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Slow Lane Magazine, May 2019
Insights and stories from across Europe and beyond
  • favourite (but oft-forgotten) festivals
  • Nepal's secret valley
  • boutique beauty in Drôme Provençale
  • carving out a future in southern Italy
  • Inntravellers' Tales – our new writing competition
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New Year in the Mountains of Alicante

Celebrate in Valencia
 
Your genial hosts at this delightfully renovated townhouse will ensure you have a relaxing break. By day, enjoy varied, self-guided walks through dramatic ravines and fertile valleys (car hire included), and on New Year’s Eve savour a special dinner before celebrating with villagers in the square.
New Year in the Mountains of Alicante. 4 nights
New Year in the Mountains of Alicante. 4 nights
 

Holiday information

 

A New Year break in Alicante’s mountains

The friendly hospitality is perhaps the main reason for choosing Casa Pilar in the pretty village of Castell de Castells for your New Year break – you’ll find a warm welcome and excellent home cooking at Pilar and Juan José’s delightfully renovated town house, especially on New Year’s Eve itself, which is marked by a celebratory four-course dinner.

Another reason is the setting. These mountains may be only twenty-five kilometres from the Costa Blanca, as the crow flies, but they feel like another world completely, with terraced slopes and authentic villages guarded by craggy limestone peaks.
From Castell de Castells you have easy access to some scenic walks amid olive groves (December is harvest time) and along panoramic ridges – we provide route notes and a hire car with which to explore.
 
Gallery
 

Walking & more

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights. There’s no fixed itinerary, so take your pick of our suggested walking routes as the mood takes you.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    In the mountains, temperatures will be cooler than those shown above. The almond groves are in blossom in February. Early spring also brings colourful displays, which last until June.

     
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 16 16 18 20 23 26 29 30 28 23 19 16
    mm 32 32 35 37 31 21 9 20 44 81 53 47
  • Choice of routes: 10.5km to 16km

    Prehistoric caves: 16km, 6hrs; shorter option: 9km, 3.5hrs
    This walk starts with a short transfer to Tollos (pay locally), after which you walk along the floor of a gorge planted with almond and olive trees to the site of some fascinating 8,000-year-old Neolithic cave paintings, which you have time to visit. You return to Castell on paths and tracks that follow the course of a dry riverbed. For an easier day, it is possible to shorten the route – the abridged version still leads via the ancient cave paintings.

    La Llacuna: 10.5km, 4.5hrs
    Ascend past olive, almond and carob groves to La Llacuna, so named because it was once the site of a former mountain lake. Nowadays it is home to considerable numbers of partridges and even quails.

    The watchtower: 13km, 6hrs; shorter option 9.5km, 4hrs
    Paths rise through the hills south of the town to reach a ruined Moorish watchtower which perches on precipitous crags, affording sweeping views for miles around. You return along an equally panoramic ridge. (The section along the ridge is not recommended for vertigo sufferers; we provide notes for an alternative (and more direct) return route from the watchtower to Castell.)
    Watchtower route
  • Choice of routes: 12km or 14km

    Limestone landscapes: 12km, 5hrs
    Starting and finishing in nearby Tárbena, this route reveals very varied scenery, passing several breathtaking viewpoints from which you can admire the panorama of hills, gorges and fertile valleys planted with almond, avocado and carob trees.

    The ‘Cathedral of Hiking’: 14km, 7hrs
    This challenging circular route from Benimaurell (30 minutes' drive away) is one of the region’s most spectacular trails. Consisting of a series of ascents and descents on ancient stone steps, it offers some huge sweeping views as it leads you between three atmospheric ravines, including the famous Barranco del Infierno (‘Hell’s Ravine’), formed thousands of years ago by the River Girona. Pass between its sheer walls before climbing out of the gorge and back up to Benimaurell.
    Barranco del Infierno
  • Wine tasting and more
    Your hosts are a mine of information and will advise you on the best places to go if you fancy a break from walking. They can also arrange visits to local bodegas for wine tastings.
  • Celebrate with a special meal
    The highlight of the break is, of course, New Year’s Eve, when we include a four-course dinner and local wines. After the meal, you can join the rest of the village in the square to see in the New Year with cava and the customary uvas de la suerte (‘lucky grapes’) – eat one with each chime of the bell.
 

