 Pais Valencia is the region
hugging the Mediterranean along the eastern coast of Spain. It
is a lush and fertile area with orange, lemon and peach groves,
and even rice fields irrigated by systems devised by the Moors.
Here you will find deserted beaches, pretty hilltop villages
and the historic towns and cities of Valencia, Alicante and Cartagena.
The region is divided into 3 provinces - Alicante, Castellon
and Valencia. It is bounded to the north by Cataluna and Aragon,
to the west by Castilla-La Mancha, to the south by Murcia and
to the east by the Mediterranean Sea. Every year holiday-makers
are drawn to the beaches of the Costa Blanca, the Costa del Azahar
and the Costa Calida.
Alicante, with its airport and mainline
railway station, is the arrival point for most tourists heading
for the Costa Blanca. The city has regular ferry services to
the Balearic Islands.
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 Alicante is a port and seaside resort built around
a natural harbour. It is the principal city of the Costa Blanca.
The most notable feature of the city is its castle, the "Castillo
de Santa Barbara", which sits high on a cliff above the
city. Alicante has a bustling port, tropical palms, beautiful
promenades and some of Spain's best tapas restaurants. There
are many historical buildings, lively markets, a splendid Marina
and beautiful sandy beach, Playa del Postiguet. A seafront focal
point is the palm-lined promenade Explanada de Espana (photo)
with its distinctive, wave-patterned marble pavement. Towards
the Plaza Puerta del Mar, the Explanada skirts the edge of the
old quarter, known as ‘El Barrio’. This atmospheric
district centres around the town hall on the arcaded Plaza del
Ayuntamiento. Spreading uphill, the tiny neighbourhood of Santa
Cruz is a charming little pocket of whitewashed houses. |
