Spanish Mediterranean Coast

Spain's eastern coast from Catalonia to Murcia, linking Gaudí's Barcelona, Valencia's paella and the beaches of the Costa Blanca.

This region covers three autonomous communities, Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia, stretching along the Mediterranean from the French border all the way to Andalusia. It borders the northeast (Aragón) and Central Spain (Castilla-La Mancha) to the west. Offshore islands such as Mallorca and Ibiza belong to the Balearic Islands, and the Aran Valley in Catalonia's northwest is covered with the Pyrenees in the northeast. Barcelona is the heart of the region: the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Milà and Casa Batlló make up a Gaudí architecture tour, while the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla and La Boqueria market are best explored on foot. Nearby, you can visit Montserrat Monastery, the old town of Girona, the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres and the Costa Brava, with its many cliff-backed coves; Tarragona has Roman ruins. Valencia is the home of paella, and its City of Arts and Sciences, the Central Market in the old town and the Las Fallas festival every March are the most representative sights. Further south, the Costa Blanca around Alicante is mainly for beach holidays, and the Roman theatres in Murcia and the port city of Cartagena are also worth seeing. We suggest 3–4 days in Barcelona, 2 days in Valencia and 1–2 days in Alicante, heading south along the coast for 7–10 days in total. The train from Barcelona to Valencia takes about 3 hours, and Valencia to Alicante about 2 hours; the high-speed train from Madrid to Barcelona takes about 2.5 hours, and to Valencia under 2 hours. Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante all have international airports. Pickpocketing is common in Barcelona, and attractions such as the Sagrada Família require advance booking.

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