Gandia is the first big resort you reach south of Valencia and its selling point is its 20km of clean golden beaches which are considered one of the best spots around for water sports, particularly windsurfing and sailing. The Playa de Venecia is a favourite, with excellent facilities. By night, it becomes one of the liveliest beach areas with a busy promenades of bars and restaurants.

A 15-minute bus ride from the enormous beach is the town itself, less known to visitors but a good place for shopping, with various markets.

Gandia and the surrounding area is becoming an increasingly popular place for second homes, with considerable new developments emerging out of town. Montepino is a salubrious area for new development, with large houses from around £170,000. Inland from Gandia you can find old townhouses in need of renovation for £30,000. Even large new houses near Gandia's golf course and tennis club cost little more than £100,000. Marxuquera, 5 minutes drive from Gandia town, is an umparket area of huge country houses.