GUADALEST VALLEY COSTA BLANCA

Most visitors to the Costa Blanca make the trip to the castle at Guadalest but few explore further into the valley, one of the most beautiful in the province. Blessed by the Guadalest river and abundant springs, it was first terraced and irrigated by the Moors, and is sheltered on all sides by high mountains and dramatic peaks. These create a microclimate ideal for the wide range of fruit trees that have been grown here for centuries. The oranges and loquats of the lower slopes give way to almonds as the road climbs; in early spring the entire hillside is a sea of pink blossom.

Olive trees gradually appear to replace the almonds, only to give way to pine and mountain shrubs as the road reaches its highest point at the Puerto de Ares, from where another valley system opens out towards Alcoy.  Among the white villages strung along the valley road are Benifato, Benimantell, Benlardii and Confrides. Stop in these villages to wander the quaint streets, hung with bougainvillea and geraniums, and absorb the grandeur of the encircling mountains. 

The ancient settlement of Jativa lies less than an hour from the coast. Here the Iberians prospered and minted coinage, only to be ousted first by the Romans and then by Hannibal's Carthaginians on their way to Rome. A Visigothic episcopal seat, the town was conquered by the Moors in the 10th century, and it was from Jativa that they introduced paper manufacture to Europe. Jaime I took the town in 1244 and its fortunes waxed and waned over the following centuries. Burnt in 1707, it was rebuilt but gradually lost its political importance. The birthplace of two Borgia popes (born 'Borja' in Spain) and the painter EI Espaiioleto, Jativa today offers a perfect contrast to the modern coastal resorts.

The best way to get a feel of the town is to walk, following the route marked on the useful leaflet you can pick up at the tourist office. The old quarter, its streets lined with stately mansions, runs along the side of the hill that overlooks the whole town. A road runs up this hill to the magnificent castle  occupying virtually the entire ridge, and goes past the lovely early church of San Feliu. It's a tough walk, so the twice daily tourist train might prove useful. The panoramic views from the top help explain the town's historical and strategic importance through the centuries. Back down the hill a broad avenue of plane trees divides the old centre from the modern town.