ALICANTE

Located in the heart of the Costa Blanca, Alicante is one of the most important tourist destinations on the east coast of Spain, situated 45km from Benidorm. The many golf courses, the calm waters of the Mediterranean sea, amazing food, cultural experience, are just some of the attractions offered by this beautiful port city located at the foot of the Castle of Santa Barbara, a silent witness to the numerous civilizations that have passed through it.

There are several places in the city at once, for which it is worth putting off your swimsuit for a while and walking along the ancient streets. For example, the fortress of Santa Barbara (Castillo de Santa Bárbara). One of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain was built during the Arab rule, and then completed and modernized at different times by the French and the Spaniards themselves. It combines several architectural styles at once. It is also worth noting its good location – on the top of Mount Benacantil (166 meters above sea level). The best panoramas of the city open before the visitors of the fortress. You can climb here on a paid elevator built into the mountain, but you won’t have to pay for the entrance to the territory of the building.

It is also worth visiting the local museum of modern art – MACA (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Alicante). Its halls contain an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures, including works by Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. A separate plus is that the entrance to the museum is free.

The hallmark of the city and one of the most popular attractions is the Explanada de España alley. A wide walking path runs along the waterfront and is entirely paved with mosaics made from approximately 6.5 million marble pieces. Palm trees and flower beds are planted on both sides of it, and unique sculptures can be seen on the lawns.

Another place worth making time for when visiting Alicante is the Central Market (Mercado Central). You can go here not only for shopping, but also to admire the old building with magnificent bas-reliefs.

Walking through the Old Town, you can visit several key attractions in one walk. So, we recommend including the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in the itinerary, built on the site of a destroyed Muslim mosque. The gothic Basilica of St. Mary pleases the eye of visitors with an organic mixture of baroque and rococo, as well as ancient sculptures located in the building. The building of the city hall, built in the 18th century, is also very interesting.

In fairness, it should be noted that for a great beach holiday it is not at all necessary to travel outside the city. Alicante is rightfully proud of its numerous sandy beaches. For cleanliness and compliance with environmental standards, they have repeatedly received the international Blue Flag award. The best of them are San Juan, Urbanova and Postiguet.

On any of the local city beaches there is something for fans of water sports: snorkeling, diving, surfing and windsurfing, as well as fishing competitions are common here. Would you like to discover Alicante with us?