20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN ALICANTE

Located in the Valencian Community, Alicante usually likes everyone who decides to meet her. And it has all the ballots to be an ideal destination: an enviable climate during almost the whole year, a perfect location with beautiful beaches and close to hiking trails, an infinity of restaurants where you can taste delicious and, as if not enough , there is a good handful of things to see and do in Alicante. Here we are going to tell you the 20 places to visit in Alicante:

1. A good idea to start visiting Alicante is by joining a free tour, which takes you to tour the main tourist places of the historic center of the city. You can book it here. Remember that it is a free tour, but in the end it is normal to leave a tip of € 5-10 to the guide (or whatever you think convenient).

2. Any visit to the historic center of Alicante has to start or end in the Town Hall Square. The arcaded buildings that surround it have a beautiful architecture and in the center the little ones can have fun with the dancing fountain.

3. Go up to Santa Barbará Castle, on top of Mount Benantil, it is one of the iconic places in Alicante. It is an Arab castle, built in the ninth century, which was used as a detention center during the Civil War. It is best to go at sunset, to enjoy one of the best sunsets in Alicante. Curiosity: the part of the mountain where the castle sits is known as "the face of the Moor" because, indeed, it has a human form! By the way, there is a tour that reveals the secrets of this fortress and ends with traditional food.

4. If you decide to arrive walking (do it!) You will go through the Santa Cruz neighborhood, one of the most characteristic and with more personality of the city. With a network of narrow streets, bars and white buildings full of flowers, it is undoubtedly a visit that you cannot miss in Alicante.

5. In the neighborhood of Santa Cruz, in addition, there is the St. Nicholas Cathedral, mixed style (Renaissance and Gothic) and built on what was an old mosque (you see that the Arab heritage is important in Alicante). It is considered the most famous religious temple in the city and that brings together the most faithful in their celebrations (and tourists at any time of the day).

Santa Cruz neighborhood, with Santa Barbara Castle in the background

6. Do you travel to Alicante in May? You're in luck: in this same neighborhood of Santa Cruz the “May Crosses" It is a party in which the entire neighborhood is filled with crosses made of flowers. It takes place every year, from May 2 to 5, and the moment in which Saint Helena found the cross in which Jesus was crucified is remembered. We did not live it in the first person, but we saw photos and it seems a spectacular time to visit the city.

7. And it is that Alicante suffered a lot during the Civil War. A good way to remember this sad chapter of your story is to visit the Interpretation Center for Air Raid Shelters. They do a 2-hour tour (€ 5 voucher) that runs through the darkest years and during which two air raid shelters are visited

8. Stroll through the famous esplanade of Spain, with its wave-shaped mosaics and the pretty Carbonell House, is something that you will end up doing yes or yes. Did you know that this walk consists of more than 6 million mosaics? It reminded us a bit of the Rambla de Barcelona, ​​thanks especially to street performers!

9. Another place to go for a good walk is the Port area. There is always a lot of atmosphere and people who browse between yachts and fishing boats. There are also a lot of little bars to have a drink (a beer at sunset is always a good idea).

10. And if seeing so much boat you want to get on one, do it and go to the Tabarca Island, the only inhabited island in the entire Valencian Community (although more than an island is a true archipelago, since there are also 3 islets, that of La Cantera, La Nao and La Galera). Getting there is easy, there are frequent boats that leave from the port of Alicante and for about € 20 take you back and forth. Once there you can visit several architectural enclaves of the town, such as Church of Saint Paul and Saint Peter or just enjoy your Beach, which is a pass. Tip: eat a cauldron in the Gloria restaurant.

Esplanade of Alicante with the beautiful Casa Carbonell

11. At night, approach the Brown Street: It is one of the best places to have a drink or go "late" as they say here. Some recommended places are The globe, Conferri or IAS, although there are many more!

12. Summer is the best season to enjoy Alicante and the nearby Costa Blanca, dotted with Beaches Very beautiful where to go to roast in the sun (poooonte cream!) and take a few baths in its waters. It is best to rent a car and make a roadtrip all along the coast (don't miss the Ambolo Creek!).

13. Although it is not necessary to escape from the city to enjoy its beaches: Alicante has several very beautiful, such as the San Juan Beach, the Cantalar Creek, the Albufereta Beach or that of Postiguet.

14. Do you want to discover the mysteries and the legend from this corner of Spain? Sign up for this free tour, Not suitable for doctors hehe. And yes, as the previous one is free, but you know the law of the tip ...

15. We are in love with local markets, if you are ours, in Alicante the most famous is the Central Market, where you get lost among many stalls of fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and candy. The building is very beautiful, Valencian modernist style and has been active since 1922 ... almost nothing! Curiosity: in 1938 a bombing by the Italians caused the death of hundreds of people. More info here.

Alicante Central Market

16. For those who enjoy a good glass of craft beer, a good place to taste some delicious and cold beers is the Altabirra (You can also chop something!) In this post we tell you more restaurants to eat in Alicante well and cheaply (coming soon).

17. If you already know the city well and saw everything that we have recommended, there is a plan that perhaps never crossed your mind, but here you have the perfect option: we are talking about a paragliding flight! Certainly something original and that will give you an adrenaline shot. We have never dared ... and it gives us some fun XD But it has to be a unique experience. Check prices and availability here.

18. Do you have several days of time and want to take advantage to know some other area? One of the best excursions from Alicante is that of the Canelobre Cave, the deepest open to the public throughout Spain, full of stalactites and stalagmites and that can be visited with a tour of about 40 minutes (in Spanish and English) for € 7, more information. If you want to do a tour from Alicante, with transportation, entrance and guide, look at this one.

19. Our favorite option is to rent a car and visit two of the most beautiful villages from Alicante: Altea and Villajoyosa. There is also a 6-hour tour that will take you to know them. If you have several days of time to invest one in this mini roadtrip we think it's a good idea.

20. The last excursion we propose is that of Elche and Santa Pola, thanks to which you will meet two of the great jewels of the Valencian Community. If you do not have a car you can go with this tour.

Altea village, a perfect excursion from Alicante

So far our tips for traveling to Alicante. We are sure that you will have a great time since the city is very cozy. Have you visited it? What do you think about it? Do you know more things to see and do in Alicante?

* Photocredit: Shutterstock

Video: Why You NEED To Visit Alicante! Alicante Travel Guide (April 2024).