Alicante City

Capital of the Costa Blanca, where Santa Bárbara Castle overlooks the palm-lined promenade and harbour, with the hilltop village of Guadalest, the whitewashed town of Altea and Tabarca Island nearby.

Alicante lies on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante in the Valencian Community and the gateway to the Costa Blanca ("White Coast"). With more than 300 days of sunshine a year and mild winters, it is a popular spot for Europeans seeking winter sun and seaside holidays. Sightseeing in the city centres on the seafront: Santa Bárbara Castle looks down over the whole city, with Postiguet Beach and the Explanada de España, with its wave-patterned marble paving, at its foot; the old town has the white-walled Santa Cruz quarter, the Basilica of Santa María, the MACA contemporary art museum and the Central Market; and north of the centre are the MARQ Archaeological Museum and the 7 km San Juan Beach. Day trips include boating to Tabarca Island for snorkelling, heading north to the hilltop village of Guadalest and the Fonts de l'Algar waterfalls, the whitewashed town of Altea, the resort of Benidorm and the Peñón de Ifach rock at Calpe, and, to the west, the World Heritage Palm Grove of Elche. Getting there: Alicante–Elche Airport is about 12 km from the city, with an airport bus, and high-speed trains reach Madrid in about 2 hours 20 minutes. The coastal TRAM runs to San Juan, Villajoyosa and Benidorm, but a car is best for mountain sights. Allow 3–5 days. The Hogueras de San Juan bonfire festival, 20–24 June, is the liveliest time, and hotels are pricier in July–August. Paella and turrón (nougat) are must-tries.

Top sights

Santa Bárbara Castle – A medieval fortress perched on the summit of Benacantil, 166 meters high. It overlooks the port, Postiguet Beach, and the entire city. It i…
Explanada de España – A seaside promenade paved with about 6.5 million red, white, and black marble tiles in a wave pattern, lined with four rows of palm trees…
Santa Cruz Quarter – A neighborhood of white-walled cottages on the castle hillside, with stepped alleyways hung with flower pots and colorful tiles. You can wa…
Palmeral of Elche – Europe’s largest palm grove, with about 200,000 date palms introduced and cultivated by Arabs. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage…
Postiguet Beach – An urban beach right next to the old town, facing Santa Bárbara Castle, within walking distance, with full facilities and lively crowds in…
Basilica of Santa María – The oldest church in the city, built in the 14th–16th centuries on the site of a former mosque, with a richly carved Baroque façade and a G…
Co-Cathedral of St Nicholas of Bari – A 17th-century Herrerian-style co-cathedral with a blue dome about 45 m high and a quiet cloister.
MARQ Archaeological Museum of Alicante – An archaeology museum that once won the European Museum of the Year award, using immersive displays to present Alicante from the Iberian an…
MACA Contemporary Art Museum – A free art museum made up of a 17th-century granary and a modern glass annex, with works by Miró, Dalí, Picasso and Sempere.
Alicante Central Market – A modernist market opened in 1921, with two floors of stalls offering Mediterranean seafood, cured ham and local turrón.
San Juan Beach – A golden beach about 7 km long with clear water and gentle waves, served directly by tram, and a favorite holiday beach for Alicante locals.
Lucentum Archaeological Site – The Roman ruins of Lucentum in Alicante, preserving the layout of its forum, baths and streets, overlooking Albufereta Bay.
Tabarca Island – The only inhabited small island in the Valencia region, with an 18th-century walled town, and clear marine-reserve waters that make it a sn…
Canelobre Caves – A giant cave inside Mount Cabrero, with a main chamber dome about 70 m high covered in candelabra-like stalagmites, often hosting cave conc…
Huerto del Cura – Elche's most famous palm garden, where the “Imperial Palm” splits from one trunk into seven branches, paired with a cactus garden and ponds.
Turrón Museum, Jijona – The home of Spain's Christmas confection turrón, where the museum demonstrates the traditional craft of making almond and honey nougat and…

Where to eat

Nou Manolin – An Alicante institution opened in 1971, famous for its legendary bar, fresh seafood display, and rice dishes, featured…
Piripi – The sister restaurant of Nou Manolin, opened in 1994, featuring a tapas bar on the ground floor and a dining room upsta…
Taverna Manero (Balmis) – A boutique tapas bar styled like an early 20th-century grocery store, renowned for premium ham, canned delicacies, seaf…
Cervecería Sento (Rambla) – A local tapas bar founded in 1975, famous for its freshly made montaditos (small sandwiches) and croquettes at budget-f…

Itineraries

Valencia to Costa Blanca – Head south from Valencia, passing through Dénia, Xàbia, Calp, and the mountain village of Guadalest, ending in Alicante.
Barcelona to Cartagena Mediterranean Coast – Head south along Spain's east coast, connecting Gaudí, Roman ruins, the delta, paella, and Cartagena.