Ruta 99 is an initiative by the Valencian government to help villages threatened by eviction that have fewer than 100 inhabitants. A list of 20 villages has been drawn up to visit. In these peaceful, small villages, there are few traces of tourism, time passes slowly, and much remains as it always has been. This post describes two of them: the art and ecology town of Carrícola and the sleepy town of Sempere - two very different villages. Route 99 is designed so that 2-4 villa

Abanilla is a village in the eastern part of Murcia, close to the border with the province of Alicante. It is perhaps best known for a beautifully decorated staircase that leads up to the top of a hill - Lugar Alto - where there is a tall statue of Jesus, a desert garden and the remains of an Arab castle. But it also has a beautiful church, picturesque town streets and several old buildings. A few kilometres away is also the Mediterranean desert of Desierto de Abanilla. Abani

Alicante is perhaps best known for its long tiled promenade with the characteristic wavy pattern that you see on the way to and from the airport. But the city has much more to offer. This post describes the harbor, the beach, the old town with Santa Cruz, the traditional Mercado Central, the many parks and the two castles Castellet de Santa Barbara and Castellet de Fernando. The harbor - Puerto de Alicante When travelling by airport bus, you will arrive at a stop by the port

Xirles is a small village in the municipality of Polop de la Marina in the province of Alicante. It is located at the foot of the mountain Monte Ponoig, popularly known as the Sleeping Lion. The village has narrow streets with well-preserved old brick buildings and has just over a hundred inhabitants. In the area around the town, four marked hiking trails have been created, which are described in this article. Most of the residents of Xirles are retirees - both Spanish and fo

Torrevieja is a relatively young city, but is the third largest in the Alicante province. Traditionally, the city's inhabitants have lived from fishing and salt production, but in recent decades tourism and the service industry have been dominant. Torrevieja is a popular tourist destination, not least for Norwegians and Swedes. This post describes beaches and bays where you can swim in Torrevieja. Torrevieja has a coastline of 20 km. Here you will find over 20 bays and cliffs

Castell de Castells is a typical old mountain village an hour's drive from the coast on the Costa Blanca. It is a hub for cyclists, hikers and mountaineers who appreciate the nature in the area. There are 15 marked trails that range from easy walks to demanding routes with rock climbing. A few kilometers away is an archaeological site that is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. There, traces of 7,000-year-old settlements have been found. The article describes both the village

Alicante is one of the fastest growing cities in Spain. There has been a lot of construction, but fortunately they have managed to preserve some natural areas where there is both running water, plants and palm trees. They have also managed to set aside space for several parks of different sizes where you can go for a walk, exercise or just relax in the shade of a tree. This article describes the most important parks in the city of Alicante. Parks are important recreational ar

Elche is the only area in the province of Alicante to have three attractions on the UNESCO World Heritage List: El Palmeral, El Misteri d'Elx and the Museo Escolar de Pusol. It has a long tradition as a leading shoe manufacturer and is known for its many palm trees. Many of the main attractions are located in the historic center of the city, within easy walking distance of each other. If you use your time wisely, you can see them all in one day. The Centro historico de Elche

The eastern part of Altea's coastline has always been a beach with a promenade (paseo) within it. For decades, however, parts of the western coastline - Playa de Bol - have been taken over by a road and a parking lot. In 2023, work began on converting the parking lot into a beach. Now the city has 800 meters longer coastline. In addition, both the paseo and the beach have become wider. Playa de Bol has once again become a real beach. This post describes the entire Altea paseo

In the historic center of the city of Elche in the province of Alicante is a well-preserved tower from the Middle Ages. It is one of the most important buildings in the historic center of Elche. In the tower's museum you can see art and decoration from the time when the building was used by the Masonic Lodge No. 149 of Elche. The tower formed part of the city wall around the original city center of Elche and was one of the sentries at the main gate into the city, la Lucentina

In the historic center of the city of Elche in the province of Alicante, there is a museum that was once a public Muslim bath. It is a historical monument that was built by the Moors in the second half of the 12th century. The baths are located in the basement of the old monastery of the "Orden de la Merced" (Order of Mercy) and have a special status in the cultural heritage of Valencia. It is the only one of the public baths from that era that has been preserved to this day.

MUNCH Museum in Bjørvika has the largest collection of Edvard Munch's surviving works. The museum exhibits some of the most important of...

Close to the historic centre of the city of Elche in the province of Alicante lies a green oasis that in 1943 was granted the status of...

Ruta 99 is an initiative inspired by Route 66 in the USA and the Spanish pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. The aim is to increase...

Just 10 km from the coast at Benidorm, the old town of the village of Polop is located on the slope of a cliff. At the top are the...

This excursion to the coastal town of Jávea is suitable for the whole family. The old town has narrow, charming streets and restaurants.

Four miles from Alicante on the Costa Blanca coast lies Castalla. It is an old village with ruins of a castle on top of a hill. The hill...

Ibi was once called the city of toys. It had more toy factories than any other city in Spain. Beautiful almond tree blossoms in the area.

Xixona is best known for its production of nougat. The municipality is also a hub for roads from several other cities. A walk from the...

At the foot of the Sierra Aitana mountain range in the Guadalest valley, just above the Embalse de Guadalest dam, lies a cluster of...

Cieza is known for beautiful fruit blossoms, impressive Easter celebrations and areas of archaeological excavations. In the large plains...

A few kilometers from the coast near Torrevieja lies an old town center with narrow, picturesque streets, beautiful murals and a hill...

Farsund er en hvit sørlandsby. Loshavn har godt bevarte gamle hvite trehus. Lista har lange sandstrender og vernet natur.

The small town of Hunnebostrand is the oldest known coastal community in Bohuslän with roots dating back to the 13th century. Fishing and...

A few kilometers from the coast at Villajoyosa on the Costa Blanca lies the small village of Orxeta with just over 800 inhabitants. There...

From the small village of Xirles near Polop in the Alicante region, an old country road runs to the slightly larger village of Callosa...

A short distance from the castle of Santa Barbara in Alicante lies what is Spain's best and largest market. At least according to the...

On the Mount Benacantil (166 m) overlooking the port of Alicante is the castle of Santa Barbara. There have been fortifications here...

At the poniente beach in Benidorm, there is now a sculpture exhibition by the artist Jiménez Deredia. It will remain in place until 1...

You have not experienced Alicante until you have familiarized yourself with the oldest part of the city. It was established by the Moors...