Vall de Laguar is not one village but a scatter of three, Fleix, Campell and Benimaurell, strung along the edge of a deep gorge on the southern flank of the Marina Alta. The name suggests a single place, but the reality is a loose family of hamlets with white houses, a church each and terraces that fall away into the valley. The Barranc de l'Infern runs through the middle, and its sixth group of painted shelters is one of the largest in the ravine.
These shelters belong to the Levantine tradition, with small red human and animal figures painted on limestone walls. They were listed by UNESCO in 1998 together with other sites across eastern Spain, and they are some of the finest examples in this part of Alicante. The paintings are not easy to read, and some are hard to see at all. If you want to understand them, a guide from the local walking associations can be a great help.
The road to Vall de Laguar is a dead end, which means that it is quiet, and it ends in a spectacular view down the gorge. It leaves the main valley road near Murla and climbs steeply with tight bends and a few hairpins, over a surface that is mostly good but narrow. Meeting a van on a blind bend is not unusual, so keep your speed down and position yourself well. The best weather is in spring and autumn, with warm days and clear views, and summer heat can be intense by midday.
Local food is simple and good. Look for dishes of rice cooked with vegetables, and for the tiny, sweet muscat raisins of the Jalón valley. Walkers, who come in numbers in autumn and spring to follow the famous path along the gorge, will find a few bars in the villages, though opening hours vary and may be short outside high season.
Fuel is in Pego, seven kilometres from Murla and some distance from the valley itself, so plan for it. The villages have no pumps that you should rely on. Pack water, good boots and a hat, and leave early if you intend to walk.