The history of Orba goes back to prehistoric times, as both Bronze and Neolithic artifacts have been uncovered in local caves. UR-OBIA, meaning the place where the water flows at the bottom of the mountain, is from where the name of the valley and its main village is derived.

In 1768, 12 skulls were found in La Cueva de las Calaveras, in Benidoleig,(Cave of Skulls) and are now thought to be those of early Moors. Greeks, Carthaginians, Visigoths, Romans, and of course Moors all settled and worked here, and the evidence of the Moors presence can still be seen, as it was the Moors who terraced the land for the first time, introducing citrus fruits and rice into Spain as well as many farming techniques still used today.

After the defeat of the Moors, agriculture in the region went into decline in the 14th and 15th centuries and the Orba valley was almost completely depopulated by 1609 and it remained so for two years. In 1611 the Letter of Population defined how land would be re-distributed. Migrants from surrounding villages and from Majorca were brought in to re-establish the population, and this Mallorcan influence can still be seen today, especially in the architectural details of some of the houses.

The fertile Orba Valley, because of the citrus fruits, is remarkably green all year round, and in the centre is the small flourishing village of Orba with a selection of bars, restaurants and shops for all ages. Flanking the valley are many other small villages of 200 – 500 inhabitants, with a slow pace of life and plenty of old world charm, where the economy is still firmly based on agriculture, as rice, citrus fruits, olives, and almonds are all grown in the valley. Life in these villages goes on the way it has for decades, with siestas religiously adhered to, and local customs and culture still very much a part of everyday life.

Coastal towns as Javia, Moirara and Denia are but a short drive away and with the combination of sea and mountains, and with every modern requirement being close at hand, Orba provides a healthy and invigorating life style.