What an incredible week my husband and I had in Alicante with Inntravel! I hope this blog does justice to our hiking adventure and shares all the glorious moments we experienced.
Our trip took us into the region's hidden mountains, just an hour's drive from Alicante airport. This area feels like a different world, with terraced slopes adorned by charming small villages that ascend toward rugged limestone peaks rising over a thousand meters into the sky.
This was our fourth Inntravel walking holiday, and it did not disappoint. Armed with our maps and GPS, we arrived at our first destination, Tárbena, just in time for a late afternoon beer. Juan, the owner of this super guest house, greeted us and showed us our room, which had fantastic views of the village, the mountains, and the Mediterranean Sea in the distance. He was one of the most welcoming people we have ever met.
The village is surrounded by almond groves, creating a serene and authentic Spanish atmosphere. One of the aspects I cherish most about these getaways is immersing myself in the local culture and life in the mountains. Juan mentioned that the food we would be served is prepared using locally sourced ingredients. Many of his delicious dishes included foods Jamie and I had never tried, such as artichokes.
The next morning would be our first walk – a fabulous hike that set the tone for the rest of our trip. We explored a variety of landscapes, including moorland, pinewoods, and orchards filled with oranges, lemons, almonds, and olives. The scenery was impressive, with huge limestone rocks rising dramatically to form sheer cliffs and deep valleys. Pine trees, shrubs, and early wildflowers clung to the rocky terrain.
After a wonderful stay in Tárbena, we moved on to our next location. A long, tough walk took us to Castell de Castells, a village whose winding, narrow streets create a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. The only interruptions to our tranquillity were the church bells!
We spent our three nights in Castell de Castells in a beautifully restored 19th-century townhouse – a property that has been in the same family for over 100 years. Pilar, the owner, prepared the most delicious homemade evening meals, which we enjoyed in the intimate, softly lit, vaulted cellar. We savoured local wine and engaged in wonderful conversations as we met other walkers on the same schedule. Before dinner, we watched the sun go down on the roof terrace with an ice-cold beer, feeling happy and relaxed. After tough hikes, your body releases endorphins. Add nature, sunlight, and awe-inducing scenery, and your brain explodes with these happy hormones.
When transfer day came, we had two choices: a lengthy walk or a shortened version involving a taxi ride. We opted for the long route, and we weren’t disappointed. Again, we were in awe of the scenery, and a spa bath looking out onto the terrain we had just walked through was a welcome luxury on our arrival to our final hotel, located just outside the village of Benimaurell.
Jamie and I laughed through our first dinner here, interested in the menu options. We decided to start with pasta, and – naturally – chose the wild “bear” dish for our main course, which, as it turned out, was wild boar. We had an unusual combination of bread, chocolate, oil, and salt for dessert. You might think this pairing sounds odd, as we did, but it tasted amazing. And if you're not convinced by our choices, vegetarian options are available.
Before I finish, I need to talk about our last hike. Inntravel’s recommended trail from Benimaurell covers all three surrounding gorges, including the famous Barranco del Infierno (Hell's Ravine). It's a challenging route that requires a decent fitness level to complete. After the first steep descent and halfway through our ascent out of the first gorge, I seriously questioned my motivation. It did return, however, and the hike – often referred to as the "Cathedral of Hiking" – was truly exhilarating.
Finally, we headed home, feeling a sense of post-trip blues. This emotion seemed counterintuitive after a long hike – shouldn’t we be feeling revitalised and refreshed? The truth is that our bodies simply needed time to adjust to being back home. The "Eat, Sleep, Hike, Repeat" routine had put us on autopilot, which was fantastic during the hike, but transitioning back felt sad; we wanted to continue exploring wonderful landscapes.
The good news is that we’ve now adjusted and are raring to go once again. But where to?