Our coach left the warm sunny blue skies of the Costa Blanca and headed North West up the A31 Alicante – Madrid road. Destination Almansa and Alcala Del Jucar in the province of Albacete. I always research an expedition, especially one going north, so given the latest weather forecast and … [Read more...]

The owner of the ceramic shop at the bottom of the steep incline up to Sagunto Castle probably wonders why he sees so many white-kneed Brits giggling and taking photos of his shop sign, much in the way they snigger behind their hand when they order fartons, the sponge biscuit that accompanies the … [Read more...]

Having commented on a number of occasions about the fact that it is almost impossible to get into a church in the Valencian Community because they are almost always closed, thus being unable to view the, usually, incredibly ornate decoration that has been so wondrously restored with hefty chunks a … [Read more...]

Back in the Medieval times Ontinyent was one of the ten most important population centres in Spain. This status led to it being offered the title of ‘city’ in 1660 by Felip IV but the town refused the offer and It was not until 1904 that Alfonso XIII gave the town the title by royal decree. … [Read more...]

For many years esparto - atochal - traders gained access to Madrid through a gate which became known as the Puerta de Atocha. Elda is a city with very few natural resources, a situation that has forced it to depend upon industry to improve its quality of life. With the crisis experienced in the … [Read more...]

Getting lost driving to Quatretondeta, due to an over complicated route planner, was hardly an ideal start to a relaxing week. Fortunately a friendly local jumped into his car and led me back to the right road. Quatretondeta is a small village that lies amongst the mountains and valleys of the … [Read more...]

Now that spring is on the way, what better than a romantic break or a good day out in the Jalon valley? If you are quick, you can still catch the almond blossom, which covers much of the valley in a sea of white and pink. Stretches worth seeing are between Jalon and Alcalali and between Alcalali … [Read more...]

When buying in property in Spain I always think it wise to consider just how good the access roads are to your desired village or town. Recently I sat behind numerous tourist coaches who were, like me, heading for the pretty towns of Galera and Huescar, near Granada. The countryside in the area … [Read more...]

A camel can really pass through the eye of a needle, or at least in Guadalest. At the microgigantic museum on the way in, you can also see a flea riding a bicycle and an ant playing the violin. Just one of the bewildering array of attractions in this tiny village. With its famous landmarks of the … [Read more...]

Many Spaniards say that the best way to judge the style of a Spanish City is by attending a wedding there. They advice British onlookers to see how well dressed the guests are. If the wedding is a classy affair, they say, then the City in which it takes place will also be tasteful and wealthy. We … [Read more...]