Elche Palm Grove

Elche, around twenty minutes from Alicante by road, is home to the largest palm grove in Europe. The Palmeral d'Elx, with well over one hundred thousand date palms by most counts, was planted by the Moors a thousand years ago and fed by an ingenious system of irrigation channels that still functions. In 2000 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list as an exceptional example of a Moorish agricultural landscape adapted to Europe. The palms spread through the heart of the city, so you can walk from an old square to a green orchard in a few minutes. The most visited section is the Huerto del Cura, a garden with exotic plants, ponds and a famous Imperial Palm with seven arms that is more than a century old. A small-group tour usually adds the historic centre, with the Basilica of Santa Maria, the Calahorra tower and the Altamira Palace, and explains the Misteri d'Elx, a medieval sacred drama performed in August that is itself recognised by UNESCO. This is a tranquil, shaded day out that contrasts with the coast.

The palm groves are practical as well as beautiful. Date palms were cultivated for fruit, for palm fronds used in Palm Sunday celebrations and for shade over crops grown beneath. Walking through the grove you notice sunken irrigation channels and the way stone walls divide plots, a system dating to Moorish times. The Huerto del Cura is the best kept area for visitors, with paths, benches and a cafe, and it is especially pleasant on hot days.

In the town, the Calahorra, a fortified tower, once guarded the bridge over the Vinalopo River. The Basilica of Santa Maria, with its blue-tiled dome, hosts the Misteri d'Elx on 14 and 15 August each year, a mystery play sung in Valencian with roots in the fifteenth century. Visitors in other months can see a museum dedicated to the play. Elche is also a shoe-making centre and a good place to shop for leather goods.

Paths are generally flat and accessible, though gravel sections can be bumpy. Elche is also home to the Alicante airport, so it is a convenient first or last stop on a trip. Spend two to four hours, and add the Dama de Elche replica in the local archaeological museum if you are interested in Iberian art. It is an easy, rewarding half-day.

Choose your timing around the heat. A morning start gives you the cool shade of the palms and the best light for photographs. If you are keen on culture, plan your trip around the Misteri d'Elx in mid-August, though be aware that tickets and rooms go quickly. Consider visiting the Palau d'Altamira and the museum of the Misteri to understand the local traditions.

Carry a bottle of water and wear shoes suitable for gravel paths. At lunchtime, look for a restaurant serving arroz con costra, the local rice dish with a crisp crust, which is the perfect reward after a walk among the palms.