Kampaoh Benicàssim

The nature reserve of Desert de les Palmes (20 minutes’ drive) is laced with hiking trails skirted by fragrant Mediterranean vegetation – from pine trees to juniper shrubs. Keep your ears open for the song of warblers, and your eyes peeled for kestrels and peregrine falcons hovering above the trees. Several imposing fortresses in the area date back to the centuries of Islamic occupation. They include the Castell d’Alcalà de Xivert (40 minutes) and the Castell de Santa Magdalena de Polpís (45 minutes), both in ruins and both offering splendid views of the valley to the north of the Sierra de Irta mountain range. The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia (one hour and five minutes) is a modern complex of spectacular, striking buildings housing a science museum, a huge aquarium and an events venue among other things. Stroll along the dry bed of the former Túria river to get to the town centre and the cathedral in Plaça de la Reina.