A vibrant Mediterranean city on Spain’s Costa Blanca, Alicante boasts plenty of the region’s fabled golden beaches, as well as countless sites of historic and cultural significance for visitors to enjoy. A busy city that manages to never feel overwhelming, it’s all easily explored behind the wheel of your car.
Wander the old quarter
Alicante’s old quarter – known as Barrio de la Santa Cruz – is a perfectly preserved haven of colorful houses set among tightly packed cobbled streets. You can stroll up the slope of the charming Calle Pedro Sebastiá and take in the intoxicating sights, sounds and smells of a typical Spanish old town, as restaurants serve freshly prepared seafood paella on outside tables while traditional Latin music fills the air.
Visitors can while away hours discovering the surrounding narrow streets, keeping an eye out for beautiful pink churches and attractive white cobblestones. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, take your pick of highly regarded restaurants offering an array of Spanish, Greek and Italian meals. The local tapas bars are fantastic too and you can easily lose a night wandering between them all.
A taste of history
Overlooking Alicante from Mount Benacantil, Santa Barbara Castle is an imposing structure offering majestic views of the city and beyond. Originally built by the Moors, it then became one of the largest medieval fortresses in the whole of Europe and was expanded several times in later years.
Visitors can see the castle’s palace, dungeons, moat and cannons, as well as accessing the viewing point, which offers striking vistas over Alicante. You can drive all the way up the winding mountain road that leads to Santa Barbara, or park near the bottom and take a lift that passes through a tunnel in the rock – a boon for tired legs.
Another site of historic significance is the Basilica de Santa Maria, an ornate Gothic church built on the foundations of a mosque constructed by Moorish settlers. Located in the east of the city center near the harbor, the church boasts an impressive collection of 15th century art and a stylish baroque interior.
Soaking in the sea and sun
While Alicante offers history and culture in abundance, no trip to Spain’s Costa Blanca is complete without a visit to one of the region’s countless stunning beaches. The magnificent Playa del Postiguet is one such example, set near the center of Alicante beside the lively harbor. Its beautiful white sands and clear cool water are difficult to resist for any visitor.
Smaller but no less appealing is Playa del Coco, a charming enclave a short way to the north. After relaxing on the beach, you may want to stroll along the nearby Explanada de España, a colorful promenade lined with market stalls and cafes that stretches along the waterfront.
With a rich mixture of beaches, bustle and business, it’s no surprise that Alicante continues to draw in the crowds from far and wide. With a rental car, you’ll have everything you need to explore this stunning city to the full.