Welcome to Hooked on Walking Holidays and our walking holidays in Spain. This hiking vacation is in a region just in land from what is known as the Costa Blanca. This is a true hidden area of Spain allowing you to explore rural Spain at it best. This is a seven night hotel-to-hotel trek. The first and last nights are spent in Callosa d’En Sarrià, a market town and gateway to the inland Sierras of Aitana (1558m) Serrella (1379m) Aixortà (1218m) and Bernia (1129m)
This tour takes you through some of the most stunning scenery on the Costa Blanca along ancient footpaths, forestry tracks and quiet country roads. It includes stays in whitewashed mountain villages that date from the Moorish occupation of Spain. This area is little visited so you will be exploring mostly "uncharted" terrain and are unlikely to meet many other walkers.
In southeast Spain in the mountainous region between Valencia and Alicante and some 20km inland from the coastal resort of Altea.

Available daily year round excluding July and August
Level 2-3 self guided tour

Day 1
Transfer from the airport to Callosa de En Sarria where you can spend the rest of the day exploring the old town; narrow streets and houses built on Moorish foundations with views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 2 Callosa to Benimantell, 13.9 km and 635m ascent.
Today is a gentle walk of 4½ to 5 hours that takes you through irrigated terraces of oranges, lemons and loquats around Callosa and up into the olive, almond and pine groves of the surrounding hillsides. There are also views of the sea in the distance as you get higher into the hills.

Day 3: Benimantell to Benifato, 14.4 km and 690m ascent.
Walking time 5 to 6 hours. Today you will climb up onto the highest mountain range in the region, the 1558m  Sierra Aitana. You will have an unrivaled view of the Costa Blanca. There is also a shorter 9 km and 650m route for those who prefer a more leisurely walk and a dip in the pool before sunset.

Day 4: Benifato to Confrides, 18.7 km and 760m ascent.
Walking time is 5½ to 6½ hours with an option for an extra +4 km. This walk takes you from east to west along the north face of the Aitana, passing several freshwater springs and three ice houses, large covered stone pits where winter snow was pressed into ice and stored until it was transported down to the villages in summer.

Day 5 Confrides to Castells de Castells, 18.7 km and 495m ascent.
Walking time is 5½ hours with a +6 km option for a detour to the castle. This walk takes you out of the Guadalest Valley, over Serrella and into the parallel Castells de Castells Valley. Your route is that of the ancient track that connects the two valleys, to get to today's destination by road entails a 20 km detour. You will have excellent views of the whole Guadalest Valley as you approach the pass.

Day 6 Castells de Castells to Tàrbena, 18.1 km and 520m ascent.
Walking time is 5 hours with options for a 2 km detour to the rock arches and a +4 km detour to the site of an Iberian settlement. Today you travel through the quietest and most uninhabited part of your route into the hidden valleys of Garx and Bijauca, Moorish names that have persisted for more than 1000 years.

Day 7 Tàrbena to Callosa, 16.2 km and 280m ascent.
Today is a relaxed day of mostly downhill walking that takes you through the olive, almond and pine groves of the Tàrbena Valley and into the semi-tropical Algar where you can visit the impressive Algar Falls, a series of natural pools and waterfalls, before finishing your circuit in Callosa where you started.

Day 8 Departure after breakfast
Transfer to Alicante airport for your return journey home.

Difficulty: Day-walks of 4 to 7 hours during which you climb and descend an average of 500m (maximum 760m).

Accommodation: We have especially chosen typical accommodation that fit the character of the walk, small quiet Spanish family run Pensions, Casa Rurals and Hotels, which ever we feel has the best quality of service from the choice available.
You will be assured of a friendly welcome at the end of a day's walking and perhaps a dip in the pool, roof top dinner, or aperitifs on your balcony depending on the location. Accommodation is full board (breakfast, packed lunch and supper) so your extra costs are minimal. You can choose to spend two or more nights in any location, just let us know when you book.

2009 Prices

How to get there
By plane to Alicante or Murcia or Valencia airports
Private transfers from Alicante airport £165 (1-4 pax )
From Alicante you can take a bus via Benidorm to the tour start. Travel time around 2 hours with costs roughly 9 Euro.
To view other walking holidays in Spain Picos8 , Picos12 , Sierra de Gredos , Majorca,Andalusia , St James Way, Tenerife , White Villages of Andalusia , Guided tour in Andalusia, Catalonia , Pearl of the Balearic , Ordesa , Green coast of Asturias

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Cycling Holidays in Spain

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