Traveling in SE Spain

[John Zumsteg]

Hola a todos!

Sure been quiet on this group lately...but I'm starting to plan our next
Spain trip (May, 2010) and so of course I've some questions.

First, can anybody give me some general information on the area between
Valencia and Malaga? This is the last area of Spain we haven't visited
and we plan to spend some time there. Anything specific about Alicante,
Murcia, Cartegena? As most of you know, we like best the small towns and
out of the way places. I'm hoping Travelspain members who know this area
can give me general impressions and things to see and things to not miss.

Muchas gracias!

John

[Karen Sanchez]

We went to Cullera to the beach a number of years ago.  It was ok, basically a beach town - which is what we wanted.  But I do remember there being a castle at the top of a mountain.....very nifty, gorgeous views, neat old church there too.  We stayed at the Hotel Sicania on Playa Raco.  There is also a very pretty lighthouse at the opposite end of town.

 

Karen

---

From: John Zumsteg <jzum...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
To: trave...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 1:40:12 PM
Subject: [travelspain] Traveling in SE Spain

[Rosemary Potter]

Hi John

 

Have never visited Murcia or Cartagena but one place I liked which is between Alicante and Valenice is Játiva (Xativa) which is a few miles inland.  It is a medium-sized town and is famous for being the birthplace of pope Alexander VI (father of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia).  There is a castle at the top of a hill which I walked up to in the sweltering heat only to find it wasn’t open that day, but the view was wonderful.  Also the Albufera (south of Valenica) is worth a visit.

 

Hope you have a good time, wherever you go!

 

Best wishes

Rosemary

[Alfonso Gonzalez]

Very glad this group is still alive. Haven't sent any messages because
didn't think the group was still active.
John & Karen glad you are still around. But, John you aren't going until
2010? I assume that Karen continues to go annually to Salamanca with
side-trips. I still do my usual (generally)....Madrid, then to coastal
Murcia, then to Galicia (mostly Orense province) & then back to Madrid.
In the SE I spend most/all of my time recently in Santiago de la Ribera
(Murcia). To me some of the best sites I've visited, and remember,
between Valencia and Málaga......1. La Albufera coastal lagoon south of
Valencia)... companion loves bird-watching and it´s a nice place
2. Guadalest (Villa Castillo de Guadalest) 28 km NW of Benidorm
(unrecognizable since the 1970s) on the road to Alcoy... nice castle and
views
3. Alicante used to be a nice pleasant small city. but now is big / busy
and hell to park in (like even modest-sized cities)
4. Elche about 18 km WSW and inland from Alicante....only place in
Europe where the date palm produces fruit....there are plantations there
and, for a geographer, worth a visit
5. Torrevieja....half-way between Alicante and Cartagena,....typical
fast-growing coastal resort town....also unrecognizable sine the
´70s....there are many of them between Valencia & Málaga
6. Santiago de la Ribera (coastal resort in Murcia prov)...where I visit
my cousins in the summer.....nice place, like so many others
7. resort of La Manga and the Mar Menor.....resort center on a coastal
bar and almost-enclosed coastal lagoon....major coastal resort of the
district
8. Cartagena....medium-sized city....w/fort and nice views and pleasant
city (parking easier than in Alicante)
Am planning to go to Spain and do my usual routine this summer. Hope you
all have a great time in Spain whenever you go.....
Alfonso

Rosemary Potter wrote:
>
> Hi John
>
> Have never visited Murcia or Cartagena but one place I liked which is
> between Alicante and Valenice is Játiva (Xativa) which is a few miles
> inland. It is a medium-sized town and is famous for being the
> birthplace of pope Alexander VI (father of Cesare and Lucrezia
> Borgia). There is a castle at the top of a hill which I walked up to
> in the sweltering heat only to find it wasn’t open that day, but the
> view was wonderful. Also the Albufera (south of Valenica) is worth a
> visit.
>
> Hope you have a good time, wherever you go!
>
> Best wishes
>
> Rosemary
>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* John Zumsteg <jzum...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
> *To:* trave...@googlegroups.com
> *Sent:* Saturday, January 31, 2009 1:40:12 PM
> *Subject:* [travelspain] Traveling in SE Spain

[Webmaster - Conference Coordinator Spain]

Its just awful around the area I am in now. I am near Mojacar which in itself is still a nice small town, mainly due to the lack of high rise buildings and strict building regulations.

So boring here tho and ridiculous that I have to do a 20km round trip just to buy a loaf of bread!

Cabo de Gata is quite local and popular picnic type area and also great for diving apparently. Overall tho this is the only official desert area in Europe I understand so I was crazy to move here with the old people.

[Webmaster - Conference Coordinator Spain]

Its just awful around the area I am in now. I am near Mojacar which in itself is still a nice small town, mainly due to the lack of high rise buildings and strict building regulations.

So boring here tho and ridiculous that I have to do a 20km round trip just to buy a loaf of bread!

Cabo de Gata is quite local and popular picnic type area and also great for diving apparently. Overall tho this is the only official desert area in Europe I inderstand so I was crazy to move here with the old people.

