Citrus Fair of Bolulla

Bolulla is one of those villages that seems to have stood still in time. Perched on the slopes of Puig Campana, this small municipality in the Marina Baixa has barely 300 inhabitants but a distinctive identity and a natural and agricultural heritage of the first order. In the depths of winter, when the orchards on the hillside are laden with oranges, lemons, mandarins and other citrus fruits, Bolulla holds the Citrus Fair (Fira dels Cítrics), on 24 and 25 January 2026.

Bolulla’s citrus: treasures from the terraced orchard

The citrus fruits grown in Bolulla’s orchards have unique characteristics. The microclimate on the slopes of Puig Campana — with its day-to-night temperature variations, the humidity rising from the ravines and the moderate altitude — produces fruit with intense flavour, aromatic peel and a juiciness that surprises those who taste it for the first time.

The system of cultivation on dry-stone terraces — known as marjals — is a fundamental part of the landscape and agricultural heritage of Bolulla. These terraces, built and maintained over generations, make the hillsides productive and are testimony to a traditional know-how that people here are determined to preserve.

Fair programme

Citrus market and orchard products

The heart of the fair is the market where local farmers sell their produce directly. Oranges of multiple varieties, lemons, mandarins, grapefruits, kumquats and lesser-known citrus fruits. Also homemade marmalades, juices, citrus liqueurs, local olive oil and winter orchard preserves.

Guided visits to the terraced orchards

The fair organises guided visits to Bolulla’s traditional terraced orchards. Farmers open their land to receive groups of visitors who want to see up close how work is done in these singular spaces. It is a unique opportunity to understand the relationship between terrace cultivation, the irrigation system and the landscape.

Tastings and pairings

A dedicated space for tasting citrus fruits and pairing them with other local products: olive oil, cheese, cured ham, honey. Citrus fruits are not just fruit — they are an ingredient that enriches gastronomy, and here they are celebrated in their fullest culinary dimension.

Marmalade and preserve workshops

Practical workshops where participants learn to make marmalades, pickles and preserves with citrus fruits. Traditional techniques adapted so that anyone can reproduce them at home. Participants take their own jars away as a souvenir.

Hiking routes through the surroundings

Bolulla is a starting point for hiking routes of great beauty, including ascent routes to Puig Campana. The fair takes advantage of the weekend to offer guided routes that combine the winter landscape with views of the orchards in full production.

Bolulla: a village at the foot of Puig Campana

Bolulla is one of the lesser-known municipalities of the Marina Baixa and, precisely for that reason, one of the most authentic. The village preserves its traditional architecture intact: stone houses, narrow steep streets and a main square with spectacular views over the valley. The church of San Miguel, dating from the 18th century, presides over the ensemble.

The natural surroundings are exceptional. Puig Campana (1,406 m), the second highest mountain in the province of Alicante, dominates the horizon. Its ravines, springs and forests of pine and oak mingle with citrus orchards and olive groves in a landscape of great diversity.

The Citrus Fair as a commitment to local produce

The fair was born as an initiative to give value to local citrus at a time when pressure from large industrial producers was making it difficult for small farmers to survive. Buying directly from the producer at the fair is an act of support for a sustainable, small-scale form of agriculture that keeps alive the terraced landscapes and traditional varieties.

Each year the fair grows a little more in visitor numbers and recognition, becoming an increasingly important winter fixture in the Marina Baixa calendar.

Winter gastronomy

At the fair it is possible to eat and drink with the flavours of the season. Restaurants and bars in Bolulla and nearby municipalities offer special menus featuring citrus as the star ingredient: pickles, sweet-and-sour sauces, orange and lemon desserts and artisan liqueurs. Winter in the Marina Baixa has a citrus flavour — sharp, aromatic and celebratory — and the fair revels in it.

Getting to Bolulla

Bolulla is located in the interior of the Marina Baixa:

• From Benidorm: 20 minutes
• From Altea: 15 minutes
• From Callosa d’En Sarrià: 10 minutes
• From Alicante: 55 minutes

Private transport is recommended. The access roads are narrow and winding, typical of a mountain village.

Practical information

• Dates: 24–25 January 2026
• Venue: Bolulla (main square and streets of the village centre)
• Entry: Free
• Parking: Limited; arriving early or using signposted car parks is recommended
• Suitable for: All ages