Spain Guide
Valencia and Murcia
The area known as the Levante (the East), combining the provinces of Valencia and Murcia, is an incongruous mix of the ancient and modern, of beauty and beastliness. The rich huerta of Valencia is one of the most fertile regions of Europe: crowded with orange and lemon groves, date-palm plantations, and rice fields still irrigated by systems devised by the Moors. Evidence of the lengthy Moorish occupation can be seen throughout the province, in the castles, crops and place names.
Murcia is quite distinct, a comunidad autónoma in its own right, and there could hardly be a more severe contrast with the richness of the Valencian huerta. This southeastern corner of Spain is virtually a desert. It was fought over for centuries by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans, but there survives almost no physical evidence of their presence – or of five hundred years of Moorish rule. The capital city, Murcia itself, with its lovely cathedral and terrace tapas bars, makes a comfortable base.
Much of the coast is marred by heavy overdevelopment, with apartment blocks and sprawling holiday complexes looming over many beaches. However, away from the big resorts, there are attractive isolated coves, while the historic hilltop settlements of Altea and Peñíscola are undeniably picturesque, if touristy. In Murcia, the resorts of the Mar Menor are reasonably attractive and very popular with Spanish families in high season; the best beaches are in the extreme south, around Águilas. The increasingly vibrant cities of Valencia and Alicante are the major urban centres, and there are several delightful historic small towns and villages a short way inland.
The Valencia area has a powerful tradition of fiestas, and there are a couple of unique elements to this part of the country. Above all, throughout the year, tmock battles between Muslims and Christians (Moros y Cristianos) recall the Christian Reconquest of the country. The other recurring feature is the fallas (bonfires) in which giant carnival floats and figures are paraded through the streets before being burned.