TOTANA COSTA BLANCA

Quickly reached down the motorway from Murcia, Totana lies on the edge of Murcia's splendid sierras, a good starting point for exploring the hill country. The town is mainly known for its pottery, made here since Moorish times. More than 20 potteries still function, producing an incredible range of ceramics, huge earthenware storage jars, pots and bowls. Some of these are still fired in the traditional Arab-style kiln, the tosta, where the pots stand on a perforated floor above the heat source. Workshops still produce the cantara de Totana, a traditional pitcher, probably first designed by the Romans. If you're shopping, head for the old pottery district  in town, rather than the outlets aimed at the tourists along the main road.