The Valley of Gallinera 

The dramatic mountains behind the northern Costa Blanca are cut by valleys, some narrow and steep, others broad and gentle. They are all exceptionally fertile, meticulously terraced where needed and irrigated by a system devised by the Moors. These valleys are nicknamed after the main crop: the Gallinera has long been known as the Cherry Valley.

A twisting and scenic road runs inland from Pego the whole way up to the village of Planes, passing through superb landscapes. The land was first settled and cultivated by the Moors and you can still trace their influence in the names and layout of the villages. The Moriscos, Christianized Moors, stayed on here after the Reconquest and were only finally expelled in 1609. The terracing on the hillside is often Moorish, and walkers can find the ruins of their drystone houses. The valley is heavily planted with cherry trees, iridescent green and white in spring, speckled with crimson fruit in summer, and interspersed with orange, almond and olive trees. Towering above are the dramatic escarpments and peaks of the sierras, with seductive little roads twisting up the hillsides.

The main settlement is Planes, a white, quintessentially Spanish village, perched on a hill below a ruined 12th century castle, with a 16^th century aqueduct and a hidden blue swimming hole in the valley below.

The other tiny villages like Alcala, Margarida, Benialfaqui and Benitaya all have their charms, their traditional way of life a perfect antidote to the more strident, upbeat attractions of the coastal resorts.