Food and wine on the Costa Blanca

Not far from Valencia you’ll find the gargantuan freshwater lagoon of Albufera, surrounded by pine-forest dunes, it’s home to an impressive ecosystem - and to the fields that grow paella rice. We’ll take a boat trip out onto the water to gain a different perspective of these tranquil wetlands. Back on dry land, we’ll have some time to explore more of the park, before making our way to the village of El Palmar, the original home of paella. We’ll learn how to make the dish the authentic way, with the help of a local chef, before sitting down in a farmhouse kitchen to enjoy our spoils.

Dominating the skyline, the verdant and craggy cliff faces of Montgó Natural Park are home to some Spain’s most unusual plants and animals. We’ll admire the sea views from the rugged headland of Javea Bay and visit the lighthouse there. After working up a thirst, it’s time to head to La Marina Alta – an attractive coastal town that is known for its excellent vineyards. We stop at a local wine cellar and learn more about Alicante’s unusual grape varieties and taste some of them, too.

We head to the sprawling orange speckled groves of Carcaixent – which legend says is the birthplace of this humble fruit. It’s at Huerto Ribera [more stately home than fruit farm] that we’ll learn every fascinating detail about the iconic Valencia orange and even get to pick some ourselves before tasting all manner of treats. We’ll also have some time to stop at Magatzem de Ribera – or the Orange Cathedral as its fondly known.

Gandia is the birthplace of the scandalous Borgias family, who were famed for their political and treacherous behaviour during the Italian Rennaissance. We’ll take a guided tour of this ancient city, including their former home – the Ducal Palace. Afterwards, we’ll watch as a chef prepares fideua, a local delicacy that sees pasta replace the rice in a seafood paella. It’s delicious – and we’ll get to enjoy it for our lunch.