SEGURA VALLEY COSTA BLANCA

The Moors were the first to irrigate the Segura valley, making it incredibly fertile; they planted orange, almond and fruit orchards, and remained here until the 17th century. Still lovely, despite the inevitable development, the valley includes diverse landscapes and a scatter of interesting towns and villages. Further on, Ricote, with its brightly colored houses, is worth a stop before continuing towards Blanca. One of Spain's largest water wheels is at nearby Abaran; first installed by the Moors, several of these immense wooden machines still function north of here, peach orchards stretch in all directions, before the hills start to close in once more and the valley finally reaches Calasparra, famous for its rice.