The Valencian Community is the slice of Spain's east coast where a futuristic science city sits a short walk from a sandy beach. Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences is the anchor, a complex of swooping white architecture that houses L'Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, plus an interactive science museum, so a rainy or scorching day becomes the highlight rather than a write-off. The old city counterbalances it with a cathedral, the silk exchange, and a Central Market, and the Turia Gardens, a former riverbed turned into miles of parkland, hand the kids playgrounds and fountains with room to run. This is also the birthplace of paella, which earns the region instant goodwill at dinner.

The coast does the relaxing. The Costa Blanca beaches around Benidorm and Gandía are long, clean, and gently shelving, backed by resorts with pools and kids' clubs, while the Albufera wetlands just south offer calm boat trips and birdlife at sunset. For active families, the mountains behind Alicante add hiking, climbing, and zip-lining, and the Desierto de las Palmas near Castellón is good for picnics with a view. The accommodation runs from beachfront resorts and holiday parks to rural hotels and self-catering apartments with family rooms and pools. The Valencian Community is the easy Spanish all-rounder, a great city, dependable beaches, and warm shallow sea, without the crowds or premium of the bigger-name coasts.