Getaways and things to do in Upper & Middle Vinalopo

Alicante's mountainous interior runs along the Vinalopo valley, flanked by a chain of castles that once guarded the border between Castile and Aragon. Villena preserves the Atalaya Castle and the most important Iberian treasure on the Peninsula. Sax, Petrer, Biar and Castalla add fortresses, Moors and Christians festivals and a landscape of vineyards, almond groves and Mediterranean scrub.

The Sierra de Salinas Natural Park and the Maigmo and Xorret de Cati ranges offer hiking, via ferratas and climbing away from the coastal crowds. Ibi, the 'toy town', contributes industrial heritage. The continental climate — cold winters, cooler summers than the coast — makes spring and autumn the best seasons.

This is the inland Alicante few tourists know: castles, mountains and tradition less than an hour from the beach.