Places to Visit around Oliva
About 15 minutes drive south, between Denia and Javea, there's La Sella Club
with its mainly flat "use all the clubs in the bag" course. The course is in a
beautiful setting with a mountain backdrop, many trees and water obstacles (in
the form of the various canals and lakes which irrigate the course).
Other sports available in and around Oliva include horse riding, go-karting,
cycling (bikes can be hired from shops in the town), mountaineering and of
course a huge variety of water sports. The town's municipal sports centre has
indoor and outdoor pools and facilities for wall tennis, basketball and petanque.
Within easy reach of Oliva there are some wonderful day trips and excursions to
enjoy. Valencia is only an hour's drive north with its excellent shops,
restaurants, beautiful palm-fringed squares and stylish architecture. The
Principe Felipe Arts and Science Centre has become one of Spain's most visited
attractions since it opened in December 2001 - with its emphasis on inter-active
exhibits, this makes a great day out for children and adults alike. The complex
includes an aquarium, dolphinarium and planetarium.
Just 40 minutes drive south is the lively international resort of Benidorm. Here
you will find Aqualandia, the biggest aquapark in the region with a wide
selection of rides, slides, waves and pools. Mundomar is a marine park with
a dolphin show and located just outside Benidorm is the famous Terra Mitica,
the fantastic theme park which is the largest in the Mediterranean. with
the Terra Mitica theme park, and a host of other tourist attractions.
To the north west of Benidorm, and about 30 minutes drive inland from Oliva, lies the ancient Moorish fortress of Guadalest,
perched impossibly on its mountain pinnacle. The drive alone will take your
breath away and the views from the castle are simply staggering. It is sheltered
by high mountains and dramatic peaks which have created a microclimate where
a wide range of fruit trees are grown. Oranges, lumquats, almonds and olives
line the valley which becomes a sea of pink blossoms in the early
springtime. Guadalest is a
major tourist attraction so brace yourself for crowds and too many tacky gift
shops but it's still worth a visit, as are the nearby Algar waterfalls.
Another fascinating excursion (and one which has not yet been over-run by
tourists) is to the Cova del Rull in Vall d'Ebo, inland from Pego. The drive
over the mountains, via many steep and somewhat hazardous bends, is probably
enough to deter many a wary traveller. But at the end of it you'll be treated to
a staggeringly beautiful display of stalactites and stalagmites in a
cathedral-like mountain cavern.
More places to visit around the Oliva, Valencia, and Costa Blanca area can be
found on our sister website :
Gandia
10 kms north of Oliva between the coast and mountains in the heart of La
Safor region. Its rich cultural heritage can be seen in its many monuments
and historic buildings such as the Ducal Palace, The Golden Gallery, The
Hall of Crowns and The Plaza Mayor, a civic, administrative, commercial and
religious centre. Beaches at Gandia are excellent with a Blue Flag awarded
at Playa Nord.
Valencia
75 kms to the north of Oliva on the A7 motorway or the Spanish national road
the N332. Here you can visit the modern Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias
with its fabulous L’Oceanografic sea world.
El Vergel Safari Park
Enjoy a new sensation seeing the lions and tigers in complete freedom. Come
on a safari and admire the leopards, jaguars, Iberian wolves, primates and
hundreds of totally free animals. Various attractions include karts,
trampolines, boats, Congo train, horses and an exotic ride on a camel.
Denia
Has many shops, bars and restaurants as well as being the closest town to
Oliva from where you can take a train as far south as Alicante. There are
many stops at coastal towns such as Altea, Calpe and Villajoyosa as well as
Benidorm if you prefer a livelier environment. There is also a port at Denia
which has several ferry services to the island of Ibiza.
Javea
This is also a busy town with a lively bay area known as The Arenal. Here
you can find many bars and restaurants close to the waters edge surrounded
by a beautiful beach.
Pedreguer and La Nucia
Every Sunday both these towns hold what are known as “Rastros”, the
equivalent of the traditional English car boot sale. A must for all you
bargain hunters!
