Vilanova d’Alcolea is a small municipality in the Province of Castellón, within the Valencian Community, positioned between the Mediterranean coast and the inland landscape of the Maestrat. Its present appearance is largely agricultural, with olive trees, almond trees, vineyards and carob trees, but its location has been important for transport and settlement since antiquity.
The strongest historical connection is the Via Augusta, the principal Roman road along the eastern side of the Iberian Peninsula. The section passing through Vilanova d’Alcolea formed part of the route linking Gades, present-day Cádiz, with Rome. Officials, merchants, soldiers, slaves and other travellers used the road, while agricultural products, animals and raw materials moved through the Roman transport network. Near the modern municipality stood Ildum, a Roman road station where travellers could rest, obtain supplies and change horses. Archaeological evidence from the area includes a Roman milestone discovered near the Barranc de la Carrasqueta in 1992.
During the period of Islamic government, the settlement was moved to higher and more defensible ground. Walls and a small fortified tower protected the inhabited area, and this structure contributed to the name Alcolea, associated with the idea of a small castle or fortification. Parts of the medieval defensive layout remain identifiable within the village streets. Following the Christian conquest, control passed through several feudal and military authorities. The settlement was governed by the Order of the Temple from 1293 under the authority of Peñíscola Castle, before later becoming associated with the Order of Montesa.
The historic centre is modest rather than monumental. The principal building is the Church of Sant Bertomeu, accompanied by remains of the former walls, the Calvary and traditional houses adapted to the sloping streets. The village is more useful for understanding the continuity of a rural settlement than for seeing a large collection of individual monuments. Its history is connected to roads, agriculture, military orders and the gradual transformation of a defensive medieval community into a modern municipality.
A particularly unusual feature is the proximity of Aeropuerto de Castellón-Costa Azahar, whose grounds extend through the municipal territories of Vilanova d’Alcolea and Benlloc. The airport has a runway measuring 2,700 metres in length and 45 metres in width. Although it was formally inaugurated in 2011, normal commercial activity did not begin immediately, and the airport became widely known as an example of expensive Spanish infrastructure completed before there was sufficient operational demand. The first airport activity began in December 2014, followed by regular passenger services in 2015. It has since developed into an active regional airport, with scheduled routes, aircraft maintenance, industrial activities and aerospace projects.
Its history can be compared with other unusual airport projects in Spain. Aeropuerto Central Ciudad Real was built as a privately financed alternative serving central Spain but entered insolvency shortly after opening. Aeropuerto de Lleida-Alguaire became the first airport developed directly by the Government of Catalonia and has combined limited passenger services with training, maintenance and seasonal operations. Aeropuerto de Huesca-Pirineos was intended partly to serve the Pyrenean ski market but has handled very limited scheduled traffic. Aeropuerto Internacional Región de Murcia replaced the older commercial facilities at Base Aérea de Alcantarilla and Aeropuerto de Murcia-San Javier after years of delays. These airports reflect a broader period in which regional governments and private investors expected aviation growth to justify new infrastructure, sometimes with very different results.
The camper stop at Vilanova d’Alcolea is located close to the village and is intended for approximately ten motorhomes. Overnight parking, drinking water and disposal of grey and black water are provided without charge, while electricity is supplied through tokens obtained locally. The ground is partly uneven and exposed to the sun, so levelling blocks can be useful. During a two-day stay in January, arrival around midday allowed a place to be found without difficulty. The area remained very quiet, felt safe and was shared with several other motorhomes. The service point appeared clean, although it was not necessary to use it. The centre could be reached easily on foot, and several walking routes began nearby.
The nearby airport does not necessarily create the level of noise that might be expected. Travellers have reported quiet nights without significant aircraft disturbance, although occasional local noises, including dogs and the village clock, may be more noticeable. The location is therefore better understood as a functional inland stop than as an airport parking area. It combines practical motorhome facilities with access to a village whose history is closely connected to the Via Augusta, the Roman station of Ildum and the medieval military orders.
Vilanova d’Alcolea is not a major sightseeing destination, but it works well as a short historical and practical stop between the coast and the interior of the Province of Castellón. Its interest comes from the unusual combination of a Roman road, an Islamic defensive settlement, medieval military government, traditional agriculture and one of the most debated regional airport projects in modern Spain.
