The Blue House Arabí

People have lived in this untamed corner of Murcia for many centuries, as shown by the eerie prehistoric paintings of human figures and animals – created some 10,000 years ago – found in ravines and caves around Monte Arabí (15 minutes’ drive). Coming up to date and moving down to the Costa Blanca coastline, the elegant city of Alicante (an hour and 15 minutes) combines a modern beach resort with sprawling street markets and an atmospheric old town chock full of tapas bars lining cobbled squares. If you’re after some nightlife action, the lively pubs and late-closing clubs of Benidorm (an hour and 30 minutes) are your best bet. For a more sedate day out, consider Yecla (15 minutes), with its richly decorated Santuario del Castillo looming over the town; climb the meandering pathway up to the church for views over rooftops to 16th-century Palacio de los Alarcos and the distinctive blue-and-white striped dome of Basílica de la Purísima. Sightseeing done, settle at a café in Plaza Mayor to share some tapas and relax with a glass of chilled white wine.