The Stunning White Shores of Spain | Full Episode | TRACKS

[Music] as a nation the British have a love affair with Spain 12 million people a year come to worship its sunkissed shores [Music] in this series I want to find out what fascinates us about this country and if there is more to Spain than meets the eye I'm amazed I had absolutely no idea that this was here this will be a journey of discovery for me I did not Thanks Wow as I crisscross the country longing to know more about it seeing its world-famous landmarks up close [Music] Oh this is one of the places but everyone secretly will be dying and uncovering lesser-known sites we do literally flow transported [Music] as I experience this incredibly vibrant culture [Music] I think it's just one of those moments I'm never gonna forget the whole of my life there's nothing like this anywhere in the world [Music] I've journeyed south from Barcelona and reached the east coast for me the least traveled part of Spain here I'll make my way along the white shores or as we know it the Costa Blanca ending at a little-known island off the Mediterranean coast I'll take an expat favorite Benidorm along the way but my starting point is one of Spain's bolder cities I'm in Valencia and I love any city by the sea it's so special to have everything a city can offer to [Music] the British visit this old port city more than any other nation its glorious beaches being the main drawing but for some reason the beach alone has never been enough to entice me here is the third-largest city in this country and yet I know nothing about it now I get to remedy that I'm starting on the outskirts of the city an area called Loretta which is a ribbon of agricultural land many visitors to Valencia are surprised to discover this verdant layer exists it's astonishing that there's so much of this green fertile land so close the city this is what Valencia's wealth was built on all the olive oil it produces all the oranges the raisins or from this area here but la puerta has given the world much more than its produce because here is where Spain's greatest known dish originates I err you can't come to the region without indulging in this dish at least once and I'm about to experience it in the most authentic way I didn't realize that traditionally is eaten in the open air over a pop-up wood fire makes it much sexier paia was a dish eaten by farmers and laborers for lunch using rice and whatever else was to hand in the fields Nandi has lived and worked in la huerta most of his life 40 years on from cooking his first pie air he's perfected it I'm told there's much to learn about cooking this the correct way so when you talk about a pea you're actually talking about a pea pan so this is what makes a dish kick gardener McCartney is poyo chicken chicken rabbit Conejo paddle back whoa so this is it's a special occasion so he's adding in some duck never between some and it's not the only rule to be strictly abided by you don't put insurance on it's a crime against cuisine spaniel boy there's a fella by Galarraga Kiera's yes you can make a paella with whatever you like but you cannot then call it an authentic Pierre you know a yeah but it's here now and not basically not a Valencian paella I'm clear okay don't worry I know two leads uh never mind never again again again remember I promise I swear next come the vegetables always an assortment of green beans and tomatoes and then whatever you can find growing in the region like these my favorite the last artichokes of the season all of this produce couldn't be fresher has been picked the garden this morning it's gonna taste amazing very skilled apart from anything else I've never managed to build a fire burn that long I mean it's gonna make me look at pee I'm very differently again it's a long board process and in this heat it's thirsty work for this was traditionally used by farmers and it's because it's clay it keeps them all too cold but keep it in the in the shade so that they could have a cool drink whenever they needed one okay I think I preferred it was Mandy may be a pro at cooking this but he tells me this wasn't always the case his first ever pee was completely inedible why I think this is something that people in in England don't understand the paia is about the rice not about being the egg the ingredients that go into it but the main thing is the rice is always the important ingredient now see okay it's a concept that's unique to the Spanish and Italians in fact anywhere else in the world the rice accompanies the dish but here it's the focal point he just separated out vegetables the ingredients from the liquid so that there's room for the rice to absorb it out about the moss and then you can then you stir it in now everything is perfect you don't have to touch it anymore you can just leave it [Music] there may seem a lot of rules to cooking the paella but the Valencian czar fiercely protective of this dish and over the years the recipe has been altered by different cultures beyond recognition Guillermo Navarro is the co-founder of wiki Pierre a Valencian organization whose business it is to police the tradition