Book 10 new Orihuela tours from €5, cakes to Sierra hikes

Today's essentials (5 key points)

• Orihuela's tourism department is running ten new food and nature routes across September and October 2026, bookable at www.orihuelaturistica.es or on 673 836 385.
• Home prices in Xàbia, Moraira, Dénia and Calp jumped 20% in a single year, with buying a flat now able to swallow up to 70% of local disposable income, La Marina Plaza reports.
• Dénia has closed the Camí del Llavador and its urbanisations again to repair a collector that burst five days ago, snarling traffic around the Miguel Hernández area.
• Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) warned of 'very adverse' heat near 43°C in Alicante province on Wednesday and Thursday, though the Olive Press says the extreme spell is easing.
• Arenales del Sol beach hosts the second Elche Paddle Festival of stand-up paddle this weekend, while Santa Pola's Carrera al Amanecer drew a record 2,250 runners.

Today's essentials

Book 10 new Orihuela tours from €5, cakes to Sierra hikes. Orihuela's tourism department has added ten new guided routes for September and October 2026, from a baroque-pastry tasting to a hike in the Sierra de Hurchillo, all bookable online at www.orihuelaturistica.es or by phone on 673 836 385, according to Informacion.

The programme deliberately mixes food and the outdoors, and every route has a limited number of places that open for booking week by week on a first-come basis. If you want a low-cost taster, the Cena de Bonanza on Friday 4 September 2026 costs just 5 euros, while the headline novelty, a Repostería Barroca (baroque pastry) tasting tied to Orihuela's old confectionery tradition, runs on Thursday 10 September 2026.

On the nature side, the standout is 'Conoce la Vega desde la Sierra de Hurchillo' on Saturday 19 September 2026, a walk through the Sierra de Hurchillo, the low range just south of Orihuela town, looking out over the Vega Baja plain. Two more outdoor dates round it out: a visit to the Embalse de La Pedrera reservoir and the Vega Baja wetland on Saturday 3 October 2026, and the coastal Las Colinas ecological trail at Orihuela Costa on Saturday 17 October 2026, both ending with a tasting.

History and heritage fans are well served too. The Casa Museo Miguel Hernández hosts the sensory workshop 'Huéleme' on Saturday 12 September 2026; the Santuario de la Virgen de Monserrate, home to the town's patron, opens on Saturday 5 September, with a special visit to the Catedral de Orihuela on Friday 18 September. A World Tourism Day route on Sunday 27 September and a tribute walk to the poet Miguel Hernández on Friday 30 October close the season.

Orihuela sits inland in the Vega Baja, in the far south of Alicante province, with its Costa strip on the coast; it is reachable by car and by train from both Alicante and Murcia, which makes these routes an easy day out even without living in the town. A couple of listed dates deserve a phone call first: an October visit labelled 'EPSO' and some autumn dates the town hall linked to Semana Santa are unclear in the official notice, so confirm exactly what you are booking.

Ce que ca change pour toi: if any of these appeal, treat them like tickets, not drop-ins. Places are capped and released each week through late October, so check www.orihuelaturistica.es early or call 673 836 385, and budget only the confirmed price (5 euros for the Cena de Bonanza) rather than assuming the walks are free. The Repostería Barroca tasting is set for Thursday 10 September 2026 and the Sierra de Hurchillo route for Saturday 19 September 2026, according to the Ayuntamiento de Orihuela.

Weather today

Hot and cloudy, up to 34°C inland. The Costa Blanca faces a hot, overcast Thursday 27 August 2026, with 31°C in Alicante city, 34°C inland and only a small chance of rain, according to Open-Meteo.

In Alicante city expect a low of 23°C and a high of 31°C under cloudy skies, with rain unlikely at 13% and a light breeze up to 12 km/h; light clothing and water are enough for a normal day out. Inland the picture is warmer: Cocentaina swings from 19°C at dawn to 34°C in the afternoon, with a 25% chance of a shower, so plan any hiking for the morning. On the southern coast, Benidorm mirrors the city with 23°C to 31°C and a 13% rain risk, comfortable for the beach as long as you keep out of the fiercest midday sun.

Transport & traffic

• Dénia closes Camí del Llavador again. Dénia has once more shut access to the Camí del Llavador and its urbanisations to fix the collector that burst five days ago, according to La Marina Plaza. The Generalitat had promised to finish the repair on Tuesday but did not, and the fresh round of works will again badly disrupt traffic across the whole Miguel Hernández area. If you live in or drive through those urbanisations, expect delays and plan an alternative route until the collector is fully repaired.

What's changing for you

• North-coast home prices up 20% in a year. According to a La Marina Plaza analysis, Xàbia, Moraira, Dénia and Calp now hold the four most expensive housing spots in the Valencian Community, with prices up 20% in a single year. Experts quoted by La Marina Plaza warn the upward trend is running away and that buying a flat can now eat up to 70% of a household's disposable income, which they call critical for the local population. If you are house-hunting on the northern Costa Blanca, that means stress-testing your budget hard, looking at neighbouring towns where prices are lower, and factoring the squeeze into any relocation timeline rather than assuming last year's figures still apply.
• Visiting Alicante on a tight budget. AlicanteOut has published tips for enjoying Alicante cheaply without giving up comfort. The practical thread is timing and planning: travelling outside the July-August peak, comparing accommodation early and building a rough spending plan before you arrive all keep costs down. None of it is groundbreaking, but for a short-break visitor it is a useful nudge to book ahead rather than pay walk-up prices in high season.

Local news to know

• Record 2,250 runners at Santa Pola dawn race. The 30th Carrera al Amanecer in Santa Pola smashed its participation record with 2,250 athletes running along the seafront at sunrise, elperiodic Alicante reports.
• Aemet warns of 43°C, but heat is easing. Spain's State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) flagged 'very adverse' heat near 43°C in Alicante province on Wednesday and Thursday, though the Olive Press says the extreme spell is now in sight of ending.
• Benidorm reminds residents to plan around the heat. Local outlet Life in Benidorm has shared advice on organising the day safely during the current hot spell, urging shade, hydration and avoiding the midday sun.

Things to do today

• Stand-up paddle takes over Arenales del Sol. According to elperiodic Alicante, Arenales del Sol beach hosts the second Elche Paddle Festival this weekend, a stand-up paddle gathering. Head to the Arenales del Sol seafront over the weekend if you want to watch or try SUP; it is a family-friendly, free-to-spectate beach event.
• Summer nights still busy in Benidorm. Benidorm keeps its late-August programme going with a mix of symphonic music and electronic sets, according to Life in Benidorm. Check the town's current listings before heading out, as the line-up shifts each weekend.
• Playa de San Juan residents say 'enough' to botellón. Residents of Playa de San Juan are protesting against the botellón, citing noise, damage and sleepless nights, according to TodoAlicante.