How does this castle have no more reviews? This place is absolutely magical. So many people I know…read morevisited Barcelona and they think they know how Spain looks like. For those I would like to point out that Spain is much much more!! Just a short ride from Valencia, situated on a hills above town of Xativa, Xativa Castle predates Roman times. It was believed that in this castle (really a fortress) legendary Hannibal was preparing for the siege of the Roman city Saguntum. So much history here. This fortress has seen it all.. Hannibal, Moors, Spanish war, was used as a prison!! There is a designated parking lot up the hill on the left and it takes just a short 10 min hike uphill from there. We visited at sunset, the colors and shades were spectacular, also visiting in July, mid day visits could be pretty hot since there is little to no shade. There is a restaurant on the top before you hit the toll booth, it was open but we didn't stop by.

Alright, way too much history to discuss in a Yelp review, but let me just say that if you're ever…read morein the region, you have to do the hike up to this incredible castle. Centuries upon centuries of history. From the Almoravid dynasty to the Aragons, you'll be amazed. Just do yourself a favor and hike up to the castle. Yes, there is a shuttle, but getting there is half of the fun! And there's a bar/restaurant on the way up. ¡Salud!

A long due review - the city of Torrevieja #100…read more Torrevieja (Spanish: "Old Tower) is a city in the province of Alicante, Spain that originally was a salt mining and fishing village (current population is some 100k). The city grew rapidly in the nineties, becoming one of Europe's top "residential tourism" and "lifestyle migration" destinations (lots of vacation homes and few hotels). People from everywhere suddenly decided "This is the most awesome place on Earth!!!" and flocked the area (Mediterranean sea, not too hot, never cold, inexpensive). As a result Torrevieja became the only city in Spain where the majority of the population are not Spanish (Some 48% are Spanish and the rest are British, Russian, German, Swedish, Moroccan, Romanian, Bulgarian, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Belgian etc. Source: Wikipedia). Some live here all year round, some come for vacations, some are always in between. Torrevieja is sometimes referred to as "La Playa de Madrid" (The Madrid Beach), because the poor "madrileños" are locked inland without a beach of their own. This is the place where they go on holiday. The micro-climate here is often cited as one of the best in Europe - the city is surrounded by the sea and two large salt lakes (Salinas de Torrevieja y La Mata). According to one urban legend the World Health Organisation named Torrevieja the healthiest place in the world to live (I never found any proof of that, I tried hard). There are some things you just have to believe - just come and breathe the air! Many places in Torrevieja have multiple names in different languages, all of them being commonly used, don't get confused. Example: There are "Playa de La Mata" and "The La Mata Beach" listings on Yelp at the time of writing. In other cases there are multiple variations even in Spanish. Example: Salinas de Torrevieja y La Mata, Lagunas de Torrevieja y La Mata, Lagunas Saladas de Torrevieja y La Mata - all meaning the same - the two salt lakes. You can reach other cities of this corner of Spain in 30-50 minutes by car - Alicante, Orihuela, Murcia, Elche, Cartagena. Torrevieja is probably the best place to stay and explore the area around. Real estate. There was a real estate bubble in the area that started in the eighties and ended in 2008. Housing prices rose 3x then dropped by some 20-30%. Construction almost stopped for a year or two. Things are back to normal since 2010 - thousands of new homes were built (and sold really fast). Construction sites are everywhere and prices don't fall anymore. Also the Euro fell a lot to other currencies during the recent years, great time to buy :) Some places to visit in Torrevieja: - The beaches (there are several beaches, my favorite is the La Mata beach) - Paseo Maritimo (an esplanade along the Mediterranean sea) - Plaza de la Constitución (old square with a church in the downtown) - Las Salinas (natural reserve park, two salt lakes) - Aquapolis (water amusement park) - Habaneras Shopping Center (shopping) - Golf courses (several of them within 15 minutes by car) - Alingui Restaurants (three of them, best value for money in my opinion) - Discoteca Velice (large, newly built, popular among locals and tourists) - Auditorio Internacional de Torrevieja (a concert hall) Best time to visit: all year round is fine but you won't want to swim from late October to late May. August is the month when Spain arrives. It's the busiest time - can be fun, but will pay more for your stay and wait longer everywhere. Action plan for those who don't want to visit anything (this is what many people really do): 1) Rent an apartment or a villa (not a hotel) for several days 2) Load up with food and wine (Mercadona, LIDL, Carrefour) 3) Enjoy your stay PROCEED WITH CAUTION: lots of people get addicted, buy a second home here and never return to where they came from.

The cruise ship docked at the Port of Alicante. It was a brief walk to the city centre or you…read morecould take a taxi. We absolutely loved the feel of this city. It was beautiful, hilly with cooler weather and wind from the Mediterranean. The city is easy to navigate especially if you stop at the Tourist Office by the marina and pick up a map. Staff speak English and will show you routes around the city.

If you are in the area, this is a must see. You are welcome…read moreto be adventurous and walk up the road or take an elevator. This 16th century castle overlooks all of Alicante. Great architecture, history and fantastic picture opportunities. Enjoy!

9th century Muslim castle atop a 170m high hill accessible by walking, lift (closed during…read morepandemic) or car (no parking during pandemic). The approach and descent from the hill is gorgeous with hilltop residences lining one side, and stairs/ramps on another. There is a restaurant up there with spectacular views at sunset but is currently closed due to the pandemic. The bar closer to the top is open serving ice creams and beer. Free admission. There are trees atop this fortress.

Awesome! One of the twelve gates that formed part of the ancient city wall and built in Valencian…read moreGothic style. The Torres de Serrans were built in the 14th century, 1392, by Pere Balaguer. From 1586 until 1887 the towers were used as a prison for nobles.You cannot miss it if you're staying here, so you might as well indulge, climb, and take in all of the views. Keep in mind, as with most places in Spain, they are closed during peak hours during lunch. Otherwise, enjoy and immerse yourself in the history.

They were built in the 14th century as part of the city fortification. Today, they are considered…read morelargest Gothic city gateway within the Europe. Wonderfully preserved, gothic motifs well visible from the street level. Normally you should be able to climb those, but in the summer 2021 when we visited, they were closed for the visitors-couldn't tell if that was covid related or just wrong time of the day. Anyway, they made a quite impression. It was very easy to visualize how visitors were addressed from top of the gate. It is a must if you are in Valencia!