Well we are coming up to that time of the year when we are descended upon by family and friends for their holdays!! (love them all!)

As well as providing airport collection service; full board accommodation; laundry service etc., we also need to be tour guides and entertainment managers to boot.

I thought it could be helpful to run a thread on places to go, places to see etc.,hopefully which do not cost an arm and a leg.

Suppose our favorite is the Spa baths at Fortuna. We don't go to Leanna spa as its expensive and usually full of very elderly german and spanish people wearing towelling bath robes and walking very serenley around getting their various water therapies, massages and colonic irrigation.

We go to the other baths just behind Leanna at the camp site. Cheaper, friendly, you don't have to wear silly hats and actually we think they are better. Plus the restaurant is very good and very reasonable.

Also they have those lovely jacuzzi pools and water jets which are good fun and offer a little diversion to just swimming around.

I always recommend Riopar. It is a small pueblo in Castilla la Mancha. It is a bit of a tourist attraction because it is where the Rio Mundo starts.
You can climb the winding steps all the way to the top of the mountain to where the river starts it's life as a few trickles.
Then as you make your way down you come across chrystal clear pools that get bigger as you go. At times you find yourself almost standing under the waterfalls themselves. Finally at the bottom all the pools and waterfalls meet up and form the Rio Mundo.
It is a national park and the amount of cars entering the area are limited in order to stop over crowding.
Riopar has an old part called Riopar Vieja. This little village reminds me of the old cowboy films and the food here is very cheap and there are some very interesting shops to have a look round.

We stayed in a campsite at the foot of the mountains but you could visit this place in a day. If you prefer there are plenty of chalets, etc to rent.
I agreed to go on a horse ride and they made me go through rivers, up hills and all sorts, it was good fun but after the first hour I'd had enough.

Riopar is about 145 minutes drive from Yecla here is a map.
http://www.spainserve.com/index.php?option=com_gmapspro&task=viewMap&Itemid=210&mapId=4

The trouble with visitors, is you have to keep them amused, so you probably need a variety,
http://www.guadalest.eu/ very interesting and beautiful place,

For a good night out, which is a variety of quality entertainment with reasonable food at a reasonable price, I think they are currently focussing on Spanish traditional dancing. for the money and awesome show!! http://www.benidorm-palace.com/

Old town Cartagena, with an evening of shopping in Murcia city on the way back

Local spanish restaurant for Al Fresco dining, Casa Pepe in Abanilla, (Daytime only)

Local Spanish Flamenco dancing in Abanilla at the http://www.tablao-flamenco.info/ astounding 15EU entrance, fee no food just drink and entertainment.

Another 'little' trip out is to go to Agost. Go on a Thursday and you can start by strolling through the market which is very spanish and has lots to look at. Then go out on to alicante road to the pottery shops. There are three in total, all do lots and lots of lovely pottery and gifts. Most people end up buying something to take home - an Olive dish, wine carafe or an oil and vinegar set!
Does not have to cost you anything, only the fuel to get there.
Afterwards, just out of Agost on the road towards the motorway is really good restaurant. Looks a bit roadside cafe from the outside and there are often a number of trucks on the car park but inside is nice and the food is excellent. Menu del dia is around 9 euros and is extremely good.

One of the shops does have a website: hhtp://www.ceramicasconchi.com so that will give you an idea on location