Salto de la Novia – Navajas, Spain - Atlas Obscura

Salto de la Novia

Navajas, Spain

Translating as "The Jump of the Girlfriend," this stunning waterfall has a tragic legend behind it.  

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Hidden in Valeciana-Castellon, on the river Riu Palancia, stands a waterfall where legend has it brides would jump across the river to prove their love. 

Found near the small village of Navajas is the Salto de la Novia, which features a 30-meter single drop into a river surrounded by wilderness. According to local legend, there was a tradition years ago where brides-t0-be would jump across the Riu Palancia to prove their love and ensure a fruitful, successful marriage. 

While most young brides would find a narrow part of the river to seamlessly make the jump in front of their fellow villagers, the story goes that one girl jumped and slipped into the river. On instinct, her groom-to-be jumped in after his bride only for the two ill-fated lovers to be swallowed up by the water and swept down stream. 

Today, the legend of the lovers hangs above the waterfall. It’s said that at midnight, the voices of the pair can be heard floating above the water, while the waterfall itself is said to turn a blinding white, resembling the color of a wedding dress.

The Salto de la Novia—which literally translates to ‘The Jump of the Girlfriend”—has become a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike keen on spending a warm afternoon in the waterfall’s shadow. 

Know Before You Go

The Salto de la Novia waterfall is located on the east side of Navajes in the Valeciana-Castellon region of Spain. To get to the waterfall, you can drive north from Valencia on road A-23 towards Segorbe and Navajas. Take the exit for Navajas and drive towards the town's city center and onward to the river. Following the river east, you'll spot signs for Salto de la Novia. There is a small parking lot available for vehicles. Visitors can expect to walk about five minutes, across a bridge, to reach the waterfall from the parking lot. 

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