Rural Bed and Breakfast
We were really pleased to welcome visitors from far away this week – Mike and Sharon Farrell and their family from the United States. They were travelling as a group of six, spanning three generations, and the main purpose of their trip was to visit another family member who was studying in Spain for a semester. The had arrived in Barcelona a few days before travelling to us, and now wanted a couple of days relaxation in a rural Bed and Breakfast before visiting their relative in Alicante.
Having spent time sightseeing in Barcelona, and then more sightseeing on the way down, they finally arrived after dining en route, and were happy to settle in and relax for the rest of the evening. However, they did not want to miss the opportunity to see something of our part of Spain, so took time to plan what they would do the next day. Having heard about the famous Borgia family of the area that gave the world the only two popes of Spanish origin, they wanted to see the nearby town of Xativa, where the family came from, so made a plan to take a rural drive the next day that would include the town as part of their route.
After a leisurely breakfast they set off for the day, driving up over the La Safor mountains to the back of our villa, dropping down to the village of Simat, before then heading inland to Xativa. They had a great day there, exploring the narrow streets and quaint squares, enjoying lunch at a local restaurant and then heading up to the castle that dominates the town and gives breathtaking views over the whole of the surrounding rural area. After that, they decided to spend the evening in Gandia and have dinner there, so made their way back in time for a walk through the historic centre of the town before eating in one of the restaurants in Plaza de Prado – once the site of the traditional market, but now a fashionable and lively square of bars and eating places.
The following day, it was time for the Farrell family to set off for Alicante to visit their relative who was studying there so they left after breakfast in order to meet up in time for lunch and then to check in to their hotel that they had booked at the coast. It had been a genuine pleasure to have them stay with us, and hopefully they enjoy the rest of their all too brief visit to the Costa Blanca.
