The Costa Blanca is ideal for countryside exploration all year round. Travel only a short distance inland, and the bustle of the resorts is left far behind. You find yourself surrounded by market gardens, orchards and orange groves, while the dark rugged silhouettes of the sierras beckon you close. Here, you can put aside the stress and hassle of modern living. Wild flowers - from the humble daisy to the most exotic orchid - abound; the air is filled with the scent of fragrant herbs; birdsong drifts along on the breeze, and mountain peaks dominate the skyline. The weather-beaten faces of villagers in the fields break into smiles as you pass by. All these images combine to create an ambience you will find irresistible. The car tours lead through fertile valleys smothered in blossom or sweet-scented fruit to delightful inland villages. Windmills, waterfalls and 'snow wells' feature among the picnic settings. But the rugged silhouettes of the area's many sierras dominate this landscape - an irresistible attraction for walkers.