[Mac]

Where I live in Scotland it is a 20 mile round trip to buy anything at
all. You could get yourself a breadmaker!

On 2 feb, 11:45, Webmaster - Conference Coordinator Spain

> >> *From:* John Zumsteg <jzums...@DirectionsConsulting.com>

> >> *To:* trave...@googlegroups.com
> >> *Sent:* Saturday, January 31, 2009 1:40:12 PM
> >> *Subject:* [travelspain] Traveling in SE Spain
>
> >> Hola a todos!
>
> >> Sure been quiet on this group lately...but I'm starting to plan our next
> >> Spain trip (May, 2010) and so of course I've some questions.
>
> >> First, can anybody give me some general information on the area between
> >> Valencia and Malaga? This is the last area of Spain we haven't visited
> >> and we plan to spend some time there. Anything specific about Alicante,
> >> Murcia, Cartegena? As most of you know, we like best the small towns and
> >> out of the way places. I'm hoping Travelspain members who know this area
> >> can give me general impressions and things to see and things to not miss.
>
> >> Muchas gracias!
>

> >> John- Ocultar texto de la cita -
>
> - Mostrar texto de la cita -

[Mac]

Hello John

You'll have read my accounts in the past few years of travelling in
the areas you mention, but of course as always my writing is extremely
subjective. My favourites in recent times have been the Alpujarran
villages on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Near Málaga, I
really liked Comares - its views are tremendous, and the village is
making a great effort to be visitor-friendly. Murcia city I found
quite charming and old-fashioned, with not much to attract the
tourist. Alfonso has given a very good run-down on several other
places, and I would generally agree with what he says.

Buena suerte

Mac

On 31 ene, 18:40, John Zumsteg <jzums...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
wrote:

[John Zumsteg]

Hi, Mac,

I have, indeed, been reading your travel reports, not just because
they're about the area I plan to visit, but because they are great
reading. I have a friend who lived in Granada for a year and who also
loved Comares, and the villages of the Sierra Nevada. We will definitely
pick a couple to stay on our trip.

We're hoping to retire in 2011 and live in Spain for a year and France
for a year. (Given the state of my retirement investments, it could be a
month in each place unless things improve!) So we're also starting to
think of places we could live for a year, and we suspect it will be in
the south, but no idea yet where. France is not a problem; we want to be
quite near Paris and we are close friends with several couples who live
in small villages 30 minutes south of Paris, so we'll almost certainly
stay in one of those places.

Again, thanks for your wonderful and evocative travel stories. They're
simply wonderful!

John

[Lest...@sbcglobal.net]

John,

Belatedly catching up on my emails ... we had a really nice visit to
the little town of Velez Blando, west of Lorca. The castle there is
nicely restored, although the entire courtyard is missing, shipped off
to New York during the romantic era.... Outside of town are some
lovely prehistoric paintings on a cliffside. Very few visitors, so
our one-on-one tour/explanation with the guide made it really
memorable. Great views from up there, too.

Lester

On Jan 31, 10:40 am, John Zumsteg <jzums...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
wrote:

[brian glynn]

John, I've been told by my daughter who studied at the U of Valencia, as did I,  that Alicante is charming and busy. Benidorm is a little less intense and La Albufera is lovely. All of  these are just south of Valencia, which in itself is a lovely little city which has changed dramatically over the years since my soujourn there in '67/'68. I still  find it charming and very doable as well as a nice city for strolling. I'm probably a little biased since I spent time there as a student and have pleasant memories. All the best, Brian Glynn 908 507 7694 --- On Tue, 2/24/09, Lest...@sbcglobal.net <Lest...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

[Lest...@sbcglobal.net]

John,

Belatedly catching up on my emails ... we had a really nice visit to
the little town of Velez Blando, west of Lorca. The castle there is
nicely restored, although the entire courtyard is missing, shipped off
to New York during the romantic era.... Outside of town are some
lovely prehistoric paintings on a cliffside. Very few visitors, so
our one-on-one tour/explanation with the guide made it really
memorable. Great views from up there, too.

Lester

On Jan 31, 10:40 am, John Zumsteg <jzums...@DirectionsConsulting.com>
wrote:

[Webmaster - Conference Coordinator Spain]

I would say that you saved the least attractive parts of Spain til last so well done.

 If you don't have to stray further south than Valencia you probably aren't missing a great deal. Of course Benidorm is Benidorm and changed very little over the years and Alicante is still a bit of a dive as it always has been.

There are some pretty towns further down around Lorca as mentioned and Murcia isnt too bad and one or two coastal 'villages' like Mojacar which is where I am currently. However this area is of course the only recognised official desert in Europe and so is pretty barren overall and one of the least attractive places to actually visit or stay here apart from the cheap costs of property etc compared a lot of the more popular regions. What nice places there are are so spread out that it isnt practical in many senses to travel between them. Even here in Mojacar I have to drive 45 mins to get any proper shops.

Tho of course it is horses for courses and this is exactly some peoples cup of tea.