Tàrbena

It is a magnet for hikers and climbers, drawn to the area due to an abundance of spectacular routes. And for cyclists, the ascent and descent of Coll de Rates is one of the feature rides in the whole of the Valencia region. 

Only 25km inland from the coast, Tàrbena has breathtaking views of the Benidorm skyline, Albir and the Mediterranean, yet you could quite easily imagine you have landed in the green hills of northern Spain, such is the scenic setting of this rural Costa Blanca gem.

Many of the villagers descend from the original 17 Mallorcan families drafted in to repopulate Tàrbena during the 17th century, after the national expulsion of the Moriscos. 

Friendly and welcoming, you will immediately feel the warmth of their hospitality in the handful of pleasant bars and typically rural Spanish restaurants where Paella Valenciana and Mallorcan-inspired cured pork delicacy Sobrassada con Miel are always on the menu.

Tàrbena is a gateway to an outdoor paradise and the simple pleasure of residing amongst majestic scenery in a place where time seems to have stood still. Life can throw up many choices but deciding to travel to Tàrbena for a holiday is surely one of life’s easier decisions.