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QUIET SPAIN Relax and Enjoy the Mountain Good Life, at
Welcome, leave your stress outside the door, and make yourself at home.
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A little information about this region If you stand with your back to the Mediterranean anywhere on the Costa Blanca, and look inland you will see mountains, some close, some distant. Some residents know what lies beyond, many don’t, and many think there is a primitive world of donkey tracks and rocks with people living in third world conditions. In actual fact it is a very green world with varying types of terrain, modern cities and good roads. Consider Alcoy, 300 years ago it was a wealthy city of textile manufacturers, while Benidorm was a poor fishing village. Alcoy has a modern and up to date textile industry, the centre of the textile trade for Spain. One of the factories there produces textiles for NASSA, for space suits. For me this is where Spain really starts, as opposed to the cosmopolitan tourist zones of the Costas. Alcoy, known as the city of bridges, is also a city of contrasts, between the historic and the modern, known internationally as the home of the ‘Moors and Christians Fiesta’. The Plaza España, the historical hub of Alcoy is surrounded by classic architecture, the Parish Church of Santa Maria and Ayuntamiento were designer by the famous architect Santiago Calatrava . There are many walks around the narrow streets of grand old buildings. Details of which can be found in the town hall.
A short way along the main N340 is the town of Cocentaina, another urban area built under Moorish influence. The old part is centred around the originally Moorish Palace of the 13th. century which was renovated and extended by Ximén Perez de Corrella in the 1440’s. He was made a Count by king of Aragon Alfonso XIII for his services as a soldier. Adjacent to the Palace is the church of the Clarisas Convent with it’s striking renaissance interior. A walk around the narrow twisting streets of this Medieval quarter is quite fascinating. A few more kilometres further along the N340 you come to Muro de Alcoy on the southern slopes of the Mariola mountain range situated between the Agres and Serpis rivers. Again of Moorish origin with a medieval quarter. As the rest of the towns in the area it is concerned with the textile trade. This connection with the textile trade continues around the Mariola mountains to the other side, passing the delightful rural villages of Agres and Alfafara on our way to the historic town of Bocairente which dates back to Roman times and before. The modern textile factories exist quite happily along side thousands of years of history, as they do in the neighbouring towns of Bañeres and Biar. Alqueria de Asnar between Cocentaina and Muro takes it’s name from the Islamic, meaning a place occupied by a clan or family. Asnar was the family name of a Lord who drew up the village charter in 1662 when the Moors were finally expelled. The village is now centred around a paper recycling plant. Mountains dominate this region, between which there is much agriculture, cherries being an important crop, discovered to be viable not long ago as they are ready approximately two weeks before the rest of the European main crops. There are several mountain ranges in this area, the highest of which is the Aitana range with a peak of 1558m. Nearby is the Serrella range with it’s unusual pinnacle rock formations. All these mountain zones have now been designated nature reserves. Dotted around this whole area are small villages all with different characters but all with friendly inhabitants. The highest being Alcolecha , which is closely linked with historically with the neighbouring village of Penáguila, both of which have Moorish and historic buildings. Just above these villages is the Aitana Safari Park with lots of space for their collection of wild animals, the most impressive of which I think are the Tigers as they have a large enclosure and are in wonderful condition. This whole area which welcomes tourism, is too large and too busy to be spoiled by it. Now over 500 English have settled here and live happily in a normal, peaceful , Spanish environment. Full Details of all the villages in the area, and more can be found at:- www.costablanca.org just click on the towns drop down list and surf through them, you will find a lot of interesting information about this scenic area. If you check out this link you will be able to see many parts of the region live, in real time through a network of web cams:
A Map of the Alcoy region.
The red spot marks Balones.
Shopping in the Alcoy area The new "Alzamora" shopping centre is excellent, with it's fitness club and indoor swimming pool on the top floor. It has two levels of underground parking, which is convenient for the main shopping streets and indoor markets of Alcoy. Parking here is not expensive.
On the edge of Alcoy there is "Eroski", which is a hypermarket with excellent value for money where you can buy anything and parking is free. For those seeking even more economy there is a branch of "LIDL" on the outskirts of town also with free parking. Public transport is fine around the towns, but the rural bus service is very limited. Intercity buses from Alcoy, go to Alicante or Valencia where you can get a connection to anywhere in Europe. Alcoy also has a regional rail service to Valencia. Cocentaina As well as the normal shops and supermarkets Cocentaina has a Street Market every Wednesday, in the area around the Moorish Palace. Here you can buy everything from a fake Rolex to a live duckling. On the 31st. of October, which is the fiesta of "All Saints", Cocentaina is host to a large agricultural Fair. This has grown over recent years to encompass an Arab Market, Medieval Market, and many stalls and products from Peru, along with their haunting music played live. This gives the Fair an amazing atmosphere. Thursday Street Market in Cocentaina
The Mountain Areas he whole area is favoured by hill walkers through to mountaineers as there is terrain here to suit them all. Maps, routes and all types of information is about the area. If you like Eating & Walking, the village of Tollos is the place, as David of the "Restaurant L'Antiga Escola", takes groups walking every Wednesday then provides a meal after. This has become very popular. He also runs one-day cookery classes throughout the year. Check out his web site for. There are many interesting bars and restaurants dotted around the mountain Villages. Many of the restaurants specialise, like the Bar Aitana in Alcolecha where the sea food is excellent and always fresh in from Villajoyosa fishing port.
CONTACT DETAILS Our Address is:- Demelza & Mike Whittock. Casa Rural Serrella, Calle San Jose 1, BALONES 03812. Alicante, Spain. Telephone: (0034) 96 5511222. Fax, (not auto phone first) (0034) 96 5511222.
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