of the paia why did you stop being interested in pear for us is maybe one of the one of the culture elements of our identity as a people when we were in Madrid or in Barcelona or in New York or in London and we find by a jacket that contains that product that we don't have here like chorizo avocado and it's like this is not pie this is not our tradition this is not the things that we can find in in the field it's about our our culture our roots Fernanda said to me that you can put anything you like in to a rice dish but then you can't quit pea and it's just rice with things yeah there are good things there are things yeah they're rice with things is one of the best concepts is to say I'm cooking well is right with things yeah if I put coke with your tea and tea times we learn daenerys yeah it's like that okay I get it another interesting thing in Baia is a ritual around the fire with your friends is more than a cooking is just to spend your day cooking upaya fingers if you can arrive to the dinner with your alcohol level stable I can see that after half an hour simmering the rice has absorbed the water and all the flavors and is ready to be served can't wait to try this where's the wine definitely I mean this is like my perfect perfect afternoon I told you before this is that traditional thing that there's a way to eat pie with your friends with your family after they go boy after cooking everything together everybody together that's right outdoor perfect yeah it's easy to see how the traditional pie air has become not lost in translation in certain parts of the world making it all the more satisfying to experience the real thing whilst in Valencia I enjoyed the whole experience because absolutely blown away by the pattern in these Valencia's have for this this dish how knowledgeable they are how absolutist they are there's just no varying from the traditional Valencian way it's their way or the highway this region has already enthralled me and all before I've even ventured into the heart of the city of Valencia you I'm in Valencia in eastern Spain I've ventured from the green outer edges into the heart of the historic city many visitors barely leave Valencia's beaches but those who can drag themselves from their sun beds will discover all the vibrance of a true Mediterranean city among the labyrinth of streets and squares that make up the old town you'll find cafes like this one known as or chat areas they are a welcomed sanctuary from the stifling summer heat but if you want to behave I could true Valencian start your day here and don't expect coffee it is one of the specialities of region throughout Spain it was actually invented here [Music] oh it's he goes to try local delicacy had a sweet tail lies behind the milky drink or charter the story goes but a visiting King of Aragon and Catalonia came for City and was offered a gloss not by little girl thank you the king is supposed to have replied XS or chapter ie this isn't milk this is gold diamond but Tata is said to have plenty of health benefits aiding digestion and helping energize but you have to have a sweet tooth let me tell you what being quieter it's it's so sweet apparently what we're supposed to do as opposed to did for fan Tollan to it and he's like that in for penny a little would go a long way with me do like them say you need the energy to explore this great city and a guide helps too I've been given a tip-off that someone who really knows Valencia also happens to be the curator of a weird and wonderful Museum tucked away within a Gothic palace on the barline street Chaya Caballero historian Alejandro claims to have the world's largest collection of tin figurines over 1 million tiny pieces are contained within these walls as astonishing as absolute sourcing and its historical scenes have fascinated young old and even the most jaded museum goers like the bird seller the fishmonger I love this some of them are very rare we have some some pieces here that belonged to Napoleon and he offered them his son like God this is an interest verging on an obsession I would say well I think it's a new media it's a new way to teach history it's an amazing work you don't you can't thank you very much it's astonishing this is quite an extraordinary sight worth seeing but it's by no means the biggest surprise hidden within the city for that alejandro tells me you have to visit historic Cathedral so this is the Christian Cathedral that was made on the 13th century it's not quite a history that song it's lovely beautiful but what many don't know is what lies inside for in a small room just to the side of the cathedral is the most sought-after relic of them all the Holy Grail its Valencia's best-kept secret the fact that the chapel is virtually empty shows just how little-known this is I'm amazed your mount Roman Catholic then I had absolutely no idea that this was here this is the chalice believed have been used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper the quest to find it has long been the subject of religion fiction and film but the Vatican claims this to be the real deal the King of Aragon bought it here