Main attractions in Alicante

Alicante, what to see

Alicante is a city - resort located on the Costa Blanca, attracting a large number of tourists every year with its mild climate and sandy beaches. Costa Blanca translates from Spanish as ‘White Coast’. This is the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which is more than 200 kilometres long from the north of Spain to the south. It is believed that the weather is always good here. After all, the sun shines about 320 days a year. Water in the sea in summer warms up to 29 ° C, and in winter, in the coldest days cools down to 12 ° C, so even at this time of year, some holidaymakers dare to swim.

So, what is Alicante famous for?

Alicante is not just for sunbathing and swimming, there are plenty of interesting places to explore, so don't forget your sunscreen and hat.

Santa Barbara Fortress(Castillo de Santa Bárbara)

The most famous place in Alicante is, of course, where we should start. This fortress is one of the main attractions, located almost in the centre of the city on the Benacantil mountain, 166 metres above sea level. On the observation decks from this height you can enjoy a magnificent view of the city, the harbour and the sea. Santa Barbara is one of the largest and oldest structures in Spain. The very word fortress tells us that it is a fortified point for defence. No nobles or royalty ever lived here, but this military facility was once very well prepared for attacks, as evidenced by the impressive cannons in the loopholes and underground passages. The long history of Santa Barabara Fortress is very eventful. Since its construction at the end of the 9th century, the fortress has been shelled, captured, destroyed and finally, in the 18th century, it lost its military importance and was used as a prison. All the events that took place, as well as photos of the former citizens of Alicante, can be seen in the exhibition halls of Santa Barabara, where everything is told and shown in detail. The truth is in Spanish. If you are not strong in it, even images are enough to feel these significant events. Historians and archaeologists have studied and step by step in pictures recreated how Santa Barabara originally looked, moments of its development, significant changes in buildings, stages of its complete reconstruction, which was carried out in 1963. After that, the fortress became a tourist attraction open to the public. Entrance is free of charge.

Esplanade Walking Boulevard(Explanada de España)

It's impossible to be in Alicante and not know about this lively place. Here you can have a coffee or an ice-cream during the day in one of the many cafés and relax while watching locals and tourists from all over the world strolling by. But towards evening, the atmosphere changes and it's no longer just a strolling boulevard, it's bustling with activity: street artists offer their services, strolling musicians perform both modern hits and the best songs of the past, waiters invite you to the cafes to taste the local cuisine. The area is full of small souvenir shops with all sorts of trivia. This popular walking area is lined in waves with over 6 million blue, white and red coloured stones. One of the most popular areas of Alicante, parallel to the magnificent promenade, starts at the port of the city, extends for 500 metres and ends at the small but cosy Canalejas Park, which is also worth exploring.

Santa Cruz neighbourhood(Barrio Santa Cruz)

Alicante's Old Town neighbourhood, built in the 13th century and located at the foot of Benacantil Mountain. It looks like a pretty village with white houses, travelling up and down stairs and along narrow streets. The locals are very proud of their homes and decorate them in every possible way: there are many different colours, plants and interesting decorations. The neighbourhood has a rich history and atmosphere, and when you walk through it, you get the feeling of belonging to another era. And you can reinforce this with a meal at one of the Spanish restaurants.

St Mary's Church(Basílica de Santa María)

If you love majestic cathedrals, you will definitely want to take a look at this one. This quiet, cool place is like a museum: it contains many important and interesting religious artefacts that everyone can admire and ‘get into’. It is one of the oldest monuments of architecture in Alicante, which was built in the XIV-XVI centuries. The church was built in the 14th century, but a fire a century later destroyed it, so it was rebuilt half a century later, but in a new location.

St Nicholas Cathedral(Concatedral de San Nicolás)

The temple was built in honour of Saint Nicholas, the protector and patron saint of Alicante. People believe that as a patron, he protects them from troubles and hardships, and he blesses travellers on a good journey. It was built in the 17th century on the site of a Muslim mosque. Both churches are not far from each other (10 minutes walk) and are open to the public. However, it should be noted that on Sundays there are services and weddings, so church officials ask you to refrain from visiting on that day.

Alicante Archaeological Museum(MARQ Museo Arqueológico Provincial de Alicante)

This museum is an entire archive of knowledge and valuable information about past peoples. It includes three halls: the Hall of Field Archaeology, the Hall of Urban Archaeology and the Hall of Underwater Archaeology. The information is given in the form of audio and video materials as well as interactive displays. Very interesting and informative.

Street of Mushrooms in Alicante(Calle de las Setas)

A small but colourful landmark in Alicante. It is a 340 metre long pedestrian street decorated with brightly coloured figures of large fly agaric, with snails, beetles and caterpillars sitting on their caps. This is how the street (calle San Francisco) began to look in 2014, and before that the area was considered a very evil place, which tried to avoid. The original idea to change the appearance of the neighbourhood gradually changed the meaning and contingent of this street, which brought a new place to visit in the piggy bank of attractions in Alicante. Located in the historic centre.

Beaches of Alicante

Coming to Alicante and going to the beach, sunbathing and swimming in the sea is one of the main goals that visiting tourists strive for. After all, Alicante is famous for its sandy beaches and warm sea during the summer months. There are some beautiful beaches within the city limits, the main one being El Postiguet (playa de Postiguet). The next beach, which is very popular not only with tourists but also with locals, is San Juan (playa San Juan), which is about 7 kilometres long.

This amazing place is waiting for you. You will definitely not be bored, because there is so much to see and do, not only in the city itself, but also in the neighbourhood of Alicante! There is a museum city Guadalest and waterfalls Algar! The best amusement parks are in the province of Alicante! Come and make your holiday memorable!