Callosa d’en Sarrià

In summertime, a heavy orange sun shimmers off the protective nets covering the fruit trees. When harvested, you can devour it as you would a peach, although equally delicious when made into a rich jam, the perfect gift to take back to the UK.

Working off first impressions you might just pass on through this agricultural town sitting in the Guadalest River valley. 

But park up and linger for a while, walk to the 18th-century Church of Saint John, meander the streets of the Old Town, and there’s a strong possibility you’ll soon begin to cherish Callosa.

Renowned for its vibrant Moors and Christians festival which has been taking place on the second Sunday of October since 1860, the event has been awarded national tourist recognition since 1985. Well worth trying to slot into the holiday plans if you’re in the area at the time.

Just outside of town, a couple of kilometres away, you have one of Costa Blanca’s most famous tourist locations, Fonts d’Algar. A 1.5km loop of spectacular waterfalls, caves, gorges, canyons and freshwater pools. It is a must-do for your holiday bucket list.

But make a day of it and reserve a table at one of Algar’s restaurants, where you can spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying a traditional al fresco lunch.