Page 250 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

248  EASTERN SP AIN
La Poble de
La Balma Benifassá
Exploring Valencia and Murcia Forcall La Sènia
MORELLA
The coasts of Valencia and Murcia offer popular seaside holidays and Mirambel EL MAESTRAT Sant Barcelona
water sports almost all year round. Principal resorts include Benidorm, Cantavieja Ares del Mateu Vinaròs
Benicàssim, La Manga del Mar Menor and Oropesa. Some coastal towns Maestre Benicarló
such as Peníscola, Gandia, Dénia, Alicante (Alacant) and Cartagena have Villafranca del Cid Albocácer
charming old quarters, castles and other sites well worth visiting. Close PENÍSCOLA
to the sea are several scenic nature reserves: the freshwater lagoon of Peñagolosa Alcossebre
L’Albufera, and, on the Costa Blanca, the saltpans of Santa Pola and the 1813m Cabanes Torreblanca
striking limestone crag of the Penyal d’Ifach. Inland, the region offers VILLAFAMÉS Oropesa
excursions to such undiscovered beauty spots as El Maestrat and the Zaragoza Alcora Benicàssim
mountains around Alcoi, as well as the undervisited historic towns of CASTELLÓ C O S TA DEL AZAHA R
Xàtiva and Lorca. The two regional capitals, Valencia and Murcia, are Viver ONDA DE LA PLANA
both lively university cities with fine cathedrals and numerous museums. Aras de Alpuente La Val
Alpuente d'Uxio Burriana
Segorbe COVES DE SANT JOSEP
A L T O T U R I A Pucol SAGUNT
Chelva Casinos
Utiel Turia Llíria MONASTERIO
DE EL PUIG
Madrid Requena Paterna
VALENCIA
Torrente
Buñol Catarroja
Magro
L'ALBUFERA
Cabriel
Júcar
Cortes de Pallas P A Í S Alginet
Cofrentes Sueca
VA L E N C I A N O Cullera
Alzira
Alberic
Ayora Tavernes de
la Valldigna
Enguera
XÀTIVA GANDIA
Madrid, Oliva
Fishing nets strung out in the lagoon of L’Albufera Albacete
Ontinyent DÉNIA
Pego
Agres XÀBIA
Getting Around Bocairent GUADALEST
The region’s principal roads are the A7/AP7/E15 ALCOI Callosa Calp
Ibi
motorway and the N332 along the coast. Other Yecla Villena d'en Sarrià PENYAL D'IFACH
motorways connect Valencia with Madrid, A3 Sax Altea
(E901), and Alicante with Madrid, N330 A31. There Xixona BENIDORM
are main rail lines from Alicante, Valencia and Jumilla Elda La Vila Joíosa
Murcia to Madrid and Barcelona, but the rest of NOVELDA El Campello
the rail network is rather fragmented and buses Albacete Aspe ALICANTE C o s t a B l a n c a
are often quicker than trains. A scenic narrow- (ALACANT)
gauge railway line along the Costa Blanca Segura Cieza Crevillente ELX (ELCHE)
connects Dénia to Alicante via Benidorm. Moratalla Calasparra Fortuna Santa Pola
The region’s international airports are at ILLA DE TABARCA
Alicante and Valencia. CARAVACA DE Cehegín Archena
LA CRUZ
Molina de ORIHUELA Guardamar del Segura
Mula Segura
Key El Moral Alcantarilla MURCIA TORREVIEJA
Motorway M U R C I A San Pedro
Major road Alhama de Murcia Corvera del Pinatar
Minor road Luchena Totana San Javier MAR MENOR
Scenic route Torre Pacheco
Main railway LORCA Guadalentín La Unión
Minor railway Granada Mazarrón CARTAGENA
Regional border Puerto Puerto de Mazarrón
Lumbreras Cabo Tiñoso
Summit
Almeira
Águilas COSTA CÁLIDA
For keys to symbols see back flap
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