Alicante is a popular seaside city in Spain’s southeastern Costa Blanca. It is the southernmost city in the Valencian region.
The city has a population of 330,000 and is well known to tourists visiting the Costa Blanca. It is also a very popular destination for ex-pats making a new home in Spain.
Alicante and the region have a rich history dating back to pre-Roman times. The Archaeological Museum of Alicante is a great place to learn about this.
Other places of interest include the Basilica of Santa María and Castle of San Fernando. Also, try the Gravina Museum of Fine Arts located in Gravina Palace. The oldest nonmilitary or religious building in the city is Casa de La Asegurada. It was built in 1685 and is home to the Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art.
The promenade along the waterfront features palm trees and over 6 million marble tiles. It is the perfect place to walk and catch up with friends. It is a focal point for many activities and celebrations throughout the year.
For a bit of lazy site seeing, you can catch a tram to nearby Benidorm. The tram follows the coast and takes about 35 minutes. It is an interesting and scenic ride.
The Central Market is a great place to see an amazing range of local foods. The market is in a charming century-old building.
The city has a range of festivals and activities throughout the year. Many of these have traditional roots. Others have been developed in the modern area for tourists.
The biggest celebration of the year is the Bonfires of Saint John or Hogueras de San Juan. There is a range of activities that culminate in a massive fireworks display on the beach.
Alicante Airport is very busy. Flights are available from many airlines from cities across Europe.
Flying time from London is around 2 hours 30 minutes.
Spain’s High-speed rail connects to Alicante. The trip from Madrid takes about 2 hours 30 minutes.
Barcelona to Alicante takes about 4 hours forty minutes.
Driving time from Madrid takes about 4 hours 30 minutes.
Murcia to Alicante only takes an hour.
Driving from Valencia takes about 2 hours.