Casas Benali

Hills explored on lengthy hikes, it’s time to turn attentions further afield. Wanders can start in the small town of Enguera (25 minutes’ drive) where there are bars, restaurants and supermarkets, as well as a regular outdoor market. It’s 40 minutes from base to the town of Xàtiva – a must-visit for its castle, archaeology museum and monastery, as well as its frequent markets. A little outside the town is Cova Negra (55 minutes), a cave system that was once home to Neanderthals. Sticking with nature, stops at the pretty Gorgo de la Escalera waterfall (30 minutes), and swims and picnics at the Albufera de Anna lake and nature reserve (25 minutes) come highly recommended. Within marginally less easy reach is Serra Mariola Natural Park, about an hour away. If in need of a city day, an hour and 20 minutes’ drive will land guests in the coastal city of Valencia. This is a prime destination for families, with beaches, an aquarium and a waterpark, but is also a top spot for more historical and nature-filled wanderings, starting with the zoo in the dried-out Turia riverbed and moving on to history and fine arts museums, botanical gardens, palaces and a bullring.