The mission was tough, to tour the cultural, gastronomic and designer highlights of three Spanish cities – Valencia, Alicante and Granada – in under five days. Where better to start than the mini-break destination of the moment: Valencia. This compact city really does have it all, and as yet, without the hordes of tourists you have to battle against elsewhere. Okay, so Valencia may not have Gaudí like Barcelona, but it does have an incredibly rich heritage of Gothic, Baroque and Modernist architecture, not forgetting the native son, contemporary architectural genius Santiago Calatrava creator of the astounding new City of Arts and Sciences complex (www.cac.es).

Get your bearings and see the city by taking a two-hour walking tour with Valencia Guias (€10 per person, www..valenciaguias.com). Our esteemed guide Luisa Forner met us at our hotel. The first landmark was Colón Market, Modernist and almost as flamboyant as Gaudí with lovely mosaic details. Fresh with the scent of its florist stall, the market houses sleek glass 'boxes’ – cafés, shops – and also two popular restaurants (the smart Alto de Colón and hip Asian restaurant Bamboo).

A stroll up Calle Gorge Juan revealed a retail treat lined with designer boutiques and stores (Lacroix, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara Home), en route Forner showed us how the city bears its past conquerors in the very fabric of its streets – the old Moorish city walls are visible beneath your feet. Founded by the Romans in 137 BC, Valencia was colonised by the Romans: it was Caesar’s retirement gift to his soldiers – hence the name which means 'strength’ and 'vigour’. Over the centuries it has been occupied by Visigoths, Moors between the 8th and 13th century and the Aragonese making the city an eclectic melting pot of influences. This is exemplified by the Cathedral which mixes gothic, baroque and Roman architecture – we loved the Alabaster windows, beautiful and perfect for shielding out strong sunlight.

Also fascinating is the Gothic La Lonja (Silk Exchange Building) built between the 15th and 18th century as a monument to the city’s booming commerce. All religions traded together here – silk, oranges and rice being the city’s best exports – and the wonderful interior is supported by pillars alluding to ships ropes, or twisted silk, that sprout above like palm trees forming the vaulted roof – some say these Moorish structures were designed to appeal to Muslim traders. Other elements, such as the St. David’s star motif on the floor and the cross-style configuration of the building symbolise the faiths of the Jewish and Christian merchants respectively. Opposite is the resplendent wrought-iron, Modernist Central Market offering 400 stalls, to browse go early as it closes at 2.30pm weekdays, 3pm Saturdays.

History lesson over, we chose somewhere trendy to dine: Lola (Calle Subida del Toledano, 8, www.lolarestaurante.com), a hip little restaurant that offers a good value 4- course €45 set menu – we liked the Prawn satay on crispy noodles – and fabulous cocktails in very groovy glassware. Although contemporary, a hint of tradition was lent by screens playing videos of 1930s flamenco dancers. Our last stop of the evening was the ever popular Café Madrid (Abadía san martín, 10), for a glass of the delicious effervescent 'Agua Valencia’, a blend of cava, fresh orange, Cointreau and sugar.

Day two began with a bracing jog along the old Turía riverbed – the 'new lungs of the city’, which has been landscaped into a 3km long public park to include sports facilities, the pretty Palau de Music and fountains, gardens, a children’s adventure playgrounds featuring a giant Gulliver for clambering on. The original river was diverted to run south of the city following the devastating floods of 1957. It’s an easy jog down from Palau de la Mar hotel down to the City of Arts and Sciences (Avenida Autopista del Saler).

Calatrava’s masterpiece is a must (whether you jog, walk or take public transport), it comprises the yet to be completed El Palacio de las Artes (aka the Opera House), El Museo de la Ciencias accommodating interactive science and technology experiences, the L’Hemisferic (including an IMAX cinema) and the Parque Oceanográfico. It’s a triumph, not least because the land on which it stands was previously an ugly, neglected industrial park. Now it’s bold, futuristically white and also characteristically Calatrava with elements evocative of organic, bonelike structures. Like most classics, every angle offers a new reading, but Palacio de las Artes resembles Darth Vadar’s (or any perhaps any 'retired’ soldier’s) helmet, the L’Hemisferic fittingly an eye, and the Oceanográfico buildings an aquatic form – a lily-pad or jellyfish.

After searching out the sharks at the Oceanarium, lunch (for a price) at the stylish 'underwater’ Restaurante Submarino De L’Oceangràfico (tel: +34 961 975 565) where diners are encircled by aquaria. What else to order but a juicy, almost risotto-like Arroz de Bogavente (lobster paella) for two, whilst watching little horse mackerel swimming by – it’s a strangely calming experience.

