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The entrance (puerta ) to the upper village is a miniature whitewashed arch leading to a tunnel hollowed out of the rock. Pass through, and you emerge, in fairytale style, onto a cobbled street.

The whitewashed bell tower has become a much-loved symbol of Guadalest. From high above the village, its sweet, low chimes echo across the valley.

Almost nothing survives of the medieval castle, but the romantic ruins offer superb views of the surrounding countryside. Entrance is via the Casa Orduña, where a stone path culminates in the battered towers of the original fortress.

The grandest house in Guadalest, this imposing residence, once home to the Orduña family, seems to cling onto the cliff face. It still retains many of its original 18th- and 19th-century furnishings, paintings and objets d’art . The upper levels contain an art gallery.

High up in the village is a tiny, neglected cemetery – the highest in Spain. It’s scattered with a motley collection of limbless statues, and offers more breathtaking views over the valley. A bell-topped archway leads to the remnants of the castle walls.

The only street in the upper village leads to the Plaza San Gregorio, with a few shops, a cluster of cafés, and a spectacular viewing point (mirador ) overlooking the beautiful reservoir below.

Take a glimpse into Guadalest’s domestic and agricultural past in this reconstruction of a typical late-19th-century farmhouse complete with tools, costumes, scale models of farm equipment and much more.

Guadalest is stuffed full of quirky museums; the Museo Microminiatura is one of the most curious. Its treasures are viewed through magnifying glasses, and include the Eiffel Tower sculpted on the head of a pin, and Velázquez’s famous Las Meninas reproduced on a grain of corn.

Guadalest is crammed with gift shops, selling handmade lace, a range of honeys, fiery local spirits, and the usual tat.

This vast reservoir (embalse ) provides water for the parched coastal regions. It’s also the perfect spot for a picnic.