in the 14th century he owed the cathedral money and this was deemed sufficient to cover his debts I mean honestly I can't like what would you believe I thought you were joking when you said that there was a chalice at the Last Supper yes Holy Grail yes it's so important as as I read it is it ever used any services it has been used in services but and only when the pores have come but once it was used and it fell down and it braked a little bit you cannot see it this one died three days later whatever your belief there is something captivating about being in its presence [Music] Valencia is a city that has succeeded in merging the old with the new while there is a wealth of history here the skyline is also dominated by some eye-catching buildings just a hop skip and a jump away is this the amazing city of Arts and Sciences and it's a testament to modern architecture this futuristic vision of steel glass and greenery is Europe's largest cultural center the dazzling complex of attractions was the work of local architect Santiago Calatrava and it's built on what was once a flood prone riverbed the reinvention has been decades in the making been controversial across the city 1.3 billion euros but it has catapulted Valencia into Spain's top 5 tourist destinations here in Spain they have a very forward-thinking view and they have no fear about altering landscape with this modern architecture and I love it wandering around this city has made me question why I left it so long to visit but the most astonishing day Valencia has surprised me from beginning to end I knew about the beach but I had no idea that I could go and that this gothic Barack's surroundings but valencia has one more side to its natural beauty that I want to experience before I leave south of the city mile upon mile of flat wetlands stretch across the album Ferrer National Park the watery landscape has been cultivated into paddy fields where rice has been grown for centuries and resembles the Far East more than Eastern Spain but it culminates in one of Europe's largest freshwater lagoons hola yo soy Alex Encantada when I started this gracias nowadays these vodkas long wooden boats work the lake showing visitors the magical beauty of the albufeira it's well worth holding out until sunset to make the trip when I was told I was coming to Valencia I did not expect this I knew nothing about the lagoon I didn't know about these waterways and in nothing about the price all I've ever heard about is the beautiful beaches and it's [Music] I wonder how many of the thousands of the debaters who come into the beaches that anything about what this [Music] no I know I'm so I think I've never been anywhere like this this is completely extraordinary next I'm heading south where the bright lights of the Costa Blanca await me [Music] venturing south of Olympia and the white coast 120 miles of Mediterranean shorelines snakes its way along Eastern Spain [Music] the Costa Blanca is where Britain's love affair with this country is at its most intense it's the expats favourite destination you'll find more British on the Casablanca then anywhere else in Europe and many of them are retirees seduced by year-round Sun and a climate recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the best in the world I'm sure I could seek out draw villages and discover hidden coves and on this coast but instead I'm heading to the province of alicante where I'm told I'll find the Costas very own little corner of Ingham [Music] it's no secret that this region is of British and clay but I'd like to know why Gerry and Margaret moved to the Spanish mainland 16 years ago good afternoon morning something they belong to one of Ally Cantor's most successful both clubs where the members are almost exclusively expats how often are you here in the club me probably too many times how long did it take you to get good is everyone here literally everybody we've just got one couple who still have jobs over here other than that everybody here is retired living the life living the dream not many people get to say that honestly the quality of life over here for us is so much better so you have everything you want here what else do I need I've got the sunshine I've got a lovely place to live I've got a fantastic bulbs Club we literally don't work for anything else is there nothing that you miss yes there is something okay damn good pint of British beer no there's absolutely nothing that I would say god I'm gonna go back to Sue's good for you okay I want to watch the game really or at least it what do you call it it's not an innings but Gerry has more in mind for me than simply spectating I'm venturing dangerously out of my comfort zone so if I can just show you the foot has to be on the mat how'd you hold it you hold it with the running line with a finger - on the grips around there under some there is if I get it on the Jack I'm gonna be useless at this I know I am I just might get beginner's luck yeah I might believe absence publicly do this you're trying I find out okay unnatural there we go are we following it are we following it where it is it's trying on the line