Catalonia, Valencia, and the Costa Blanca: Places to Explore

The Greeks called it Akra Leuka (White Summit), and the Romans named it Lucentum (City of Light). As a crossroads for inland and coastal routes, Alicante has always been known for its luminous skies. The... Read more

An old fishing village, Altea is one of the best-preserved towns on the Costa Blanca. Look for gleaming white houses and a striking church with a blue ceramic-tile dome. The beach is pebbly. North of town... Read more

Besalú, the capital of a feudal county until power was transferred to Barcelona at the beginning of the 12th century, remains one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Catalonia. Among its main... Read more

Visitor Information Calpe. Visitor Information Calpe. Av. Ejércitos Españoles 30, Calpe, 03710. 965/836920. www.calpe.es.... Read more

The Costa Brava (Wild Coast) is a nearly unbroken series of sheer rock cliffs dropping down to crystalline waters, capriciously punctuated with innumerable coves and tiny beaches on narrow inlets, called... Read more

Figueres is the capital of the comarca (county) of the Alt Empordà, the bustling county seat of this predominantly agricultural region. Local people come from the surrounding area to shop at its... Read more

Girona (Gerona in Castilian), a city of more than 70,000 inhabitants, keeps intact the magic of its historic past. In fact, with its brooding hilltop castle, soaring cathedral, and dreamy riverside setting... Read more

Capital of the Garrotxa area, Olot is famous for its 19th-century school of landscape painters and has several excellent Art Nouveau buildings, including the Casa Solà-Morales, which has a facade... Read more

Rupit is a spectacular stop for its medieval houses and its food, the highlight of which is beef-stuffed potatoes. Built into a rocky promontory over a stream in the rugged Collsacabra region (about halfway... Read more

With its vast Roman remains, walls, and fortifications and its medieval Christian monuments, Tarragona was selected by UNESCO in 2000 as a World Heritage Site. The city today is a vibrant center of culture... Read more

Valencia is a proud city. It was the last holdout in Spain to stand with the Republican Loyalists against General Franco before the country fell to 40 years of dictatorship. Today it represents the essence... Read more