Valencia Trader

Oliva, Nature and Monuments ...........

Clean beaches with fine sand and shallow waters, bordered by sand dunes that separate the shore from the market gardens and orange orchards further inland.  The old town centre is well preserved, with a 'Christian' quarter and an older 'Morisco' quarter.  Among the monuments are the home of Gregorio Mayans and noblemen's residences from the 17th and 19th centuries along Calle Tamarit.  The Pego-Oliva Marshals Nature Park is an important wetland area with abundant fauna and vegetation now protected for posterity.

The Oliva Nautical Club and marina provides moorings, and offers various possibilities for marine sports and windsuring.  There is a river for fishing and the nearby mountains are good for hiking.  Within the municial district is an 18-hole golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros, and a wide range of accommodation, enabling visitors to have a magnificanet holiday next to the Mediterranean.

The Inland Valleys of La Safor

The inland valleys of La Safor - cooled and protected from inclemencies by the colossal peak of Montduver (841m) and the northern stretch called the Valldigna, offer lots of attractive routes for excursions and hikes, just a short drive way from the beautiful beaches of the district.

From Gandia and Tavernes de la Villdigna the tranquil valleys of the interior can be easily accessed all the way to the peak of Montduver.  From its top visitors can command a magnificent and detailed view of the Gulf of Valencia and all the district's plains and smaller mountains along the coast of La Safor.

The mild climate of this zone has made it ideal for summer residences and country villas.  This area has been populated since time immemorial, according to archeological findings made here.  The 'Cueva de Parpallo', whose mouth is visible from the road through the mountains, is renowned for its portable paleolithic art on stone plaques.  The cave's ideal location on a southerly mountainside with its back to the sea offered safety and convenience for Stone Age inhabitants whose traces date back some 25,000 years before the present.

Also worth seeing in the area are the Monastery of Santa Maria de la Valldigna (14thC), in the municipal area of Simat de la Valldigna, which was cared for by the Cistercian monks for many centuries.

Info - Turisme Generalitat Valenciana (Angela)