Whether you are interested in the history, the arts and architecture or just want to indulge in some retail therapy at the famous Spanish department store El Corte Inglés, Alicante has everything you could need and more! Better still it is so close to home for anyone who lives in the Costa Blanca.
From your home in the northern Costa Blanca, the city is just a short drive along the AP7 motorway, or the ALSA bus company provides several services from towns in the Costa Blanca to the city.
Lucentum was the Roman city that became Alicante and is just a few kilometres from the modern-day city centre. The remains of the Roman city and what life might have been like here many hundreds of years ago have been excavated, and the ruins are well preserved. Here you can see houses, baths and public buildings all with the view of the Mediterranean Sea that made this area so important for both trading and fishing. You can participate in a guided tour, and there are plenty of exhibitions showing various artefacts which have been found at the site, which can easily be reached from the city centre by bus or Tram.
Overlooking the city protectively is the Castel de Santa Bàrbara, situated on a hilltop with panoramic views of the city and port. Alicante Castle was built by Muslims in the 9th century and houses a historic museum. Guided tours are available daily and it is open at very reasonable prices from 10:00 to 23:00. For the energetic a walk to the castle can be a memorable and enjoyable excursion with regular stops to enjoy the views along the way, alternatively a bus or car park at the base of the hill and the top of the hill can be reached on foot in about 15 minutes. Visiting the castle is best done either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when there are fewer crowds and the weather is cooler, so wear comfortable shoes and plenty of water. Once you have reached the top of the steep hill, allow about 2 hours to explore the castle itself and enjoy the views, and allow longer if you want to take the guided tour and learn more about the history of the city of Alicante.
However, Santa Bàrbara is not the only castle to protect the city, which is in fact located between two fortress castles. The lesser-known San Fernando was built as added protection of the western area of Alicante on Mount Tossal, but in fact never saw battle. You can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the ramparts of this fortification which is set amid greenery and palm trees with the city and sea as an impressive backdrop. The area surrounding San Fernando has a great recreational area with monuments, statues, gardens, parks, a sports field, the music conservatory, and themed reproductions of the region of Valencia with options to play mini-golf, skate, go rock climbing or participate in an assortment of other activities. This is the perfect area to head if you are bringing your children along for your city break from a home in the Costa Blanca.
The city blends modern living perfectly with history and tradition, it has maintained a charming old town with interesting hidden corners, authentic tapas bars, boutiques and lively squares. The central Market is an impressive building which was constructed on top of an area where part the city walls that once surrounded Alicante. It offers a great selection of gastronomic produce from the Costa Blanca region. There are several religious buildings, as well as museums and theatres, that can be visited, as well as Department Stores. The Explanada de España is a tree-lined promenade with mosaic pavements where it is great to stroll, people watch and enjoy an ice-cream after a busy day.
Why not take a short boat trip from the city to Tabarca Island, where there is a regular ferry service, particularly during the tourist season, or you could arrange to join a Kataman cruise for your visit. It is the only inhabited island in this area, but it is in fact a small archipelago comprising Tabarca and three other smaller islets. It was once a refuge for Berber pirates, and later King Carlos III ordered it to be fortified and to have the town built, which houses families of Genoese fishermen who were being imprisoned by the Tunisian city of Tabarka. The city offers an assistance here for those with mobility problems so that they can also enjoy a visit to the island.
Alicante is no different from other parts of the wonderful part of Spain that we live in; numerous excellent bars and restaurants offer local, traditional menus. At night, the rooftop bars come to life with views over the city, where you can relax and enjoy the view and a drink or head to a nightclub and dance the night away. It is also worth keeping an eye out for concerts, theatrical and sporting events which are regularly held either in the theatre or at the bullring, where several international groups and singers have performed, for example, Simple Minds and James Blunt have both performed here recently. There is also a casino close to the port if you want to see if you’re going to be lucky. You never know, you might win and be able to make your next trip a Mediterranean Cruise from Alicante Port! There are lots of places where you can spend the night, so that you don’t need to drive home after just a day trip. There are budget accommodations, mid-range, as well as luxury and boutique hotels.
It is so easy to forget to explore places of interest which are close to home. Alicante might come into this category for those who live in the Costa Blanca so don’t miss out, plan your break here you won’t be disappointed.
Hamiltons Real Estate (formally Hamiltons of London) client information written by our team in 2024
