Guadalest (half day)
This excursion takes you to the beautiful and tiny but historic village of Guadalest, set on a peak between the mountain ranges. A natural strongpoint, it was used by the Moors as a fortress centuries ago, and is now famous for its lacemaking and crochet work.
You enter the village through a crevice in the mountain. In the centre you will find some craft shops.
Please note that this trip to Guadalest involves a considerable amount of walking on steep and uneven surfaces.
Valencia (full day)
A tour of Spain’s third-largest city starts with a drive through orange and lemon groves and rice fields.
In Valencia, you visit the cathedral, dating from 1262. To the right of the main entrance, in the flamboyant gothic Capilla del Santo Cáliz, is what is claimed to be the Holy Grail, the chalice from which Jesus sipped during the Last Supper.
Plaza de la Virgin occupies the site that was the forum of Roman Valencia, on the spot where its main north-south and east-west highways met. Beside the cathedral is the church of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados.
Another highlight is the 15th-century La Lonja, a beautiful former silk exchange building in flamboyant gothic style. It is now a World Heritage site with a striking colonnaded hall.
There is free time for lunch and shopping.
This excursion involves quite extensive walking with a local guide through the city’s old part.
Villajoyosa (half day)
Travel south to the beautiful town of Villajoyosa, known as the ‘jewelled village’ and noted for its famous coloured houses.
You can try your hand at bartering alongside the locals at the market. You then visit a chocolate factory, where, after a guided tour, you have the chance to taste and buy the chocolate.
The tour ends with a visit to a large hypermarket, which gives you the chance to buy local produce, wine and spirits to take back home.