traveldk.com

Murcia’s smart casino is located in its fanciest hotel, the Rincón de Pepe (see NH Rincón de Pepe, Murcia City). You can gamble away your holiday money at blackjack, american roulette, french roulette and poker, or just stick to the slot machines. As for all the Costa Blanca casinos, the dress code is smart-casual, and you’ll need your passport. If you can still afford it, finish your evening in the hotel’s excellent restaurant (see Rincón de Pepe, Murcia).

Crowned with its trademark golden cupola, the most emblematic Modernista building in the whole of Cartagena, the opulent Gran Hotel, was begun in 1907 by Tomás Rico and completed by the indefatigable Victor Beltrí. Every window and archway is surrounded with swooping stone garlands. It is no longer a hotel, and visitors must be content with admiring its exterior.

This 200-year-old casa rural in a remote village is part of a riding stables, so it’s ideal for riders. The five delightful double rooms can be rented individually. There are shared kitchen facilities, or you can eat at the restaurant.

Perched high on a crag in a sea of mountain peaks, the little whitewashed village of Guadalest is huddled under the ruins of an ancient castle. Once it was a strategic military outpost, but it lost its importance after earthquakes devastated the region and irreparably damaged the castle. Thanks to its stunning location and the picturesque charm of its old-fashioned lanes and squares, Guadalest is now the most visited village in Spain. Quirky museums, cafés and souvenir shops have sprung up, but although tour buses disgorge an endless stream of visitors in summer, Guadalest has hung onto its medieval tranquility and charm.

The enchanting hilltop village of Guadalest sits under the romantic ruins of a battered castle, and overlooks a beautiful valley with a deep turquoise lake.

Little is left of Guadalest’s castle, but the ruins offer panoramic views.

Guadalest is packed with souvenir shops, offering delicate, handmade lace tablecloths, woollen blankets, slippers and traditional capes. You’ll also find a good range of local produce, from liqueurs to honey.

This is a small, family resort blessed with wonderful, wild dune-backed beaches.

This sweet, tile-lined little tapas bar is a neighbourhood favourite, serving tasty, traditional tapas and a refreshingly crisp local white wine.