Option 1: Knowledge
Right at the entrance to this area is the Salto de la Novia Interpretation Centre. During the summer months, you can enjoy a guided tour lasting approximately an hour and a half, which will give you a better understanding of this place, its flora and fauna.
You must book the guided tour in advance. Opening hours are from 10.00 to 15.00, but these vary depending on whether it is the low or high season:
- March: open Saturdays and Sundays.
- Easter week: open from Wednesday to Monday.
- May to October: open every day.
- Rest of the year: this is the low season and the centre is closed.
If you’re interested in a guided tour of Salto de la Novia, it’s best to call 673 574 632 (Spanish) or 673 574 683 (English).
Option 2: Active lifestyle
If you’re the sort of person who loves nature as a way to switch off from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but also to do some exercise, this is the place for you!
Almost at the end of the tarmac stretch leading to the Salto de la Novia waterfall, there’s a viewpoint: the Mirador Paraíso. To get there, you’ll need to climb the stairs very carefully, as the ground is very slippery due to the vegetation and water. But it’s well worth the effort because this viewpoint offers a spectacular panoramic view of the area.
What’s more, at the top of this viewpoint you’ll be surprised by another very pretty waterfall: the Cascada del Tio Juan. Depending on the time of year, this waterfall can be flowing very strongly, so you might end up getting wet if you’re not wearing a raincoat.
And if that’s not enough of an active holiday for you, you have two options:
- Ask in the village about the various walking routes, such as the Ruta de las Fuentes, which starts at Salto de la Novia itself. This route is perfectly suitable for children.
- Go on a cycle route around the area. That’s our speciality. We offer bike hire from the nearby village of Torres Torres (about 25 km from Navajas). That said, the best option here might be to do the whole visit to Navajas and the Salto de la Novia by bike in a single day. And our bikes are brilliant – as they’re electric, riding them requires no effort at all.
Option 3: Time to relax
At El Salto de la Novia, you’ll always be surrounded by mountains and water, so there are plenty of ways to relax:
- Look for quieter spots to swim in the River Palencia. Some will be shallower or deeper, and the current may be stronger or weaker. Don’t forget that it’s a river, so you must treat it with respect and take care.
- Meditate: if you like meditating, you’re sure to find a quiet spot where you can relax whilst listening to the sounds of the River Palancia, whose waters have previously flowed through other towns such as Jérica. Just make sure you meditate on a day when there aren’t too many people around.
- Have a picnic: there are some picnic tables near the Salto de la Novia waterfall that are a little more secluded. There, you can rest and enjoy a peaceful picnic. You’ll find some tables before the wooden footbridge leading to the Salto de la Novia waterfall and others right on the esplanade. At the tables on the open area, you’ll be able to admire the beautiful landscape carved into the rocks by the river’s erosion.
