Get unlimited access to the latest travel industry news and analysis, comment on articles and sign up to newsletters.
Register for free
Already registered? Login here or below.
Having difficulty logging in? Try these tips, or contact support@flymy.co.uk
Perennially popular for fly-and-flop getaways, the Valencia region can appeal to a far wider range of clients. Karl Cushing visits three of its resorts and finds a whole host of reasons to expand your clients’ horizons
Easing along the reed-flanked channels of Albufera natural park in the capable hands of local boatman Jaume, I find myself reflecting once more on the rich versatility of Spain’s Valencia region, this exploration of one of its greener sides a refreshing complement to my earlier experiences.
A haven for local and migratory birds, I find Albufera pleasingly remote and tranquil on my September visit, despite being just six miles from Valencia, and a leisurely boat tour of the region is a great way to explore. At just €20 for an hour, if you have a group of six it’s also a relative steal. Once over, it’s a short stroll to Platja del Saler, the stunning stretch of dune-flanked beach fronting the reserve, which proves as empty as it is alluring.
“You will see no one,” declares my guide David triumphantly, adding: “This is my secret.”
I instantly take to Valencia. Spain’s third city, backed by Manises airport, has a strong character and deep-rooted culture and I duly tick off its major historic sites such as cobbled street Barrio del Carmen; Palau dels Borja – a palace that is now the Parliament headquarters; the old Silk exchange; and Europe’s largest Gothic quarter.
Then there’s the Gothic cathedral. “Just behind the altar, you’re going to see one of the creepiest things in Valencia,” assures my guide Alessandro as he leads me to a glass case displaying the gnarly arm of the city’s patron saint. If withered limbs don’t grab you, there’s Goya paintings and even the Holy Grail itself, allegedly.
These days, Valencia’s liveliest areas include Ruzafa, where bars, restaurants and hipster cafes spill on to the pavements and fill the balmy evenings. Another central force is the city’s green lung, Cabecera, a park area hewn from the dried up bed of the Turia river, which acts as a conduit for walkers, cyclists and joggers. Then there’s the City of Arts and Sciences, home to everything from swimming pools and boating ponds to an Imax, Europe’s largest aquarium and an opera house.
Tourism in Valencia used to be all about the sun-soaked beaches and I certainly appreciate my afternoon spent flopping on the delightfully wide, restaurant-lined Malvarrosa beach, digesting a slap-up paella and seafood lunch at Portolito.
Thanks to the past decade’s successful efforts to spruce up the city, though, you can now, as in Alicante, enjoy the best of both worlds on a cultural city beach break.
My stay in Alicante, 100 miles south of Valencia and served by Alicante-Elche airport, starts with an early evening stroll around Santa Barbara castle. I savour the views over the bay and marina, which hosts everything from cruise ships and the Volvo Ocean Race to hotels such as the Melia and Sercotel Spa Porta Maris. I also venture into the compact old town, taking in sights such as the Basilica de Santa Maria and medieval Medina.
Day two is all about food. From beer and cheese tastings to tapas and wine tours, wining and dining feature heavily on the tour programme of my guide Felipe’s company, Tramuntana, with everything from climbing and potholing to kayaking, tipping a nod to another of Alicante’s strong focuses, active tourism.
My tour starts with a Saturday stroll along the palm-lined esplanade, stopping for some local breakfast treats before visiting a local shop, Cuquet de Llum, for some serious local produce sampling. Emerging from a second grazing session in the food market, Mercado Central, at 1.30pm, I find the area around May 25 square already growing lively. “This is tardeo,” explains Felipe. “We’re starting Saturday night here. You start here and just go with the flow.”
By contrast, my first taste of Benidorm, 30 miles north along the Costa Blanca from Alicante, is as different as night to day compared with its two regional rivals. However, look beyond the unlovely tower blocks, bawdy bars and stageshows and the underlying building blocks that helped cement its mass tourism success back in the 1950s still shine through, not least its five beaches, refreshingly mild climate – averaging 20C, and great value low-season tariffs.
Moreover, those tower blocks keep Benidorm remarkably compact and ensure visitors can be amid the surrounding nature in minutes, as I discover on an electric cycle ride into the Sierra Gelada mountains overlooking the city with the excellent Tao Bikes, which also offers bike excursions featuring cooking classes run by Benidorm Cooking.
The bike’s electric power assist makes short work of the inclines and I’m soon taking in the summit views far below me as paddle boarders and kayakers inch around Benidorm’s smaller, outlying sandy coves. More scenic views follow on the easy hike to Benidorm Cross, overlooking the city, while back in the resort centre another vantage point awaits later at the lounge bar and restaurant on the top floors of Madeira Centro Hotel, which between them deliver on the promise of sunset cocktails and indulgent seafood.
That said, I best enjoy Benidorm’s underplayed food offering in its old town, where Sergio Frau of Visit Benidorm takes me for lunch at La Senyoria, a delightfully informal place where excellent mussels and calamari fuse with a fabulous paella and crema de catalan dessert to deliver a fabulous repast. For another slice of foodie heaven don’t miss nearby Los Vascos, a covered area of tapas and pintxos restaurants.
“Benidorm is misunderstood,” laments Frau. “You can find everything here. Young, old, sporty… Everyone can find their Benidorm.” Certainly, add in some local activities, from diving and horse-riding to spa breaks at the five-star Asia Gardens Hotel, not to mention family-friendly offerings such as Terra Mitica theme park, and Benidorm’s appeal can prove surprisingly broad. Start slicing and dicing it with other regional highlights on the other hand, from Valencia and Alicante to smaller Denia and Altea, possibly including a focus such as experiencing Valencia’s Las Fallas festival in March, cycling the Vias Verde or hiking the Sierra de Aitana, and the possibilities for selling this diverse region start to get very exciting indeed.
Book it: Ramblers Walking Holidays’ seven-night From the Spanish Sierra to the Sea trip offers scenic guided hikes through the Valencia region including coastal stretches to the Aitana and Escalona mountains and a salt desert, with local gastronomy another focus. Departures include October 4, 2018, from £1,245pp, including Gatwick flights, B&B hotel accommodation and dinners.
