Peñíscola: Papa Luna Castle, Old Town and 5.5 km of Beach
Town of about 8,800 on the northern Costa Azahar: Papa Luna castle and old town on a rock, 5.5 km of Playa Norte, the Sierra de Irta park next door and a station in Benicarló.
Níjar: San José, Rodalquilar and the Cabo de Gata Coves
Large municipality of about 33,000 people covering the Cabo de Gata-Níjar park: San José, Rodalquilar, 37 beaches and coves, and a craft village inland.
Vinaròs
What Vinaròs is really like: the famed langostino king prawn, the fortified old-town church, the fish market and the coves at the top of the Costa del Azahar.
El Ejido
What El Ejido is really like: the Almerimar marina resort, Punta Entinas-Sabinar nature reserve, quiet beaches and the Costa de Almeria beyond the greenhouses.
Silla: Albufera Gateway on the Costa de Valencia
Guide to Silla — the southern gateway to the Albufera natural park: boat trips from its port, rice fields, paella country and Valencia commuter links.
Tavernes de la Valldigna: 6 km of Beach, Castle Ruins and a Prehistoric Cave
Town of 17,866 in La Safor, 54 km from Valencia, with a beach about 5 km away: 2,070 m of sand, water sports, castle ruins, marked trails and the Bolomor cave.
El Puig de Santa Maria: Monastery, Beach and Battle History
What El Puig de Santa Maria is really like — a landmark monastery, a quiet beach and a decisive place in Valencia’s reconquest, just north of the city.
Buñol: La Tomatina, the Inhabited Castle and the Water Route
Inland town 40 km from Valencia: a castle with homes inside, the ticketed La Tomatina on the last Wednesday of August, and a river walk whose parts were flood-damaged.
Quart de Poblet: Old Town and River Turia Greenway
What Quart de Poblet is really like — a historic core, the Turia greenway and fast metro access just west of Valencia.
Moncada: Horta Nord Town Near Valencia
Horta Nord town on Valencia’s northern edge: guided visits to the Iberian settlement of Tos Pelat, huerta paths and a metro line into the city. No beach.