Stroll through a bustling market taking note of the ingredients and then join a chef who will show you how to prepare paella from scratch, an iconic dish that will be your lunch. The items at the Central Market are locally sourced, so they truly represent the ingredients found in the regional cuisine. After meandering through the stalls, interacting with the vendors and sampling some of the delicacies, you will walk to a nearby restaurant for a paella workshop. The chef will show you step by step how to prepare authentic paella Alicante-style. You will have seen many of the ingredients in the market, which will make the preparation all the more relevant. Although the city of Valencia just to the north is known as the birthplace of paella, the version made in Alicante is much the same. Feel free to ask questions as the chef prepares the meal, which you will dine on afterwards.

Browse one of the most vibrant markets in Alicante, where you will see an array of fruits, vegetables and seafood that will likely be ingredients on the tapas that you will enjoy later. After walking from the pier, you will soon arrive at the Central Market, a magnificent modernist-inspired building that holds nearly 300 stalls of every imaginable gastronomic offering. Almost all of the products are locally sourced, so they truly represent the ingredients found in the regional cuisine. Garden-fresh produce, seafood on ice, exotic spices, fragrant herbs—they are all here in perhaps Alicante’s most popular market place.

After meandering through the stalls, interacting with the vendors and sampling some of the delicacies, you will begin a tapas tour. These small-plate snacks will reflect the local cuisine and contain the absolute freshest, seasonal ingredients. Many of the offerings may be unexpected, as Alicante has become a foodie paradise and has attracted inventive chefs from throughout Europe. Because of Alicante’s prime location on the Mediterranean, tapas with seafood such as tuna belly and succulent red prawns are enormously popular.

Get acquainted with the city of Alicante, a vibrant and popular Spanish resort town in the heart of the Mediterranean’s white coast. Before being invaded by thousands of sun seekers, the city attracted conquerors and traders like the Greek, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and finally the Romans, who named it Lucentum or City of Light.

A panoramic tour of the city takes you by the Paseo del Puerto, a marbled mosaic avenue imitating sea waves, and the Luceros square, with an impressive fountain with sculptures of horses. Other city highlights you’ll see are the traditional market building and the bull ring.

We will then continue our panoramic tour along the coastal road of Alicante city seeing the Albufera and San Juan beaches as well as passing by the historic sta Faz sanctuary where your guide will explain to you about the annual romery parade.

A famous spot for locals and visitors to the city is the Explanada, a beautiful promenade that stretches around the marina. It’s lined with color tiles representing the waves of the Mediterranean Sea and lined with palm trees and often filled with small market stalls. Stop to try a traditional horchata, a refreshing drink made from tigernuts, water and sugar.

Discover the popular tourist town of Guadalest, an ancient military stronghold that sits perched at the top of a granite mountain. A scenic 90-minute drive takes you past picturesque villages and winding roads surrounded by spectacular landscapes. The picture-postcard site of the free-standing bell tower and the tunnel that provides access to the old center of Castell de Guadalest greet you on arrival. Both are nestled in a dramatic granite mountaintop setting that leaves a lasting impression.

Follow your guide on a walk through the quaint village streets. The old urban center is located on the top of an outcrop, which is only accessed via a tunnel hollowed into the side of the rock. The area at the top of the rock includes the bell tower, Saint Josep Castle and the recently restored Orduña House which you will visit.

The Orduña House was built after the great earthquake that demolished much of the original housing in Guadalest. One half of the house is supported by the rock while the other half occupies areas over the chapels of the adjoining church. You’ll be surprised to find a house of such greatness in this remote and rural setting. Enjoy some free time to further explore the village on your own the many shops offering a great variety of crafts.

This tour provides you with the perfect opportunity to discover two Mediterranean cities located in the heart of the Costa Blanca and visit a local winery.

Alicante, capital of the Costa Blanca, White Coast, is also known as the Ciudad de la Luz or the City of Light. Arriving in the old quarter, follow your guide on a walking tour. View the 18th century Neo-Baroque town hall, and stop at the Cathedral for a visit. One of the Cathedral’s most notable features is its Renaissance baroque facade. Inside, you’ll discover an impressive 17th century nave and a 15th century cloister.

Travel from Alicante to the city of Novelda to visit its most important historic building, the sanctuary of Santa María Magdalena. The building is a Gaudi inspired design and has been likened to the Sagrada Familia. Enjoy a visit of the wine cellar of a local winery with a short introduction to its history. See the old machinery once used for wine-making and its evolution up until the present day. Here, you’ll also learn about the wine-making process - from the receiving of the grapes, all the way through before being bottled and labeled. At the end of your guided tour, you’ll be invited to taste one of the wines produced here.

Enjoy exploring two of the region's most charming towns - Villajoyosa, famous for fishing and chocolate, with vividly painted houses and Altea, one of the most beautiful towns of the Costa Blanca which maintains its former fishing village feeling. The old section, atop a hill, offers spectacular views and perfect photo opportunities.

A scenic drive along the coastal road takes you to Villajoyosa, a small seaside town, famous for its fishing and its’ chocolate. Still dependent on its fishing industry, each afternoon the daily catch brought in by the local fishermen is auctioned off in the port. The quaint houses that line the seafront are painted in bright rainbow colors and legend has it, that this is so the fishermen can see them from the sea. Upon arrival at the seafront, you’ll enjoy free time to explore the town on your own.

Your route to Altea takes you along the coastal road via Albir, providing wonderful views of the sweeping bays of the Costa Blanca. Altea's old town is an enchanting picture postcard scene of white-washed houses that has managed to maintain its authentic atmosphere. Follow your guide on a walk to the famous square at the summit, where you’ll find the Virgin of Consuelo Church with its iconic blue roof. After an outside visit of the church, you’ll have free time to soak up the town's ambience and enjoy the wonderful views.