Do you know the place on earth where the sun shines almost ten months a year, the air is filled with the fresh scent of citrus, there are beaches that have more to offer than a view of the open sea, and cities that are simply fun? We do. And now you can too. The Costa del Azahar in Spain: Vacation at its best!
The silhouette of Peñíscola is unmistakable. In the dark, when the medieval town center is illuminated in atmospheric orange-yellow, and even more so in broad daylight. The Castillo, surrounded by the sea, rises above the historic old town, visible from afar. On many a summer's day, the imposing 13th century Templar castle looks like a mirage in the shimmering hot air. Fortunately, the stone dream does not simply vanish into thin air, even in the fresh breeze.
Costa del Azahar: Holidays in the sunny paradise of Peñíscola
Peñíscola is one of the jewels of the 120-kilometre-long Costa del Azahar. A vacation here takes you to a charming and climatically particularly favorable region of eastern Spain. The sun shines from an inky blue sky more than 300 days a year. In keeping with this, there are countless opportunities for a dip in the refreshing water on beautiful sandy beaches and small, secluded bays. Gnarled almond and olive groves, vegetable fields and miles of orange plantations stretch along the coastline. Anyone who has ever experienced the beguiling scent of the lushly blossoming citrus trees in spring knows best why they are also known as the Orange Blossom Coast. The mountainous hinterland is ideal for excursions during your Costa del Azahar vacation, e.g. with stops in the picture-book town of Morella or in Villafamés. The village surprises with a remarkable art museum, which is home to works by Miró and Serrano, among others.
Costa del Azahar: sights in Valencia
It is just 150 kilometers or an hour and a half drive south from Peñíscola to Valencia. Anyone going on vacation to the Costa del Azahar must also visit Spain's third largest city: it is idyllically situated on the east coast with the Mediterranean Sea on its doorstep. Here you can breathe in history in the morning, marvel at the architecture of the future in the afternoon and enjoy a sundowner in a bar with a view of the beach in the evening.
Despite its almost 800,000 inhabitants, Valencia has a small-town feel, and you immediately feel at home. The bistro tables in the city center are packed tightly together. Visitors and locals alike like to take a seat to enjoy a horchata, a cool, creamy-sweet tigernut milk, or the city drink Agua de Valencia, mixed with Cointreau, orange juice and sparkling wine. The tempting aroma of paella wafts around your nose almost everywhere you go. In general, the city is perfect for a culinary voyage of discovery. A single stroll through the magnificent Mercado Central, where fish, shellfish and countless other delicacies are on display every day until 2 p.m., makes it clear why Valencia is considered a gourmet Mecca.
Costa del Azahar vacations: tradition and modernity
The Lonja de la Seda trading exchange, which looks like a late Gothic church, is located directly opposite the Temple of Cockaigne. Silk traders did business in the cool interior of this elegant building in the 15th century. All the other sights are also within easy walking distance of each other: the town hall square with its wonderful stucco façades, the monumental post office and the ceramics museum. The wide Plaza de la Virgen is Valencia's most beautiful stage. Every Thursday at 12 noon sharp, a unique court convenes here in front of the apostle portal of the cathedral: eight lords judge - if only for the sake of tradition - disputes over water in the "huertas", the vegetable gardens in the west of the city.
But Valencia is not resting on its laurels alone. In the dry bed of the Río Turia, the future has long since begun in the city of arts and sciences. The spaceship-like buildings by architect Santiago Calatrava, close to the America's Cup port and Las Arenas beach, are an architectural treat. And anyone who dives into L'Oceanogràfic, for example, will confirm that it's not just the packaging that's right, but also the quality of the content. The largest aquarium in Europe is quite simply fantástico. Spain's Costa del Azahar: a vacation between tradition and modernity.