The two autonomous communities of Valencia and Murcia form the area of El Levante which lies along the Mediterranean coast between Cataluña in the North and Andalucía in the South.
Valencia has one of the sunniest and warmest climates in Spain making it a favourite year-round destination for tourists and people buying property either for holiday-lets or permanent homes. It's a fertile region known as the market garden of Spain, with acres of orange and lemon groves, orchards, fields of vegetables, vineyards and rice paddies - yes this is the home of paella after all! Valencia has over 350 kilometres of stunning coastline and an interior of rugged mountains and gentle river valleys. The Communidad of Valencia incorporates the three provinces of Castellón, Valencia and Alicante.
The capital of the region is Valencia which is Spain's third largest city and one of its liveliest. Situated on the coast, with beaches on its own doorstep and many cultural and historical attractions, it is a popular tourist resort. In 2007 Valencia hosted the Americas Cup, and is scheduled to do so again in 2009 making Valencia the yacht racing capital of the world. It will also be the venue for a new Formula One Grand Prix in 2008 with an exciting street circuit around the Americas Cup port. One of Valencia's major attractions is the world famous Las Fallas festival which takes place in March - not to be missed. Also worth visiting is the City of Arts and Science, a futuristic building designed by the prestigious architect Santiago Calatrava. It has Imax, a Planetarium, various interactive exhibitions and the latest addition, the Oceanarium. Dominating the city is the Cathedral; from its octagonal bell tower (El Miguelete) there are spectacular views over Valencia. There are also several parks and gardens throughout the city; Jardines de Monforte is a romantic 18th Century park with Italian sculptures and the Jardín Botánico has gardens with thousands of varieties of exotic plants and trees. Valencia also boasts the largest indoor market in Spain, and one of the largest in Europe - the Mercado Central. From here you can buy all the ingredients you need to cook the speciality of the region, Paella Valenciana.
The coast of the Alicante province is one of Spain's most popular holiday destinations; known as the Costa Blanca due to its miles of white sandy beaches, many of which have been awarded the prestigious EU blue flag. The region boasts a wide variety of sports facilities, the most popular being golf and sailing, and for families a visit to the Terra Mítica theme park near Benidorm is recommended. Be warned, the coast gets very busy especially in the high season and some areas are very built-up. But you can always head inland to the quieter non-touristy villages or head north to the coast near Denia to find picturesque hidden coves and some charming resorts. For a cultural contrast, the area is also rich in art and history both of which can be found in many of its historic coastal towns. Alicante is the most important city on the Costa Blanca with its Moorish Castle of Santa Barbara dominating the town. It has an impressive seafront promenade stretching around the harbour shaded with palm trees and lined with shops and cafes. There are a number of interesting museums to visit one of which is the Hogueras Museum which is dedicated to Alicante's most famous festival, the Hogueras de San Juan (St. John's Bonfires). The event takes place in June with colourful processions, marching bands and dancing, culminating in a huge fireworks display and bonfire at midnight.
The Costa del Azahar or Orange Blossom Coast, stretches from Viñaros in the north, in the province of Castellón, to the Gulf of Valencia. The coastline has many fine, sandy beaches and coves, famed for their crystal-clear waters and safe bathing making it ideal for families and watersports. The most interesting town along this coast is Peníscola, a well-preserved medieval fortress town which sits on a rock, dominated by its famous castle. Further south are more resorts in and around Benicassim with expansive sandy beaches as well as the usual tourist infrastructure that goes with it.
Murcia is a small, and for the most part, un-discovered region of Spain. It has, along with its neighbouring province Almeria, one of the driest climates in Spain. Its coast is called the Costa Cálida, meaning the warm coast and because of its own microclimate the temperature averages around 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the Mediterranean. Murcia boasts Europe's largest seawater lagoon, the Mar Menor, its waters reputedly having therapeutic qualities. The Mar Menor also attracts plenty of wildlife too, and is home to thousands of flamingos during their migration in the autumn. The main tourist resort in the area is La Manga, a mecca for watersports and golf enthusiasts. A short drive along the coast from La Manga will bring you to the attractive fishing village of Cabo de Palos, with its numerous harbour front restaurants and boats for charter. Other resorts in Murcia include Mazarrón and Aguilas. The historic city of Murcia lies inland about 45 minutes drive from La Manga and is worth visiting for its many beautiful buildings and historical treasures. Murcia also has its share of festivals and throughout the year there are fairs, concerts, music festivals and theatrical events. The second largest city in Murcia is the ancient port of Cartagena, a principal naval base of Spain. It was founded by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century BC and the city has done much recently to restore many of its important buildings. There are good museums and parks and the port area is particularly worth seeing. Cartagena is also well known for its traditional restaurants and good shops, especially fashion and jewellery. Nature lovers should visit the Sierra Espuña National Park, Murcia's best kept secret. It's a mountainous area covered by pine forests and excellent for walking, climbing and mountain biking.
Finally we should mention the spectacular sunsets which this region has to offer - don't just take our word for it, come and see for yourself.
Click this link to go to a listing of little hotels in Valencia, Alicante and Murcia.
