A road trip along Spain’s east coast

Beautiful bays like Roses, coves where the pine trees grow right to the shoreline, large seaside resorts like Platja d’Aro and Lloret de Mar, and the fishing villages that once inspired Dalí. These days you can see the homes he created and lived in, at the Dalí Theatre-Museum (in Figueres), the Salvador Dalí House-Museum (in Portlligat, Cadaqués) and the Gala Dalí Castle (Púbol).If you like to enjoy the scenery while you drive, we recommend taking the GI-682 road from Tossa de Mar to Sant Feliu de Guíxols and stopping at the viewing points.These are the distances between the different points of interest along the route:- Barcelona – Roses: around 160 kilometres.- Roses – Cadaqués: around 20 kilometres.- Cadaqués – Platja d’Aro: around 100 kilometres.- Tossa de Mar – Sant Feliu de Guíxols: around 30 kilometres.

For the first leg of your journey south you can take the C-32, a toll motorway from Barcelona to Sitges. This is one of the liveliest towns on the Catalan coast, especially in summer and at Carnival (usually in late February).The route continues along the AP-7 motorway to destinations like Tarragona (its Roman archaeological site, Tarraco, is one of the best-conserved in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site) and iconic beach resorts on the Costa Daurada like Salou and Cambrils. Alternatively, you could go a little inland to see where Gaudi was born in Reus and visit the Gaudi Centre. If you like nature, we recommend venturing into the Delta de l’Ebre Natural Park (wetlands with a huge diversity of birds) and finishing off in Sant Carles de la Rápita. These are the distances between some of the points of interest along the route:

• Barcelona – Sitges: around 40 kilometres.
• Sitges – Tarragona: around 75 kilometres.
• Tarragona – Salou: around 15 kilometres.
• Salou – Reus: around 10 kilometres.
• Salou – Delta de l’Ebre Natural Park: around 75 kilometres.
• Delta de l’Ebre Natural Park – Sant Carles de la Rápita: around 25 kilometres.

Peñíscola (the castle next to the sea is one of the most iconic images of the Mediterranean coast of Valencia); the little fishing village of Alcossebre; major tourist resorts like Oropesa del Mar; the village of Benicàssim, a must in July when it hosts the Benicàssim International Festival (FIB); or the delightful town of Castellón de la Plana. These places are dotted along the coast of Castellón province, very popular among sailors. Further inland are two pretty villages among the mountains: Morella and VilafamésThese are the distances between the different points of interest along the route:

• Sant Carles de la Rápita – Peñíscola: around 50 kilometres.
• Peñíscola – Alcossebre: around 30 kilometres.
• Peñíscola – Morella: around 75 kilometres.
• Alcossebre – Oropesa: around 30 kilometres.
• Oropesa – Benicassim: around 15 kilometres.
• Benicàssim – Castellón de la Plana: around 20 kilometres.
• Castellón de la Plana – Vilafamés: around 20 kilometres.

We also recommend the nearby Albufera Natural Park, where you can take a boat through the rice paddies and marshes. To the north is Sagunto and its Roman theatre. To the south, long sandy beaches stretch down the coast, and you could spend a day or two swimming and sunbathing in towns like Cullera and Gandía.To see a bit of the inland area, try a side trip to the mountainous country of Serra Calderona and Serra d'Espadàn. The roads through these areas reveal stunning views at every turn, and lead to interesting villages like Segorbe (Castellón), Rubielos de Mora (Teruel) and Montanejos (Castellón) – the latter is known for its hot springs. It’s a perfect route for motorbikes.These are the distances between the different points of interest along the route:

• Castellón de la Plana – Valencia: around 70 kilometres.
• Valencia – Sagunto: around 35 kilometres north.
• Valencia – Segorbe: around 60 kilometres.
• Segorbe – Rubielos de Mora: around 60 kilometres.
• Valencia – Cullera: around 50 kilometres.
• Cullera – Gandía: around 30 kilometres.

For example, you can travel the CV-736 road and stop in places like Dénia, Jávea, Calpe or Altea along the way: perfect destinations to relax and enjoy the slow pace and the stress-free Mediterranean lifestyle. Further south lies Benidorm, one of the region’s most international tourist destinations; Villajoyosa (or Villa Joiosa), where you will love the historic centre and houses painted in bright colours; and Alicante, where you can combine cultural trips to Santa Bárbara Castle or the Archaeological Museum with strolls around its historic centre and sweeping San Juan beach.Other places to enjoy the sea along the Costa Blanca include Santa Pola, Torrevieja, and an excursion to the island of Tabarca. If you want to explore inland, you could visit Elche and its Palm Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage site.These are the distances between the different points of interest along the route:

• Castellón de la Plana – Valencia: around 70 kilometres.
• Valencia – Sagunto: around 35 kilometres north.
• Valencia – Segorbe: around 60 kilometres.
• Segorbe – Rubielos de Mora: around 60 kilometres.
• Valencia – Cullera: around 50 kilometres.
• Cullera – Gandía: around 30 kilometres.

From north to south, some of the most interesting spots are San Pedro del Pinatar, San Javier, and Cabo de Palos where you can enjoy time on the beach by the peaceful lagoon of Mar Menor, with all sorts of amenities close by. Meanwhile, you can find unspoilt nature in Calblanque Regional Park and on the coast from Águilas to Mazarrón, with the unlikely-looking rock formations of Bolnuevo and the landscape of Puntas de Calnegre.Cartagena, where you can visit the Roman theatre, and La Unión, home to a fun and educational Mining Park, are also interesting places to visit along the Costa Cálida. These are the distances between the different points of interest along the route:

• Torrevieja – San Pedro del Pinatar: around 25 kilometres.
• San Pedro del Pinatar – Cabo de Palos: around 50 kilometres.
• Cabo de Palos – Calblanque Beach: around 10 kilometres.
• Cabo de Palos – Cartagena: around 40 kilometres.
• Cartagena – La Unión: around 15 kilometres.
• Cartagena – Mazarrón: around 40 kilometres.
• Mazarrón – Águilas: around 40 kilometres.

You’ll want to take a quick side trip on the AL-3115 between San Miguel de Cabo de Gata and La Almadraba de Monteleva, an area which has been the setting of many films. If you have time, you could take a spin around Tabernas Desert, a protected desert landscape which looks uncannily like the background of classic westerns – because quite a few of them were filmed here.These are the distances between the different points of interest along the route:

• Águilas – Mojácar: around 65 kilometres.
• Mójacar – Níjar and Cabo de Gata beaches: around 60 kilometres.
• Cabo de Gata – Tabernas: around 60 kilometres.