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For an authentic Spanish experience and some of the country’s finest beaches, head for this historic harbor city.
The city of Alicante is an historic Mediterranean port
in the south-eastern part of Spain in the region of Valencia. It has become one
of the most popular resort towns on Spain's Costa Blanca.
With an international
airport, Alicante is the gateway to the nearby package holiday resorts such as Benidorm and Torrevieja. Therefore it tends to be crowded
with tourists all year round.
The most well known resort
along this stretch of Spanish coastline is Benidorm but unlike here, Alicante
has managed to retain its Spanish flavour.
The city also has a distinct African flavour and its historical central
district is filled with Baroque buildings.
The main thoroughfare is the palm tree lined Rambla with outdoor cafes and
ice-cream parlours serving the unusual local drink, horchata, made with
almonds. There are numerous shops, parks and gardens with the Explanada
d'Espanya (Paseo de Explanada) encompassing the yacht harbour with its mosaic
promenade. Most visitors come to Alicante for the beaches, especially San Juan.
The centre piece of
Alicante is the Santa Barbara Castle
atop its hill. However it is still seen
more as a coastal destination to which people flock to enjoy the beaches and Mediterranean sun more than to
investigate the ancient mysteries of the city.
The most popular time to
visit is between May and October as the weather is guaranteed to be sunny and
warm most of the time.
The average monthly
temperatures are:
|
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Day |
16 |
17 |
19 |
20 |
23 |
27 |
30 |
31 |
28 |
24 |
20 |
17 |
|
Night |
6 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
13 |
16 |
19 |
20 |
18 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
The shopping in Alicante
may not be internationally renowned, but there is a good selection of shops and
markets in which you will be able to find most of what you need.
Avenida de Maisonnave is
the heart of the main shopping area. With a vast array of shops selling
everything from shoes, clothes and local specialities so you should be able to
find what you are looking for. It is also home to Spain’s most popular
department store El Corte Inglés.
Other centres are Avenida
Alfonso el Sabio, La Rambla, Calle del Teatro and Calle Gerona. The Esplanade
is a great place to purchase arts and crafts, leatherwork and costume jewellery
from street stalls.
During your stay don’t miss the Central
Market on Avenida Alfonso el Sabio. The biggest street markets are Campoamor, Carolinas, Benalúa y Babel.
For those on self-catering holidays, there are plenty of supermarkets in and
around Alicante.
Once the sun goes down,
Alicante begins to party. Whether you are looking for bars or clubs there is
more than enough choice. The night scene is divided into 5 main areas: El
Barrio (the historic quarter), El Puerto (the Port area), La Ruta de Madera
(Route of Wood), Panorimis and Playa de San Juan.
Here are a few places you
might like to try out:
El Barrio (mainly bars)
El Puerto (trendy, modern bars and clubs)
La Routa de Madera
If you like your evenings a bit quieter, Alicante also has a theatre (Teatro Principal) and cinemas (Astoria and Aria).
January
April
June
Although there is a wealth
of activities to see and do within Alicante, you may want to look further
afield. Here are just a few excursions you might like to take during your stay:
As with most tourist hot
spots beware of pick pockets in busy areas and you should take general precautions
with your valuables. Don’t leave your belongings unattended on the beach.
If you are travelling with
young children make sure they are supervised while on the beach, and arrange a place to meet should they
get lost.
With regards to the tap
water, in general it's advisable to buy bottled water for drinking. The tap
water is fine for cleaning your teeth and cooking but the taste can take a
little while to get used to.