Mediterranean coastline running from the Ebro delta to the Murcia border, anchored by Valencia city (City of Arts, paella heritage, Albufera rice plains), Alicante’s Costa Blanca beach strip, and the quieter Castellón coast.
The Costa Blanca is heavily associated with high-rise package resorts, but a quick drive inland reveals a different reality. Discover hidden Moorish mountain fortresses, skyline-free historic towns, and bizarre brutalist architecture hiding just behind the infamous tourist strips.
Valencia is Spain’s most confident, relaxed alternative to Barcelona. With its pedestrianised old town, a sprawling 9-kilometre park in a dry riverbed, and a metro that drops you directly at a massive sandy beach, it delivers all the culture without the suffocating crowds.
Millions of tourists treat Alicante purely as a transit hub for Benidorm. Here is what to expect from the city’s authentic old town, colossal medieval fortress, and 6.5 million mosaic tiles if you skip the mega-resorts and actually explore it.
