Alicante, on the sunkissed Costa Blanca, has long been a popular holiday destination for both Spanish and foreign holidaymakers. The traditional package holiday experience continues to thrive in the surrounding area with Benidorm only a short hike up the coast. But if crowded beaches, burger bars and tower block hotels aren’t your thing, Alicante still has much to offer, with culture and history in abundance.
Things to see and do:
- Castillo de Santa Barbara – this sixteenth century castle looms over the city, and will keep kids and history junkies happy for hours with its drawbridges, dungeons and dragons. OK, there aren’t any dragons. But it’s still good.
- Festivals – Alicante has fiestas aplenty, with the Fiesta de Reconquista in April, the week-long fiesta de Sant Joan in late June, and, hot on its heels, the Fiesta de San Pedro in early July. September welcomes the annual theatre and music festivals, while each December the city plays host to the International Puppet Festival. Phew.
- El Barro – head for the narrow streets of this district to find the best nightlife, as well as the best budget accommodation.
- Cathedral – Alicante’s Concatedral de Nicolas de Bari was built in the seventeenth century, and is an excellent example of the Spanish baroque style.
- Isla de Tabarca – this island is ten miles off the coast of Alicante and is great for snorkelling and scuba diving. Its past is just as colourful as its sea life: for a long time it was a notorious pirate base, with the island’s medieval fort being used to house treasure, parrots and newly press-ganged infants. Arr, Jim lad.
Getting there:
The El Atlet International Airport is six miles away, and a shuttle bus runs to and from the airport and the city centre. Alicante is also well-connected to Spain’s train and bus network, with Valencia and Murcia both just a couple of hours’ journey away.
Location and weather:
Alicante is on the Costa Blanca in the south east of Spain, approximately 200km south of Valencia. From June until August the temperature is always over 30 degrees, while the spring and autumn are slightly cooler with occasional heavy rain. Winters are mild and sunny, making Alicante a good bet for an off-peak holiday.
Top tip:
Alicante is very hot and very, very busy in the summer months – by all means go then if you think you’re hard enough, but the rest of the year offers a much more laid-back experience.
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