You can’t beat the experience of visiting Barcelona or Madrid, but there’s something magical about slowing down a little and exploring the Eastern coast of Spain. Take a journey through the golden Mediterranean beaches, the historic towns with their Moorish influences and the vibrant coastal cities.

Enjoy the futuristic architecture of Valencia’s City of Arts and Sciences, medieval castles, rich culture, tranquil walks along the sea, stunning scenery and fabulous food.

Valencia, Alicante and Tarragona

 Valencia is Spain’s third largest city but it is often overlooked because of the popularity of Barcelona and Madrid. It is easy to fall in love with the city that lays claim to being the birthplace of paella.

It has the City of Arts and Sciences, one of the more unique attractions in the country, voted one of Spain’s 12 treasures. The futuristic complex that rises up from the riverbed of the former Turia River is a sweeping white structure that has curved walkways and reflective pools. It is home to Europe’s largest aquarium, and it also houses a science museum, IMAX, planetarium and opera house.

Valencia Cathedral combines a number of architectural styles, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque. One of its chapels has a chalice that is traditionally thought of as being the Holy Grail. The Miguelete Bell Tower or “El Micalet” adjacent to the cathedral and was built later and then joined when the cathedral’s nave was extended.

It is an iconic feature of the city’s skyline.

Take a five-minute walk from the cathedral and you will find yourself at Mercado Central. It is recognized as one of the largest and most beautiful fresh food markets in Europe. The lovely building yields such treasures as fine Iberian ham, spices, fresh seafood and fruit. If you take a paella course in Valencia — and you really should — it will start with shopping at the market.

Real Valencia paella is made with chicken and rabbit, no seafood, and it is traditionally only served at lunch.

Across the street from Mercado Central is La Long de la Seda. A former silk exchange and a UNESCO World Heritage site, it’s a great example of Gothic Civic architecture. The main trading hall features soaring columns twisting up to the vaulted ceiling given the appearance of stone palm trees.

The Church of San Nicolás is often referred to as Valencia’s Sistine Chapel it has ceilings painted wall to wall.

Historic castles, golden beaches and a seaside promenade like no other await visitors to Alicante. Check out the amazing archeological finds in the Castillo de Santa Bárbara. Built at the end of the 9th century, it offers a weapons courtyard, panoramic views of the city, a cafe and restaurant. Climb the Macho del Castillo tower for epic 360° views of the area.

The Central Market, built in 1912, has 300 stalls selling household items, vegetables, fish and there’s lots of dining options.

Take a wine tour. A 45-minute drive away takes you to the Vinalopo Wine Region. Wineries here produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Garnacha and Fondillon, a dessert wine aged 10 years before it is served.

An iconic feature of Alicante is the Explanada de Espana. Imagine 6 million marble tiles laid out in a wave pattern on the main promenade.

Dubbed the mini-Barcelona without the crowds, visitors to Tarragona can view some of the best Roman ruins in the country. The amphitheater by the sea was built in the 2nd century AD. This stunning theater was the site of gladiator and wrestling contests, executions and displays of exotic animals. In the center is the remains of a Visigothic church which was built to honor martyr Christian St. Fructuos.

The Tarragona National Archeological Museum has some impressive collections. It occupies a stunning neoclassical building. There are Roman mosaics depicting Medusa’s head and hunting scenes. An entire floor is dedicated to busts and statues including those of Roman emperors.There’s a nice group of mythical deities and beasts as well as a section devoted to items from every day Roman life.

Peñiscola, Cadaques, Altea and Dénia

 Peñiscola is a charming walled town with a great old town and a hilltop castle. Many areas around town might look familiar because scenes from “Game of Thrones” were filmed here. The town sits on a bluff surrounded on three sides by the Mediterranean The Knights of Templar built a castle at the highest point in the 13th century on foundations of Phoenician and Arab building sites.

Pope Benedict XIII used it as a stronghold in the 1400s so it is the only town that hosted a papal court in Europe other than Rome and Avignon. Visitors can access castle fortifications and visit Artillery Park where numerous pieces of artillery used to defend the castle still remain. The Peñiscola Lighthouse is in the lower area of the castle and it has been refurbished and its light still guides ships in. It offers amazing views of the sea, castle grounds and surrounding area.

The charming Church of La Ermitana is a lovely example of Baroque style architecture. It was built on the site of an old chapel. Don’t miss the Casa de las Conchas, or House of Shells. Every inch of the facade is covered with shells. The story is the woman who owned the house traded items to sailors for shells and she created this homage to the Mediterranean Sea.

White-washed homes with vibrant colored doors provide a dramatic counterpoint to the coastal landscape in Cadaques.

The town has a deep artistic heritage. Visit the Salvador Dali House Museum for a view of how the artist lived and worked for four decades. The house is a maze of interconnected huts that Dali expanded into living space. There are irregular hallways, interesting taxidermy items, giant decorated eggs and the oval room created for his wife, Gala.

The Moorish influence is evident in Altea where you can walk down cobblestone streets and admire the white-washed buildings decorated with hanging plants and bright bougainvillea flowers. Charming boutique shops sell jewelry, unique pottery and ceramics. There’s plenty of outdoor restaurants and cafés where you can enjoy a beverage and a snack and do some people watching.

The Moorish influence is evident in the architecture of the Church of Our Lady of Consolation. It has two domes covered in blue and white mosaic tiles. The Russian Orthodox Church, Iglesia Orthodox Rusa San Miguel Arcangel is a beautiful wooden church constructed of materials brought from Russia. It is thought to be the first Russian Orthodox Church in Spain.

Dénia is located at the foot of the Montgó Mountain. Enjoy some fabulous views of the countryside from the top of Dénia Castle. Built originally as an Arab Palace and citadel, it was renovated several times, additions were added and it became the Governor’s Palace. It houses a small museum with some great artifacts from Iberian, Roman, Muslim and Christian eras.

Stroll down the pedestrian walkway from the castle entrance. There are boutiques and restaurants in the lower levels of many of the charming row houses. The Baix la Mar is an historic fisherman’s neighborhood where you can enjoy fabulous seafood at the outdoor restaurants.

A UNESCO World Heritage site for its food culture, Dénia is renowned for several specialties including fideuà which is similar to paella only with noodles as well as gambas rojas, red prawns. There are more than 365 restaurants in town and many offer their brand of house made vermouth.

Take a nostalgic trip through Spain’s toy making heritage at the Toy Museum. Towns like Dénia and Ibi were national hubs for toy production when a blight wiped out grape crops used for raisin production. At the museum you can track the progression from tin toys to brightly colored wooden toys and then to dolls and pedal cars.

Have we piqued your interest in a trip to the Eastern coast of Spain? Travel advisors at GetAway Travel can craft you a trip with adventure, downtime and some house vermouth.We can be reached at: (262) 538-2140, e-mail: sue@getaway.travel or paul@getaway.travel