The old town of Benidorm is authentic and would be picturesque if it wasn't jammed with people, shops and restaurants overflowing from every terracotta-tiled building. But visit in quieter months if you want to see a tiny corner of authentic Spain without driving anywhere.
If you do have a car while on holiday here, head up to the animated, historic city of Valencia which is Spain's third largest city and is bursting with narrow, cobbled streets dating back to Roman times, although much of the architecture is Arabic reflecting the 500-odd years it was ruled by Muslims from the 8th century. Visit the Fine Arts Museum, wander about the old quarter and explore the massive City of Arts and Sciences. There are loads of leafy plazas where nightlife is lively and traditionally Spanish come sundown.
Other highlights include Gandia's breathtaking 15th century palace Ducal de los Borja; Elche's walking trail through a shady grove of 200,000-odd palm trees and the pretty, if busy, hillside village of Guadalest.
Don't miss the Unesco-listed palm tree forest in Elche, Europe's largest. It was planted by the Phoenicians in the 6th century and much expanded by the Arabs who introduced their highly effective irrigation system to keep the palms well watered. Visit Oceanografic, Europe's largest aquarium in Valencia or see wildlife in the wild at the Albufera fresh water lake.
