Camping Gran Avenida

Lifeguarded Benicàssim Beach (10 minutes’ walk/five minutes’ drive) will probably be your first stop for leisurely swims in gentle waves, tapas bars backing the sand and coastline walks. You can also easily spend the day on the slides and artificial surfing beach at Aquarama waterpark (five minutes’ drive). The rugged Desert de les Palmes (20 minutes) provides more arduous hiking and mountain biking. If you prefer higher-octane adventures, head right up into the hills to discover castle remains like Torre Albarrana (two hour’s walk) or snap yourself standing on the precipitous Trampolí del Diable rock slab (an hour and 40 minutes). Music fans get the timing of your stay right at Camping Gran Avenida and you can attend lively festivals like Benicàssim Blues Festival (early June) and Rototom Sunsplash (reggae, August). No matter when you visit, Castelló de la Plana (15 minutes’ drive) awaits your exploration; this handsome city is something of a local secret – have a nose around its butter-coloured cathedral and bell tower or the ornate modernist-era mansions in Plaza de la Independencia on a day’s recce.