After lunch, take the no.95 bus to the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (Calle Guillem de Castro, 118, www.ivam.es), to admire their excellent collection of 20th century art, in particular catch Spanish sculptor Julio González, Valencian painter Ignacio Pinazo and visiting exhibition of sculptor Miquel Navarro. Between 13 December and 15 January, there is an exhibition of German lighting designer Ingo Maurer too, entitled Reaching for the Moon.

By night you can’t fail to find fun in the hip El Carmen district, particularly Calle de Caballeros (just off the scenic Plaza Virgen) which is full of cosy bars. We loved the lively traditional tapas joint buzzing with locals called Bar Casa Las Pepa (Calle Conquista, 8, tel: +34 963 925 447). Bar action around Plaza Tossal is good quality, particularly the old pharmacy turned boho bar Café St. Jaume (Calle de Caballeros, 51) and Café Infanta (Plaza del Tossal, 3).

On to Alicante, a two hour drive past farms, olive groves, hillsides sprinkled with small white, red-roofed houses and the unfortunate ugliness of high-rise Benidorm. When Alicante looms, over the brow of a hill you fear the worst, but once you hit the old town all worries dissipate. It’s hard not to fall for its colourful mosaic tiled pavements, cool, narrow streets and palm-fringed seafront promenade.

Whirlwind tour tips
- Plan well, use the route planner on www.viamichelin.com
- Consult tourist offices and information websites: www.spain.info
- Book popular tourist attractions, such as the Alhambra, in advance
- Make reservations for top restaurants in advance
- Choose a well-located hotel
- Consult your concierge, or hotel bartender, for insider knowledge
- For evening fun in Spanish cities, the Old Town is often a safe bet

We had one night only, so we plumped for a gourmet time and dined at María José San Roman’s family-run La Taberna del Gourmet (San Fernando 10, tel: +34 965 204 233) a fabulous deli, tapas and wine bar that neighbours her smarter restaurant Monastrell – named after the famous local grape. Passionate about sourcing the very best local produce, San Roman has been catering for 28 years and the experience shows. For a taste of Alicante try her goats cheese grilled in herbs and then drenched in honey made by bees who pollinate only the Medlar fruit tree, the red prawns, cuttlefish paella, Mojama smoked tuna and homemade nougat ice cream.

We took San Roman’s advice and went for a digestif on the seafront at the sleekly designed Noray Cafe-Bar. Owned and designed by talented local architect Javier Garcia-Solera (who designed Monastrell) and cantilevered to jut out overlooking the marina. It’s a real gem, be lulled by the sultry jazz classics as you watch the yachts berth.

Start the morning by taking the lift near Playa del Postiguet to Santa Barbara Castle on Mount Benacantil for incredible panoramic views, before leaving town for your next stop. Ours was lunch in the idyllic seaside town of Cabo de Palos on the tip of La Manga. El Pez Rojo (Paseo Maritimo, 3, tel: +34 968 563 109). It’s in a prime spot and does a fantastic fish and seafood tasting menu, so plan for a long leisurely lunch.

It was so peaceful that we stayed too long and ended up driving through the night to Granada, which is a shame since the journey takes you past historic Cartagena and the breathtaking scenery of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Of course the big attraction of this Moorish city is the spectacular Alhambra (www..alhambradegranada.org, tickets €10), which means 'red castle’ in Arabic. Go at 8.30am before the crowds arrive. There’s so much to see; intricately decorated interiors, landscaped gardens, fountains and far-reaching views framed by ornate Islamic arches. You can spend hours wandering around this intriguing place while swifts soar above; for a real education book a guided tour (€38 per person).

An evening in Granada is best spent exploring the enchanting cobbled 17th- century Albayzin quarter at the foot of the Alhambra. There are plenty of bars and restaurants around Paseo de los Tristes (which lyrically translates as Promenade of the Sad), a square bordering the River Darro. Azafran (tel: +34 958 226 882) serves delicious Mediterranean food, have your pennies ready for busking musicians who add to the romantic atmosphere. We were spellbound by Granada and departed somewhat reluctantly, driving south to Redhot destination Malaga to catch our flight. To truly enjoy this trip, allow at least a week!

Road trip route
Valencia-Alicante – just under 2 hours, €12.10 tolls Alicante-Cabo de Palos – 2 hours, €5.50 tolls Cabo de Palos- Granada over 4 hours, 197miles Granada-Malaga – just under 2 hours, 79 miles