Discover Spain’s Mediterranean coast through its medieval coastal towns, Gothic architecture, historic palm groves, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Although there are plenty of castles, guided tours, and excursions on this seven-day, north-to-south itinerary, you’ll still have ample time to immerse yourself in the region’s centuries of history.
Starting in Peñíscola and working your way to Elche, you’ll stop in Morella, Sagunto, Valencia, and the Valldigna valley before ending in Alicante. A rental car is the easiest way to cover this route, but with one main cultural focus per day, you can use public transportation in some towns. If you want a crowd-free trip to Spain, you’ll enjoy moving at a slower pace.
Spring and fall offer more comfortable weather for your walking tours and outdoor meals. In summer, schedule outdoor excursions for early in the day and save the midday and afternoon for indoor visits or rest.
Whenever you go, you’ll be able to understand the area through a few exceptional places at a Mediterranean pace, leaving time for a long lunch, a shaded square, a local conversation, and an evening by the sea.
TRIP AT A GLANCE:
- Day 1: Arrive in Peñíscola
- Day 2: Explore Morella (one-hour drive) and olive groves (30-minute drive on the way back to Peñíscola)
- Day 3: Visit Sagunto (80-minute drive) and head to Valencia (30-minute drive)
- Day 4: Spend the day in Valencia
- Day 5: Simat de la Valldigna (one-hour drive), Xàtiva (30-minute drive), and Alicante (80-minute drive)
- Day 6: Vinalopó Valley castles (45-minute drive)
- Day 7: Elche (30-minute drive)
Sponsored by:
Itinerary / 7 Days
PLAN YOUR TRIP
The Peñíscola Castle
Courtesy of Region of Valencia
Day 1Arrive in Peñíscola and Walk Through the Old Town
Your journey begins in Peñíscola, where you can explore more than 2,000 years of Mediterranean history, including the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Moors. The Knights Templar built Peñíscola Castle in the 13th century. Once a refuge for Pope Benedict XIII, known as “Papa Luna,” Peñíscola is often called “the City in the Sea” and is a popular filming location, most famously for El Cid.
After you check in to your hotel, wander through the whitewashed streets of the walled old town to see Renaissance ramparts, flower-filled balconies, centuries-old stone houses, and viewpoints overlooking the fishing port and beaches beyond. (With slopes, steps, and uneven paving, wear comfortable shoes with good grip.)
This is still a working harbor, so you’ll find fishermen hard at work. Keep your first afternoon open to settle into the local rhythm, then dine by the water and try traditional Valencian coastal flavors—including fresh-caught seafood, rice dishes, and local wine—at a Spanish pace.
To extend your trip, take a guided tour of the castle and old town the next morning instead. With a local guide, you’ll learn much more about the Templar fortress and papal chambers than on your own.
After you check in to your hotel, wander through the whitewashed streets of the walled old town to see Renaissance ramparts, flower-filled balconies, centuries-old stone houses, and viewpoints overlooking the fishing port and beaches beyond. (With slopes, steps, and uneven paving, wear comfortable shoes with good grip.)
This is still a working harbor, so you’ll find fishermen hard at work. Keep your first afternoon open to settle into the local rhythm, then dine by the water and try traditional Valencian coastal flavors—including fresh-caught seafood, rice dishes, and local wine—at a Spanish pace.
To extend your trip, take a guided tour of the castle and old town the next morning instead. With a local guide, you’ll learn much more about the Templar fortress and papal chambers than on your own.
Morella is one of Spain’s most beautiful villages, with sweeping views of the surrounding area.
Courtesy of Region of Valencia
Day 2Explore the Medieval Mountain Town of Morella and Ancient Olive Groves
Morella is one of Spain’s best-preserved medieval towns and most beautiful villages, with more than a mile of city walls and a castle with sweeping views of the surrounding area. It’s about an hour’s drive from Peñíscola.
Thanks to Morella’s position on the old routes between Aragon and the Mediterranean, it was a stronghold for the Romans, Moors, and Christian kings alike, so there is almost endless history to discover. You can spend several hours exploring the castle and Gothic Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, with its choir and carved stone portals, and the arcaded streets, where artisans still sell local wool, cured meats, and sweets. (Wear sturdy shoes for the steep, cobbled streets, and bring a light layer for the cooler mountain temperatures.)
Take a walking tour to learn all about the town’s medieval defensive role and its religious and trading heritage. Have a late lunch of local cuisine, including stews, cheeses, cured meats, and truffles in season—surprisingly different from what you’ll find on the coast.
