The flavour is within: what does your village taste of?

Relaxed breakfasts of servilleta cheese with toast, relaxed rice dishes over long after-dinner conversations, street snacks of aniseed doughnut rings, suppers with cold meats taking centre stage or evenings spent on the terrace with horchata (tiger nut milk), merengada (frothed milk) or turron (nougat) ice cream… These flavours transport us right back to those relaxing moments when time seemed to stand still: in the villages. We take a trip around some classic locations for inland holidays and ‘sample’ their traditional delights.

The interior of the three provinces making up the Valencian Community offer a complete menu: The cold meats and cheeses of the regions of Castellon with its footpaths and natural pools such as those at Montanejos, the wines and cakes of the Valencian interior, such as those in Titaguas with its havens of tranquillity and evening coolness, and the artisan ice creams of Alicante that can be found at Ibi and Xixona, its undisputed capitals.

Cold dishes like escalibada and esqueixada (which is similar to esgarraet) are more incentives for enjoying the villages of the Catalonian interior. The flavoursome and varied savoury tarts, always ready to take away, are ideal for hiking in locations such as the Valle de Núria, Monserrat, Aigüestortes, Valle de Arán or the Garrotxa region, where tasting their yogurts is essential. Don’t miss out on these.

Andalucía also holds some gastronomic and touristic secrets within its interior. Accompany its gazpachos (chilled soups) and salmorejos (chilled tomato purees) with mixed tapas, and finishing off by bathing pieces of confectionery with brandy is pure pleasure for the senses in the Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarra of Granada or when travelling through the white villages.

The richness of the Murcian market gardens also reaches the tables of its tranquil villages, which are located far away from the bustle of its coasts. Their cultural attractiveness and their natural environments are enchanting. Moratalla, Aledo, the Sierra Minera de la Unión or the Sierra de Espuña are the perfect counterpoint to the crowded beaches of the Mar Menor.

And here, in the villages of Castilla-La Mancha and Teruel, with a light cardigan in case of evening coolness, you can certainly enjoy tasty portions of ham, game meats or cold meats as the main part of a dish. If possible, round off your meal with a good wine. History, heritage and culture combine with the gastronomy on offer: from monumental settlements like those at Alarcón, Uclés or Belmonte, through to the more extreme parts of la Mancha, such as El Toboso, Mota del Cuervo or Alcázar de San Juan, right through to the most remote and heritage-laden locations, such as Sigüenza and Molina de Aragón.