and natural perfect and this is what the gang's all about a little bit of concentration breathe in breathe out [Music] that's a good one no it's too soon [Laughter] I've taken the bowls world by storm and I've surprised myself in the process yes okay and there is my clothes I had to come and experience this to truly understand why so many Brits decide to come and live out their days on the Casablanca now I get it I enjoyed myself a lot more than I expected to this is a really cheery bunch of people who are really enjoying their lives what more can you ask just don't meet enough people who are really sucking the very marrow out of life and you feel like these guys they're making every minute count and that's an attitude I completely concur with but this is the gentler side of life here I still have to confront its most infamous resort [Music] I'm on route to Benidorm which is making me a little nervous try not to be too snobby about it but I haven't always heard the best things and I don't know what kind of experience is going to provide me I can't pretend that Bella dorm has been on my must-see list of places in the world but right in the throng of it all I'm surprised by my first impressions [Music] so it's been a dorms dubious reputation really justified not according to the millions of Brits who flocked here since the 1970s even today in Europe only London and Paris see more visitors just two hours from the UK and with package tourism and low-cost airlines making it more accessible than ever been enormous popularity shows no signs of waning this resorts hotels a 90 percent full even in low season so it must be doing something right Benna dorms history fascinates me just 60 years ago barely anyone knew the place even existed until 1950 when Pedraza ragazza odds became math and set about putting the tiny village on the map been adorns iconic and imposing high-rise design was there goss's vision he wanted to create the ultimate tourist playground and he wanted everyone to have a sea view so he encouraged mass building of skyscrapers Saragosa was defiant in his ambitions in just 15 years he created beaches from sand dunes brought in water and electricity and even managed to get Franco's controversial ban on bikinis lifted in the 70s an astonishing 12 million sunseekers flocked the resort and the rate of development since then has been so dropping astonishing it's impossible not to feel the British influence here and within the stream of souvenir shops and supermarkets you'll find Vicky's salon an expat who moved her whole life to Benidorm eleven years ago I'm intrigued plus I can't resist a bit of pampering let's do it what is it that has made Benidorm such a draw all these years there's something in Benidorm for everybody Benidorm is just not what people think people only think it's the party party life the madness we get lots of party people but that's only a tiny tiny part of Benetton the knockers of Benidorm many of them have never been here at all yeah I'm kidding me and the ones who who have an akut have never ventured out of this very small area of madness it is Spain people think this is Little Britain but people can come here and live a little bit of life you can yes and many many thousands and zillions of people do my mother-in-law's lived here 30 years and she speaks three words of Spanish you can do it if you choose to do that but I think by doing that personally I think you miss out hugely I like to go to Spanish bars I love the atmosphere the noise the vibrancy I really do feel a foreigner in the UK now do ya I really do well give me some examples what freaks you out there driving on what to me now is the wrong side of the road and I never never thought I'd say that eating we eat so much later drives me mad though and it's the whole cultural thing it is like these kissing people which to me now is normal you kiss the bank money as you kiss everybody and you find yourself doing it in the UK and they look at you as though you are kissing good but people here just kiss everybody I just noticed you use the phrase we then about something happening here in Spain does that mean that you feel more Spanish than English I I am English and I'm proud to be English but this is where I've chosen to live there are odd British things I I miss like Battenberg cake and things like that but the Spanish version is of 90 nations don't you for services to tourism I'm telling you that now if you're gonna encourage me to see the real Benidorm the Benidorm that you're so passionate about and then you talk about so convincingly where would you send me you need to go down to the far end of the levanta beach to the projectory that sticks out which is the mirador and that is absolutely heaven what nobody believes bunny Don exists like that okay so do it I'll do that then you are commander listen I always know next threat when I hear what she says perfect look at my lovely nails a beauty box both of you no problem [Music] people speak with such fondness for Benidorm and I think I understand why now I've not spent long here but already I can see that the brochures and the TV only tell you