Where to go 2 hours ish from Alicante?

[Redtartanshoes]

We’ve got 10 days (potentially). Just do and I.

Love beach, tapas, people watching, red wine, wandering about. Love places like Nerja, Lake Como etc, not too touristy but still nice places.

Not adverse to splitting it into 2, Infact would probably prefer. Would rather not split into 3 and spend forever driving. Will have hire car.

Any ideas? Thanks

Valencia and Xabia

Was thinking Valencia, will have a look at Xabia thanks

Is 10 days too much? Regretting booking flights and thinking could have done something better... 🙄

We had a sight-seeing city break to Valencia and spent 3 full days there which was just right. Although we had the dc with us so did the zoo, aquarium and science museum and not so much of the tapas, wine and people watching!
Xabia is more of a beach holiday but could fit the bill for a couple of lazy days wandering around, shopping and soaking up the atmosphere. It’s got lots of pavement cafés and bars overlooking the Med inviting you to sit and have a drink and just enjoy the ambience of the marina. There’s a promenade around the bay which is good for evening walks.

Cartagena is about an hour and a half from Alicante.

www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-cartagena-spain/

Is it worth trying for squeeze in Madrid or just around coastal places? Looked at Toledo also

Have you looked at Alicante itself? Ticks all your boxes

I hadn’t to be honest.... I thought (perhaps wrongly) touristy Brits abroad high rise hell

Is three hours too much? Peñiscola is one of my favourite places in all of Spain. It played Meereen in game of thrones.

Otherwise, there are also some amazing medieval towns just north of Valencia which are well worth exploring if you're hiring a car. Sagunto had the most incredible castle and Roman amphitheater and it's so undiscovered by tourists it's incredible.

Slightly further on is onda which has beautiful castle ruins, and inland a bit you get Teruel which is a gorgeous small city, all around it is the most lovely countryside with loads of prehistoric sites and cave paintings and fossils etc.

For a city break Valencia is lovely but definitely just a day or two. The whole coast up there is delightful too but if you go past Valencia to the Costa Azahar its much less "Brits Abroad"

I haven't been further south than Alicante (apart from Andalucía).

I wouldn't try Madrid, if you want a big city how about one of the Andalusian ones? Seville is a bit far but Granada or Cordoba? They are amazing.

Been to Grenada, loved. Cordoba is def a possibility.

3 nights cordoba, 3 nights Valencia and 3 nights either somewhere on coast Xabia/Denia or Alicante.

Alternatively 10
Nights in a beautiful villa in a lovely town and no driving.....

Córdoba is almost a six hour drive from Alicante!

5.... Ish 😂

Neither of us mind driving (((we live 4 hours apart)))

Plus it would be a beautiful drive. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Thinking 3 in cordoba 3 in Valencia and 3 in Xabia Denia or Alicante...

El Portet (shhhhh)

I live in Andalucía, I think that's a mental drive. I also don't think you need 3 nights in Córdoba. It's amazing but pretty compact. You can do most of the sights in a day really.

Cabo de Gata in Almería?

@Redtartanshoesi thought alicante would be full of Brits abroad but was pleasantly surprised it really is nice. We did go in October though so it maybe different 8f you're going in summer. I can also second Valencia, and Carteghena. We went to guadix near Granada. That was pretty interesting. Lots of 'cave' houses. You shouldn't need more than 2 days in Cordoba if you decide to do that.

@OrangeBlossomsinthesun oh yes that's pretty far! I live in Euskadi and am very used to driving 6 hours for a bit of sunshine!

Do you have any idea on the "exit roadmap" for Andalucía at all? Are you in perimetral lockdown there? Euskadi has been talking about opening borders at Easter

[quote QuentinInQuarantino]@OrangeBlossomsinthesun oh yes that's pretty far! I live in Euskadi and am very used to driving 6 hours for a bit of sunshine!

Do you have any idea on the "exit roadmap" for Andalucía at all? Are you in perimetral lockdown there? Euskadi has been talking about opening borders at Easter [/quote]
The Junta wants to ease restrictions a bit at Easter because of Semana Santa but it's not clear yet what that will mean. We have perimetral lockdown for municipalities with over 500 per 100.000 and perimetral lockdown plus no non essential activity for municipalities with over 1000 per 100.000.

@Redtartanshoes

I hadn’t to be honest.... I thought (perhaps wrongly) touristy Brits abroad high rise hell

Yes so did I but it's lovely

Check out Mojacar. Not the beach end, the mountain village.

@OrangeBlossomsinthesun what would you recommend for 9 nights in early September? Honestly we are open to anything as long as there is sunshine Red wine and tapas. As I said we are torn between wanting to “make the most of it” and finding a beautiful villa by the sea and just chilling the fuck out.

Considering the amount Of driving we both do the latter might be the better option it’s just trying to pick where for 9 nights:

El portet looks amazing

@Midlifephoenix

Check out Mojacar. Not the beach end, the mountain village.

I don't know Alicante, I'm in Andalusia. But why not just relax and see some of Alicante? www.traveltomtom.net/destinations/europe/spain/day-trips-from-alicante www.spainmadesimple.com/costa-blanca/ www.camping-villasol.com/en/blog/picturesque-cities-to-visit-costa-blanca-holidays/

Sorry, I replied to the wrong post. That was to the OP.

Cartegena Is pretty nice
There is nice mud baths at San Pedro del Pinatar
Algar Waterfall near Benidorm.