Accommodation

This is a great place at which to experience authentic Spanish New Year celebrations. 
Casa Pilar
  • country inn
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 4 nights: 28 December - 04 January 2020

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    28 - 31 December £460 £80
    3rd & 4th person discount -£35
    Single traveller supplement £35

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Price includes: 4 days' category B car hire (eg VW Polo (255, 255, 255) or similar with manual transmission)

    Drive time between the airport and the hotel: 1h15

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Casa Pilar (with dinner) Double room Single room
    28 Dec - 04 Jan 2020 £84 £102
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Alicante

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Madrid. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Alicante Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Belfast Intl - Alicante jet2 
    Belfast Intl. - Alicante Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Alicante Flybe,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Bournemouth - Alicante Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Alicante easyJet,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Cardiff - Alicante TUI,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Doncaster Sheffield - Alicante Flybe,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Alicante jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Alicante easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Exeter - Alicante Flybe 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Alicante easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  Thomas Cook,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow Prestwick - Alicante Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Alicante Ryanair 
    Leeds Bradford - Alicante jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Alicante Blue Air,  easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Alicante British Airways,  easyJet,  Norwegian,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Alicante (via Madrid) Iberia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Alicante easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    London Southend - Alicante easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Alicante jet2,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Alicante easyJet,  jet2,  Norwegian,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Alicante easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Newquay - Alicante Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Alicante Flybe 
    Outward route Airline
    Southampton - Alicante Flybe 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Madrid. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you. We charge £30 per person for our flight booking service (£50 for India and Nepal). Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 1 celebratory meal
    3 dinners
    4 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • 4 days' category B car hire
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 4 reviews
  • Mrs G Grant
    London
    30 December 2018

    Pilar provides a generous packed lunch each day (pay for locally). This was a perfect arrangement: as we were there over New Year, the few shops were often not open. We enjoyed all the walks - detailed and accurate - so never needed to use maps, compass, etc. We especially enjoyed the Moorish Watchtower walk for its spectacular views. The detour on the Tárbena walk was worthwhile too. The weather was fantastic! Whilst cold at night (coat & woolly hat and gloves needed) during the day it was hot and sunny - shorts and tee shirt!  - layers absolutely seemed to be the answer (from 4 - 1 each day!) - small backpack ideal for lunch, additional water, and stripped-off items of clothing! Hotel Serrella (the green coloured hotel at the bottom of town) was a perfect stop for the end of the walks with its outside patio area in full sun!

    We loved this holiday! I think one of the best yet! Pilar and her family's hospitality was wonderful. The food generous and delicious. We managed to eat our way through the new year gala dinner - no idea how! Especially as we had already had a gathering with drinks and nibbles prior with guests and family friends. Wine and Cava flowed as part of the dinner. My husband managed to eat the 12 grapes with the midnight chimes. The outside disco - though not generally our thing - was fun to join in with the local celebrations. Weather every day was brilliant. We ate breakfast outside each day on the terrace - with its spectacular mountain views. The walking was wonderful - such scenic views - and already almond blossomed - what a fabulous start to the year!

  • Anon
    29 December 2018

    Pilar and Juanjo could not have been more welcoming and made our New Year truly memorable with their wonderful food, arrangements for New Years Eve - including the grapes and good breakfasts and picnics. The suggested walks were clear to follow and the scenery was spectaular particularly so close to commercial resorts like Benidorm. It was unexpectedly beautiful.

  • Mr I Macdonald
    Aberdeen
    29 December 2017

    Fantastic varied walking, based in great accommodation with very welcoming hosts - what more could you ask for?

  • Ms P Butler
    Skerries
    29 December 2017

    We lucked out with fabulous weather on this holiday. A highlight for us was the accommodation and the hosts. The casa was so well located and as for the gala dinner on New Year....extraordinary. A feast. And such fun in the village square. Thank you so much Pilar and Juanjo, you went above and beyond our expectations.  Of course, the walks were perfect, too, well described and so varied.  (A tip for the car hire: maybe don't accept the free upgrade to a bigger car, not suitable for the narrow roads and we'd have been much more comfortable with a smaller car as planned. That said, we didnt drive much, no need.)
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • We can book a wide range of airlines and routes from the UK. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. For Europe and Morocco, there’s a £30 booking fee per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). For India and Nepal, the booking fee is £50 per person. More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to buy our policy (if you live outside Europe you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK and EU residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Spain, but not a visa (if you are travelling after 31 October 2019, see the Brexit question below for more information). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found through the following NHS link: www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/ You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). UK citizens should also obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) by applying at a Post Office or at www.ehic.org.uk. The EHIC allows reciprocal health care but should not be seen as a substitute for travel insurance. EHICs may cease to be valid in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
  • (Castilian) Spanish is one of several official languages; in Catalonia, for example, Catalan has equal status. The currency is the Euro. Spanish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • Even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it’s been confirmed that flights will continue as normal and that you won’t need a visa to go on holiday (the limit on stays is 90 days). What you will need if there’s no deal is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival (extra months added because you renewed your passport early do not count) and adequate travel insurance to cover you for accidents and illness in case reciprocal health deals are suspended. If you are driving while on holiday, you will probably need an International Driving Permit (plus a Green Card if you are taking your own car to Europe). More information >
  • The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 7/22/2019 11:33:21 AM