Alicante is a charming coastal city with a unique charm.
An impressive castle, an idyllic old town, beautiful beaches, promenades and nature parks. On the Costa Blanca, the port city of Alicante entices with culinary highlights and a maritime atmosphere.
- Travel period: 3 days
- Best time to travel: June to September
- Main dish: 10 €
Arrival
The airport Alicante can be reached with a direct flight from many airports and is located around ten kilometres outside the city centre. Bus C-6 takes you 24/7 in about 25 minutes to the centre of Alicante.
Hotel
In Alicante there are some luxury hotels that everyone can afford. The elegant Hospes Amérigo* offers a night in a double room from 190 euros. We recommend the 3-star hotel Tryp Ciudad de Alicante*, located between the old town and the city beach Playa del Postiguet. The bus stop of the airport bus C-6 is nearby.
Places of interest
For a short trip to Alicante, spring and autumn with mild temperatures are suitable. The best time for a beach holiday is from late June to early September.
The landmark of Alicante is the Castillo de Santa Bárbara, which is one of the largest castles in Europe. The Moorish castle is situated on the 166-metre-high hill Benacantil and can be reached from the old town by a steep footpath or from the beach by lift. On the rock face you can discover the Cara del Moro (Moorish face). The view is especially beautiful at sunset. The entrance is free.
The town hall square is a good starting point for your stroll through the old town, which seems to consist almost entirely of palm trees, bars and restaurants. There is something going on here day and night. Free admission is available at the Museum of Contemporary Art. We also recommend the Archaeological Museum outside the old town. Winding alleys and stairs lead through the historic Barrio de Santa Cruz, which is situated on the hillside. The small, colourful houses are decorated with flowers and tiled motifs and form a beautiful photo motif.
The popular promenade Esplanada d’Espanya is an avenue of palm trees with red-blue tiled floors at the beautiful marina of Alicante. Four kilometers to the south is the Parc El Palmeral, a highlight not to be missed. The Mediterranean park landscape with bridges, ponds and rivers for boating was created in the bay. The entrance is free. Also outside the centre there is the Playa de San Juan, a ten kilometers long beach section with fine golden sand. A good alternative to the city beach Playa del Postiguet.
A must-see festival in Alicante is Las Hogueras de San Juan. Huge sculptures run through the city and there is the opportunity to taste regional delicacies. The highlight of the celebration is the big parade on the evening of June 24th, which reminds a bit of carnival.
Your culinary journey in Alicante should start with tapas. These snacks for the small and big appetite are on every menu and every cook shows his skills with his own creations. A tapas tour in a group is funny because than you can share a larger selection of these delicious snacks.
A regional speciality are rice dishes. These include paella paella, which is usually served for two or more people and takes 20 minutes to prepare, and Olleta, a colourful mix of vegetables, meat and rice. Typical fish specialities are red prawns, redfish, haddock and salted tuna fillets and roe.
Pastry specialities are aniseed rolls and Coca Boba Alicantina, a sponge cake seasoned with orange, lemon and cinnamon. Popular regional drinks include Horchata (tiger almond milk) and the famous red wine Fondillón de Alicante.
You can buy fresh food in the Mercado Central . For extensive shopping go the shopping streets Avenida Alfonso El Sabio and Avenida Maisonnave. Also popular are the Sunday flea market at the city hall and the stands with souvenirs and arts and crafts on the Esplanada d'Espanya.
