Valencia
Too bad you have ruled Valencia out. It is my favorite destination! I frequently visit my cousin there (I live in Canada).
Valencia is a city of approximately 800 000 residents. It boasts Europe’s largest historical centre. It is a city that has everything to offer, while maintaining a rather small town feeling. For example, it has theatres, opera, the philharmonic, museums, festivals, shopping malls, parks, golf, zoo, aquarium and more. However, you will never get stuck in a traffic jam! The city is easy to move around in and find your way in whether by car, metro, or bus. There is also an app and website for the transportation service where you can enter your location and destination and the program maps out the best route and service to get you where you want to go. The promenade along the beach is nice and long. Ideal for long walks. There are chair and umbrella rentals along the beach.
It is a Mediterranean coastal city. However, its precise location in a small basin on lower ground surrounded by medium sized mountains gives Valencia a unique micro-climate in the region. Valencia has very little rain. It has very mild winters and very hot summers. You can be sure that you will not see very much rain.
Valencia is in a region with a lot of history. The most important figure discovered from the Ibero period (the people who populated Spain before the Romans) was found in the province of Valencia. The Romans founded Valencia and other towns on the Valencia coast. Original cross-roads, amphitheatres, monuments, museums, an oracle and much more can help you step back into time and imagine what life might have been like in the lands of this most important empire.
The more modern history is described by the Morish period (nearly 700 years) and the times since the return of the catholic kings. Medieval towns and villages cover the Valencian countryside. Within 1.5 hours, you can visit towns such as Xativa, Morella, Bocairente, Sagunto and Albarracin. In fact, these are just the well known medieval towns. There are many other, secret, villages doting the area with equal charm and historical interest.
Many of these villages have excellent hiking trails. The gastronomy around Valencia varies a little depending on the town. Indeed, many famous world-renown chefs from Valencia have taken their inspirations from the local traditions.
There are also many opportunities to kayak, sail, go wine-tasting and bike. Actually, there is an impressive network of bike trails that barely require road travel. The wine regions (ex. Requena-Utiel) are rich with excellent wines and grapes native to the region.
One final note about Valencia: Restaurant, food, alcohol, car hire, and transportation is cheap. Like, bizarrely cheap.
Its great to stay close to the beach as well. When I visit, we stay close to the beach as my cousin rents a flat out there. It is perfect!