We moved to Spain in August 2020 and since then we have been enjoying getting to know the Valencian region of Spain, or as the Spanish say it “Comunidad Valenciana” (Valencian Community).

As a photographer who specialises in photographing couples in love, I really enjoy finding the most unique, hidden away and off-the-beaten-track locations – especially for my photography clients!

Below is a list of my favourite top romantic locations that we have found so far on our travels in the Valencian region of Spain. These locations confirm for me why Spain is such a great place for a wedding, honeymoon or a couples holiday. You will want to keep visiting time and time again and bring all your friends to show off the amazing places you have discovered!

Isla de Tabarca

Tabarca is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, accessible from the town of Santa Pola. Time has stood still here. You can visit for a day via water taxi or if you’re lucky enough to book accommodation (it’s limited) you can stay a few days. The boat costs around €15 for a round trip per adult and takes 20 minutes. You can buy tickets online or from the many companies in the port, in the summer months I would book ahead of your trip (by a few days) so you get the boat at the time you want.

TOP TIPS: 🤿 Bring your snorkels to see the fish up close, the island has so many spots to go snorkelling! The island has plenty of restaurants and little shops to purchase water and food throughout your trip, but if you are planning to spend the whole day on the island you will want to bring some supplies of your own, Island prices are fairly expensive and not that inspiring for vegetarians or vegans.

Denia

So, I list Denia on this blog specifically for the campsite we stayed at! Camping Los Pinos in Denia encompasses it all. With beaches a minutes walk through pine trees, it is a campsite you’ll want to keep wanting to visit ‑ time and time again. 🏕 We also have since enjoyed climbing “Montgó Massif” (Parque natural del Macizo del Montgó) – I would recommend doing this in the off-peak seasons when it isn’t 35 degrees! We climbed the mountain in April and had the whole walk to ourselves, it was so beautiful, there were flowers blooming and you could see for miles. I highly recommend the walk. You will need to park on the Denia side of the mountain, you can’t access the summit from the Javea side.

Viver

Viver is in the middle of the Calderona mountain range. Cooling off in the crystal clear river Palancia is a welcome treat in the summer months after a hike. 🥾 There are many walks you can do around this area, we stayed at “Camping Villa De Viver” and enjoyed it very much.

Guadalest

Guadalest is most famous for its castle, pictured at the top of this mountain. But the real secret? The piscina de municipal, located at the bottom. For €2 each you can sunbathe and swim as much as you like. It is gorgeous there. 🏊‍♀️ We stayed at an Airbnb called “Suite rural matrimonial Benimantell Bellas vistas” and can highly recommend it.

Gata de Gorgos

Slightly inland, this charming Spanish town has everything you need for a quiet getaway. It is perfectly situated to visit surrounding towns and seaside locations. Holidaying in August? Book an Airbnb with a pool if you don’t fancy the busy beaches. 🍺

Santa Pola

Perhaps not first on your list when visiting the Valencian region, but it is a real gem, especially out of ‘season’. This Spanish town is popular with Spanish people holidaying in the summer months, but the beaches are empty as soon as the schools go back in September. Enjoy amazing sunsets and watch the kite surfers. ☀️

Sierra Espuna

Perfect place to go hiking and camping – or even stay in a log cabin with a fire. Sierra Espuna is a mountain range in the Murcia region and has too many to count amazing walks through total nature. You will leave your trip here refreshed from the outside world. We stayed at this campsite: which had lots of recommendations on walks and had a few bars and cafes and a small shop nearby.

Altea

We fell in love with Altea – it had everything we hoped from a holiday. Sunshine, beaches, walks, endless restaurants and an amazing coffee shop “D’origen” which we visited every day. The old town Altea has lots to explore and the whitewashed walls and the square at the top with views overlooking the bays is a super romantic day trip. We stayed at this “Camping Santa Clara” and loved the vibe the owners had created. There were lots of communal spaces overlooking an amazing view of the sea, which was only a short walk away.

Javea

In honour of transparency, I have to say that we, unfortunately, had our car broken into in Javea. We had gone on a walk in a rural location and left our car in a quiet car parking area by a church. We were gone for a few hours and returned to an empty car of our belongings – again we had been camping and so had more than usual. It was a massively rubbish moment and we will never leave anything in our car again!

BUT…

Javea had some brilliant beaches, walks and speciality coffee shops and we did really enjoy our time there.

Elche

Exploring Elche was quite an experience as it has the largest palm grove in Europe! With more than 200,000 specimens, Elche has the largest palm grove in Europe, and in the world, it is only surpassed by some Arab palm groves. El Palmeral de Elche, or Huerto de Palmeras, is a large expanse of palm trees located within the urban area of the city of Elche. Check out my couples photoshoot at El Palmeral here.

Elche has a beautiful old town which has many restaurants and bars overlooking parks and squares – there is also a lot of shops to ponder around. You will be spoilt for choice.

 

FAQs about visiting Spain

Are 3 days enough to visit Valencia?

Yes! We found 3 days to be plenty long enough to visit Valencia – especially in August when it’s hot. We actually spent one of the days at the beach.

Where should I stay in Valencia for the first time?

We stayed north of the city in a cute little AirBnB studio. You can find it here: “Apartamentos Navío 3”. It is perfect if you want affordable accommodation where you can cook for yourself, have a parking space and have the whole place for yourself.

Is Valencia a walkable city?

Definitely! We spent our whole trip walking around Valencia – and if you get tired there is lots of public transport. Be prepared to walk a long way if you stay at one end of the city, it’s all good and healthy though and great for walking off tapas and Agua de Valencia’s!

Where do couples go on holiday in Spain?

As a couple, we have so far visited: Sierra Espuna, Altea, Javea, Elche, Isla de Tabarca, Denia,Viver, Guadalest, Gata de Gorgos, Santa Pola and Alicante. All places have different quirks and have all been great for a holiday as a couple in Spain.

Where is the best vacation spot for couples?

It is really difficult to choose just ONE best vacation spot… but we have particularly enjoyed Altea and Alicante. Both places had a large variety of places to eat, visit and explore as well as being by the coast and having access to walks in the mountains. We also found finding accommodation very easy in both these places.

Is Spain a romantic country? What is the most romantic place in Spain?

Yes! Definitely, Spain is very romantic. The culture is very loving and full of food and having a good time. I have to be biased and say that the south coast is very romantic, the sunsets we get in Santa Pola are mind-blowingly amazing – and we get them most evenings! We look at them in awe every day.

Is Spain a good country to go to on your honeymoon?

100% yes Spain is a great country to visit on your honeymoon. There are SO many places to explore and so many beautiful beaches and mountain ranges. If you visit at the start of summer in June or the end of summer in September you will find off-peak prices on accommodation and fewer children around as Spanish schools have their summer holidays in July and August.

How much is a two week trip to Spain?

As with most European countries you can find varying price ranges of accommodation in Spain, same with transport and food. In the summer months expect to pay a minimum of £60-80 per day for a couple in self-catered accommodation and mainly free-tourist sites. The world is your limit with how much you spend above that! There are some amazing bespoke and boutique hotels across Valencia, this is my favourite near Guadalest: “Vivood Landscape Hotel”