Alcoi
A day, or come for the festival in April and book months ahead. The bridge, the Modernist houses and the museum take half a day.
A Modernist industrial city between two sierras, with the oldest Moors and Christians festival in Spain every April.
At a Glance
Alcoi industrialised early on textiles and paper, and the money built a centre of Modernist houses and a bridge over the gorge — the Pont de Sant Jordi — that is a local landmark. Its Moors and Christians festival in April is the oldest and largest of its kind, with days of processions and arquebus fire. The city sits between two sierras, fifty minutes inland from Alicante.
How it got here
Textile manufacturing defined the growth of Alcoi during the nineteenth century. Wealth from the industry funded the construction of iron bridges and Modernist residential architecture that bridged the deep gorges carved by the Serpis and Riquer rivers. The Moors and Christians festival commemorates the 1276 battle against the forces of Al-Azraq, a historical event integrated into the local calendar as a multi-day spectacle of processions and gunpowder volleys. This tradition persists as the central identity of the city, anchoring the community to its medieval origins while the architectural remnants of its industrial peak linger in the narrow streets of the historic centre.
Where it sits
The city occupies a natural basin between the Mariola and Font Roja mountains, a rugged landscape dominated by pine forests and scrubland. Deep ravines cut through the limestone terrain, forcing the city to expand upwards and across high-arched bridges. Access relies on the road network winding inland from the coastal plains of Alicante. Winter brings biting cold from the high interior, while summers remain tempered by the altitude and surrounding mountain shade. The geography creates a self-contained environment distinct from the humid Mediterranean lowlands, marking a transition point between the arid coast and the high plateaus of the interior.
What to eat and drink
The local cuisine relies on high-calorie preparations designed for mountain work. Olleta de blat consists of a heavy stew made from wheat, pork ribs, and legumes, served during the colder months. Borreta, a dish of salt cod, potatoes, and spinach, draws on the traditions of the interior sierras. For sweets, the city produces peladillas, sugar-coated almonds, and mantecados, dense lard-based biscuits. Herbero, a spirit distilled from local mountain herbs such as sage and chamomile, finishes the meal, reflecting the botanical variety of the nearby slopes. These dishes maintain a connection to the agrarian cycles of the surrounding Alicante hinterland.
Valencia: the whole region
A long, hot, flat coast with one excellent city at its centre and much emptier country behind it. Valencia itself earns three days on its own — the old town, the Central Market, the City of Arts, and the rice that was invented in the…
Minimum 3 days · better 5-6 days · deep 8-10 days
In Valencia
In Valencia
In Valencia
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