The Vall de Pop, or Jalón valley as many foreign residents call it, is a sheltered valley in the north of Alicante province, a few kilometres inland from the coast at Dénia and Xàbia. It is a landscape of vineyards, almond and olive groves and orange trees, with white villages and the mountains rising on all sides. Alcalalí is one of these villages, with a medieval tower in its centre, and Parcent and Orba are nearby. The Abric de Seguilí lies in the hills just outside Alcalalí.
The mountains of the Marina Alta hold many painted shelters, with Levantine, schematic and Macro-schematic art, part of the UNESCO-listed group. The Abric de Seguilí is one of these, a small, protected site in the hills. The art in this area was painted by hunting and later farming communities over thousands of years, and the shelters are often in spectacular places, with views over the valleys.
The Vall de Pop has a long tradition of grape growing, and its Moscatel grapes were once dried to make raisins, which were exported in large quantities through the port of Dénia in the nineteenth century. The valley still produces wine, and the local cooperatives sell it. Jalón has a famous Saturday market, the rastro, which draws crowds from the coast.
The riding around Alcalalí is excellent. The road from Parcent up the Coll de Rates, a mountain pass with a sequence of hairpins and views over the valley and the coast, is famous among professional cyclists, who train here in winter, so expect to share it with them. The roads over the mountains toward Castell de Castells, Tàrbena and the Vall de Laguar are narrow and twisty, with spectacular views. The road from Alcalalí to Llíber and the Vall de Pop is gentler. The surfaces are mostly good.
Alcalalí and Parcent have bars and restaurants, and Pedreguer, about eight kilometres away, is the nearest town with fuel and all services. Local food includes the rice dishes of the area, the coca, and the wines and raisins of the valley. Spring, with almond blossom in late winter, and autumn are the best seasons.