We're going to Spain in October to stay in the villa of a friend's parents, north of Benidorm on the coast. The villa sounds lovely, but not so sure about the area. My kind of holiday prior to having ds (6 months) was usually to hop on a flight to somewhere interesting, find accommodation when we got there, move around and explore the area, avoid overly touristy areas, go diving, chill out in nice bars and cafes, etc, etc. Can anyone recommend anywhere to visit within a reasonable distance, to escape the theme pub/English breakfast/karaoke cliche I'm expecting, that we might like to go when not hanging out by the pool? Am thinking maybe going inland might be a good plan?