On your way back to Peñíscola, you can stop to see the ancient olive groves around Traiguera and Canet lo Roig, a 30-minute drive from Morella. Many of these trees are more than a thousand years old, with massive trunks, and produce olive oil that has helped shape local culture. You can explore the area yourself, hire a local guide, or visit a producer for an olive oil tasting.
Thanks to Morella’s position on the old routes between Aragon and the Mediterranean, it was a stronghold for the Romans, Moors, and Christian kings alike, so there is almost endless history to discover. You can spend several hours exploring the castle and Gothic Basilica of Santa María la Mayor, with its choir and carved stone portals, and the arcaded streets, where artisans still sell local wool, cured meats, and sweets. (Wear sturdy shoes for the steep, cobbled streets, and bring a light layer for the cooler mountain temperatures.)
Take a walking tour to learn all about the town’s medieval defensive role and its religious and trading heritage. Have a late lunch of local cuisine, including stews, cheeses, cured meats, and truffles in season—surprisingly different from what you’ll find on the coast.
On your way back to Peñíscola, you can stop to see the ancient olive groves around Traiguera and Canet lo Roig, a 30-minute drive from Morella. Many of these trees are more than a thousand years old, with massive trunks, and produce olive oil that has helped shape local culture. You can explore the area yourself, hire a local guide, or visit a producer for an olive oil tasting.
The Sagunto castle offers more than 2,000 years of history and is free to visit.
Courtesy of Region of Valencia
Day 3Stop in Sagunto en Route to Valencia
Check out of your hotel and head 80 minutes south to Sagunto, which still bears traces of Visigothic, Islamic, and medieval Christian cultures. The Iberians originally founded this area in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C.E., building the city of Arse. Later, the Romans rebuilt it as Saguntum after Hannibal captured it in a 219 B.C.E. siege that triggered the Second Punic War.
Take a free guided tour (offered Tuesday through Sunday, no booking required) of the castle and Roman theatre, dating to the 1st century C.E. and still used today for performances. Afterward, walk along the fortified ridge, with Iberian foundations, Roman remains, and Moorish-era walls and medieval defenses, plus sweeping views over the plain, the sea, and the orange groves. (Bring a hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and water.)
Leave time to wander through the historic quarter, including the old Jewish quarter (Call Jueu), before you make the 30-minute drive to Valencia. Check in to your hotel, and keep the evening relaxed with a quick stroll through the old town and an easy dinner. Valencia has plenty of places to eat, so you can choose anything from paella to tapas.
Take a free guided tour (offered Tuesday through Sunday, no booking required) of the castle and Roman theatre, dating to the 1st century C.E. and still used today for performances. Afterward, walk along the fortified ridge, with Iberian foundations, Roman remains, and Moorish-era walls and medieval defenses, plus sweeping views over the plain, the sea, and the orange groves. (Bring a hat, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and water.)
Leave time to wander through the historic quarter, including the old Jewish quarter (Call Jueu), before you make the 30-minute drive to Valencia. Check in to your hotel, and keep the evening relaxed with a quick stroll through the old town and an easy dinner. Valencia has plenty of places to eat, so you can choose anything from paella to tapas.
The Serranos Towers are one of the 12 main gates that formed Valencia’s ancient city wall.
Courtesy of Region of Valencia
Day 4 Learn About Silk, Sacred Art, and the City of the Future in Valencia
Start your full day in Valencia with a guided visit to La Lonja de la Seda (the Silk Exchange), a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site and one of Europe’s finest examples of late Gothic civil architecture, with soaring twisted columns, a vaulted Contract Hall, and an orange tree courtyard. Valencia built it in the 15th and 16th centuries, when it was a trading powerhouse.
Afterward, walk through the historic center and visit the Cathedral of Valencia, which blends Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque architecture and is home to the Holy Grail, an agate chalice believed to be the vessel used at the Last Supper. Next, climb the Miguelete Tower for incredible rooftop views. If it fits your morning, browse the nearby Central Market too.
As you’re wandering through the old town, you’ll likely pass the Serranos and Quart Towers, so don’t worry about adding them as extra stops. Pause for a traditional Valencian lunch, then spend the afternoon at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia, one of Spain’s most important art collections outside Madrid, with pieces by Velázquez, El Greco, and Goya. Afterward, walk through the Turia Garden, a green space in the former riverbed, toward the City of Arts and Sciences.
After a long day of Gothic architecture, the gleaming white structures of Santiago Calatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences will be a stark contrast.
Afterward, walk through the historic center and visit the Cathedral of Valencia, which blends Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque architecture and is home to the Holy Grail, an agate chalice believed to be the vessel used at the Last Supper. Next, climb the Miguelete Tower for incredible rooftop views. If it fits your morning, browse the nearby Central Market too.
