Lying just inland from the northern Costa Blanca resort of Dénia, the town of Pego sits in a depression, surrounded by mountains.
During Moorish times Pego was of course a walled town, with the obligatory castle, after the reconquest these fortifications were extended and had in all 16 towers, most of this was destroyed during the War of Spanish Succession (1701–14).
Pego celebrates a number of fiestas and festivals throughout the year and these include the Moors and Christians (late June), Porrat de Sant Antoni del Porquet (January), Carnival and the Pinyata (burial of the sardine).
Some typical local dishes include "Crosta" (rice baked in the oven with pork parts), botifarra (blood and onion sausage), chick peas and beaten eggs (baked on top at the end), "arros caldos" (soupy rice with beans, turnips, chicken, and pork) and paella with land snails and rabbit and many other varieties of paella.
"Caragols" land snails sautéed in tomato, tortilla shells with various speciality fillings such as tiny shrimp from the local river.