part of Benidorm vibrant story you have to experience it for yourself I'm standing at the mirador and Benidorm is really surprisingly it's not sure what I was expecting I think has become lazy shorter for everything that's bad about a package holiday and that has just not being my experience so stupid of me to make a judgement about somewhere I've never been before you are no better now look at this lovely see look at the endless beaches I've seen and yes there are plenty of madding crowds but there is so much lacking and you're never far from a true authentic Spanish experience as I'm about to discover when you found yourself fatigued by Benidorm it's easy to escape and discover a complete antidote [Music] I'm retreating not far but somewhere that feels a world away but just two kilometers long debarker is an unspoiled fishing village it's rocky shores peppered with coves apparently the pristine waters here offer an unmissable snorkeling experience [Music] by day the island can still feel very touristy as boats bring day-trippers keen to spend an hour or two off the mainland to get the true character of the place you have to time it just right [Music] but you have to work fast to snap up a room in the handful of B&BS typically an old fisherman's cottage like this one very simple just what you'd hopeful really somewhere like this with no noisy bars or cars it feels as though the modern world has forgotten about this place literally not a soul to be seen much nearly bombed myself less than 50 people inhabit this Bijou Island [Music] Mateus an artist has been resident since 1973 after visiting on a voyage of disco [Music] dear Colonia in Vallejo if he stole people's teach old man John Obama's are you gonna burp our cocoa ave ste Slovakian I totally meant abandonado they take a cool to are there be no sorrow he seemed you never know it was it's out of compromise tambien demonic I said what there was a people living here at the time she knows and also cinta there were more people that were the Zetas their school tours most original tourists but while the arrival of tourists in Benidorm completely changed its identity life here was still primitive with no water or electricity until the mid 80s and today although the island sees more visitors it still feels very authentic he still loves the island and the beauties of nature still here is still as beautiful as ever obviously sometimes the numbers of people become longer overwhelming nowadays is it there is it I don't think this is the life for me but to spend a day or so here is a pleasure I'd thoroughly recommend like a million miles away from Benetton you can't even believe it's in the same country I wish I was here with my husband my one true love wandering the streets romantically hand-in-hand [Music] to cater for the growing numbers of tourists more restaurants have sprung up on to vodka but I want to eat like a local so Matthias has given me a tip-off about where they all go our children condor ammos carmen has been cooking the island signature dish for over 40 years I'm about to try a speciality of tomochka which is a cut there or give de Gallina gainer is a type of face of rock Fisher's abundant around here I've never had one before we're looking forward to it this so called fish stew is flavored with the distinctive sweet pepper paste but this isn't exactly what I expected you've really got to work for it [Music] it's a very bony vaak fish bone and they meet hardly worth the effort none the worse for it but we're used to slightly whiff and these days no food so well into vodka you know they do everywhere I've been on this leg of my journey has surprised me and this little gem in the shadow of the neon lights of Benidorm is no exception Costa Blanca is 200 kilometers of some of the busiest coastline on the Mediterranean this is a complete contrast and it's just a few kilometers away beggars belief that somewhere like this still exists without I've come here sit for myself I'm leaving the Costa Blanca feeling very different to how I thought I would but I found it in this small stretch of Spain has really surprised me I found beaches culture solitude and madness it's all here definitely coming back to this part of the world I'm longing to find out what other Forgotten corners there are [Music] next time I reach southern Spain where I'll experience the wild and diverse region of Andalusia [Music] I'm granted exclusive access to the majestic Alhambra just to see it without the crowds this is luxury beyond compare and I'll meet the king of one of Spain's most celebrated are [Applause] [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: TRACKS - Travel Documentaries

Views: 63,406

Keywords: TRACKS, tracks travel channel, tracks travel, full episode, full documentary, nature documentary, tv shows - topic, documentary movies - topic, culture documentary, travel documentary, travel guide, alex polizzi, alex polizzi secret italy, alex polizzi secret spain, spain, costa blanca spain, costa blanca beach, costa blanca benidorm, costa blanca spain beach

Id: hR6Hpyp7oTk

Length: 43min 15sec (2595 seconds)

Published: Sun May 17 2020