As you’re wandering through the old town, you’ll likely pass the Serranos and Quart Towers, so don’t worry about adding them as extra stops. Pause for a traditional Valencian lunch, then spend the afternoon at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia, one of Spain’s most important art collections outside Madrid, with pieces by Velázquez, El Greco, and Goya. Afterward, walk through the Turia Garden, a green space in the former riverbed, toward the City of Arts and Sciences.
After a long day of Gothic architecture, the gleaming white structures of Santiago Calatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences will be a stark contrast.
The Xàtiva castle offers more than 2,000 years of history and fantastic views of the surrounding area.
Courtesy of Region of Valencia
Day 5Visit Simat de la Valldigna and Xàtiva on the Way to Alicante
Depart Valencia and head south into the citrus heartland. The orange groves of the Ribera and the Valldigna valley are where the Moors introduced citrus in the Middle Ages. Expect the scent of orange blossoms in the spring and fruit-filled trees in winter.
Your first stop is Simat de la Valldigna, about an hour away. Visit the Royal Monastery of Santa María de la Valldigna to see its restored cloister, church, and gates that tell the story of monastic life in medieval Valencia. Established in 1298 under King Jaume II, it was the valley’s economic center before being abandoned in the 19th century.
Next, head to Xàtiva, about 30 minutes away, for a hilltop castle that once served as a stronghold during Iberian and Roman times and later served Muslim and Christian rulers. It even served as a prison at one point. Wear comfortable shoes so you can walk among its walls, towers, and gardens for sweeping views. You can also book a guided visit to explore the castle and old town, including the Collegiate Basilica (La Seu), the Almodí museum, the Royal Hospital, and the Fountain of the 25 Spouts.
Take a break for an unhurried lunch of arroz al horno, the classic Valencian baked rice, then drive to Alicante (about an 80-minute drive), where you’ll spend the night. In the evening, stroll through the old town or along the waterfront promenade for views of Santa Bárbara Castle, which overlooks the city on Mount Benacantil.
Your first stop is Simat de la Valldigna, about an hour away. Visit the Royal Monastery of Santa María de la Valldigna to see its restored cloister, church, and gates that tell the story of monastic life in medieval Valencia. Established in 1298 under King Jaume II, it was the valley’s economic center before being abandoned in the 19th century.
Next, head to Xàtiva, about 30 minutes away, for a hilltop castle that once served as a stronghold during Iberian and Roman times and later served Muslim and Christian rulers. It even served as a prison at one point. Wear comfortable shoes so you can walk among its walls, towers, and gardens for sweeping views. You can also book a guided visit to explore the castle and old town, including the Collegiate Basilica (La Seu), the Almodí museum, the Royal Hospital, and the Fountain of the 25 Spouts.
Take a break for an unhurried lunch of arroz al horno, the classic Valencian baked rice, then drive to Alicante (about an 80-minute drive), where you’ll spend the night. In the evening, stroll through the old town or along the waterfront promenade for views of Santa Bárbara Castle, which overlooks the city on Mount Benacantil.
The Atalaya Castle in Villena is the perfect anchor for a visit to the Vinalopó castles.
Courtesy of Region of Valencia
Day 6Explore the Castles of the Vinalopó Valley
Explore the Vinalopó Valley and its medieval fortresses, which reflect the region’s shifting frontier between Muslim and Christian powers. Several castles dot the region, but scheduled, guided tours of the Castle of Atalaya in Villena, about 45 minutes from Alicante, is the best option if you don’t want to feel rushed. Built by the Almohads in the late 12th century, it was later altered by and Christian forces. You can also choose Sax Castle or Biar Castle to see more than one fortress.
The Misteri d’Elx is a drama about the Virgin Mary performed every August.
Courtesy of Spain Tourism Board
Day 7Tour Elche’s Palm Groves and Learn About the Misteri d’Elx
From Alicante, visit Elche for a guided walk through the Palmeral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s 30 minutes driving from Alicante. Explore the palm groves and irrigation landscape, shaped by centuries of cultivation and Hispano-Muslim heritage, before lunch in town. If you have time, head back to Alicante to walk along the marina or the Explanada de España.
The Misteri d’Elx is a play about the Virgin Mary recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, performed only in August each year, with additional special performances in even-numbered years. If you can’t see it, you can still learn about its fascinating history.
Schedule your departure from the Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) late in the afternoon or the following morning.
The Misteri d’Elx is a play about the Virgin Mary recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, performed only in August each year, with additional special performances in even-numbered years. If you can’t see it, you can still learn about its fascinating history.
Schedule your departure from the Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) late in the afternoon or the following morning.