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This delightful mountain village topped by a ruined castle makes the perfect starting point for exploring the gorgeous Sierra Mariola, with hiking trails and the traces of abandoned snow wells.

The ancient core of Cocentaina is a charming tangle of crooked streets set around the imposing Palau Condal. The palace marks the dividing point between the Christian and Arab quarters which were established after the Reconquest. A ruined Arabic watchtower still stands guard on a lofty cliff.

Unexpected steps and tiny passages link the steep streets of Bocairent, piled up on a hill in the Sierra Mariola. Almost every house is surrounded by pots of ferns and geraniums. In 1843, an extraordinary bullring was hacked out of the rock. It now regularly hosts summer concerts.

The most famous inland village in the Costa Blanca, Guadalest has a picture-postcard setting atop a jagged crest in a sea of mountains.

Time seems to have stood still in Penáguila, a small village of ochre houses huddled around a sturdy 16th-century church. On the outskirts are the immaculate flower gardens and ponds of the 19th-century Jardín de Santos. Surrounded by magnificent mountains, the ruins of an ancient castle are set among forest high above the village.

Just a few miles inland from the hectic coast, Polop is a peaceful little village on a hill surrounded by orchards. Often overlooked in the rush to the beaches, Polop’s old quarter, with its maze of narrow streets recalling its Arabic origins, invites a tranquil stroll.

Beautifully set in rolling hills, this medieval town resonates with history. It belonged to the Knights Templar after the Reconquest, and is dominated by the 15th-century castle. Within the castle complex is the unmissable Sanctuario de la Vera Cruz, which houses what is believed to be a fragment of the Cross.

Steeply mounted on a sheer cliff, Mula is guarded by an imposing castle. Narrow streets meander between handsome squares lined with 16th-century churches and palaces. On the outskirts, there’s a fine spa, in use since Roman times.

Sleepy Moratalla dreams on a hillside in the remotest corner of Murcia, a chaotic jumble of tiled rooftops under yet another ruined castle. The streets are so steep that the locals get around on mopeds. A viewing point near the castle offers fine views across the sierra.

Cehegín perches gracefully on a hillside overlooking the river. Its elegant, well-preserved old quarter, with a swathe of medieval churches and mansions bearing coats of arms, still displays vestiges of its aristocratic past. The best views of the surrounding country are from a balustraded viewing point at the top.