Main attractions in Alicante

Alicante — one of the most popular resort towns on the Costa Blanca, attracting tourists not only with its beaches and mild climate, but also with its rich historical heritage.

During your trip here, you can combine a beach holiday with walks through the old town, visits to museums, temples and picturesque areas with panoramic sea views.

In this guide, you will learn about the main attractions in Alicante that are worth seeing on your own: from the famous Santa Barbara Castle and the Santa Cruz neighbourhood to the Esplanade promenade and city beaches.

What to see in Alicante first

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

Santa Barbara Castle (Castillo de Santa Bárbara)

It is worth starting your tour of the city with one of Alicante's most famous sights, the Santa Barbara Castle.

This fortress is 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 word ‘fortress’ itself tells us that it is a fortified place 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 repeatedly bombarded, captured and destroyed.
In the 18th century, Santa Barbara lost its military significance and was used as a prison for some time.

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 gradually reconstructed the history of Santa Barbara Castle, showing what it originally looked like, what changes were made to the buildings, and how it was completely renovated in 1963.

Today, Santa Bárbara Castle is one of the most visited places in Alicante, offering the best panoramic views of the city and the Costa Blanca coastline. Entrance is free.

Esplanade Walking Boulevard (Explanada de España)

The Esplanada promenade is one of the most popular places for walking in Alicante, both among tourists and locals.

Here you can drink coffee or eat ice cream in the afternoon in one of the many cafés, watching the locals and visitors stroll leisurely 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.

This popular walking area is lined in waves with over 6 million blue, white and red coloured stones.

The boulevard runs parallel to the magnificent waterfront, starting at the city's port, stretching for 500 metres and ending in the area of the small but cosy Canalejas Park, which is also worth visiting.

Santa Cruz neighbourhood (Barrio Santa Cruz)

Santa Cruz is one of Alicante's most atmospheric historic districts, built in the 13th century and located at the foot of Mount Benacantil.

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.

This area has a rich history and atmosphere, and when you walk around here, you get the feeling of belonging to another era. And you can reinforce this feeling by having dinner at one of the restaurants serving Spanish cuisine.

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 XIV 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 XVII 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.

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 attraction 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 awaits you. You definitely won't be bored, because there are so many interesting things to do, not only in the city itself, but also in the surroundings of Alicante!

What to see near Alicante

Alicante is conveniently located for short trips — there are picturesque towns and resorts nearby that are easy to visit on your own.

💡 For convenience and ease of travel around the Costa Blanca, we recommend car rental 🚗

• Benidorm — the most dynamic resort in the region, with skyscrapers, beaches and large theme parks.
• Benidorm amusement parks — an excellent option for relaxing with children and enjoying active leisure on hot summer days.
• Torrevieja — a small port town with a beautiful waterfront, salt lakes and nature parks.
• Altea — a cosy white town with a picturesque old centre and panoramic sea views.
• Calpe — a popular resort at the foot of the Peñón de Ifach rock, with beaches and walking trails.
• Denia — an atmospheric coastal town with a castle, a port and ferry connections to the Balearic Islands.