Alicante, City of Light on the Costa Blanca, the sunny Mediterranean coast in Spain.

Discovering the city of Alicante, Costa Blanca (Spain).

Once called Lucentum by the Romans, the City of Light is a name that beautifully describes this vibrant Spanish city bathed by the Mediterranean sunshine. The capital of Alicante province in the southeast of Spain is a convenient base for discovering the ‘white coast’, the Costa Blanca.

Let Alicante seduce you…

castillo_de_santa_barbara_alicante_españa — Panoramic view of Alicante from Santa Barbara Castle.

Alicante is an attractive holiday destination with wonderful palm lined beaches, a good climate, and great nightlife; it’s a modern seaside city which has conserved its charm, a place where culture, tradition and history can still be felt.

playa_de_san_juan_alicante — Alicante has the most beautiful golden sand beaches.

What to See and Do in Alicante (Spain)

Discover Alicante, its fabulous beaches and boulevards, Mediterranean culture and cuisine, non-stop nightlife and fiestas… Whether you’re interested in seeing the history museums and archaeolgical sites in Alicante Province, the vineyards or castles, or the amazing walks in the Costa Blanca mountains, everything is within easy reach from the city.

History and Culture in Alicante

Points of local interest in the City include Alicante Cathedral, typical Santa Cruz district and the Santa Maria Church.

The MUBAG Fine-arts Museum exhibits works-of-art dating from the Middle Ages up to more recent canvasses from the XX Century.

MACA Contemporary Art Museum has canvasses by renowned Spanish artists such as Miró, Dalí, Tàpies, Chillida, Picasso and Sempere.

The MARQ Archaeological Museum houses prehistoric remains, Roman and Iberian relics, artefacts from the Middle Ages, plus items from modern and contemporary cultures.

The iconic 16th century Santa Barbara Castle watches over the town. Worth a visit just for the sensational panoramic views of Alicante bay, you can conveniently get a lift to the top – entrance opposite the Postiguet beach.

Alicante Marina and Seafront

Alicante is a city to enjoy all times of year, by day…and by night!

A favourite destination for cruise liner passengers on the Mediterranean routes, Alicante harbour has moorings for cabin cruisers, yachts, and leisure craft. The main ferry to Algeria also docks here. Charters, sea excursions and a variety of water sports are available.

Take a stroll beside the lively leisure harbour, stop for lunch or a cool drink at one of the chic restaurants overlooking the marina.

Enjoy the lively promenades and shady tree-lined boulevards, where you can sit at a street café sipping a ‘granizado’ (crushed ice drink) or typical ‘horchata’ (similar to chilled almond milk) and watch the world go by.

Wander around the interesting old town streets which are lined with boutique shops and trendy restaurants, visit the shopping malls, enjoy the modern marina and or spend the day relaxing on one of the glorious beaches…

In the evening have fun at one of the many night venues… the sophisticated Costa Blanca Casino, elegant marina restaurants and cocktail bars, nightclubs with chill-out zones and infinity pools… enjoy tapas in one of the lively bars in the old quarters or chill at one of the typical ‘chiringuito’ beach bars.

Food and Wine in Alicante

Local cuisine is inspired by the Mediterranean; savour the delicious fresh fish and seafood, varied rice dishes, amazing flavours and startling combinations!

Whether you’re looking for fine dining or going for trendy Spanish tapas, this city is a perfect culinary experience.

Alicante is a marvellous vine growing area; there are several wineries in the vicinity. Visit a local bodega to see the vineyards, harvesting and wine making process… and to sample the wines!

Alicante Nightlife

vista_nocturna_hotel_melia_alicante_españa — Hotel Melia Alicante

Alicante is a university town with a brilliant nightlife. There are dozens of popular pubs in the old town, some great nightclubs, and smart venues by the marina where you can dance until dawn to the sound of Latin American vibes.

On summer nights, chill out at a beach party… go down to a ‘chiringuito’ and join in the fun…the ones at San Juan beach and Postiguet are possibly the best on the Costa!

The city has a great variety of shows, open air entertainment and concerts, theatres and cinemas, as well as a varied cultural programme.

Fiestas in Alicante

Alicante is famous for its festivals throughout the year.

fireworks_bahia_alicante_hogueras_2014_autor_borja_lopez — Fireworks over Alicante – *Photo by Borja Lopez (courtesy of Alicante Tourist Info).*

The most important one is held each year in June, the ‘Hogueres de San Juan’ (midsummer bonfire night fiesta), it’s truly magical with fabulous firework displays, parades and street parties…don’t miss it!

Alicante Countryside

There are many inland towns and villages to discover, packed with history and tradition, in a scenic rural setting.

The ‘Castles Route’, ‘Wine Route’ and ‘El Cid Route’ are three interesting itineraries.

The mountainside is great for walking, hiking, climbing and cycling, or just for a drive out.

Best Beaches in Alicante

15 kilometres of fabulous beaches – the majority with blue flag status, a merit conceded by the European Union to guarantee water quality, cleanliness of the sands and excellent services.

You are spoilt for choice with a total of 13 beaches, our favourites include:

Postiguet Beach

Playa Postiguet is Alicante’s main beach, close to the city centre, old quarters and main boulevards. It’s a popular sandy beach just along from the leisure harbour and in front of Santa Barbara Castle. There’s a variety of facilities for water sports, beach games, play areas, disabled access, etc. It is close to the tram line which links Alicante to the northern Costa Blanca resorts.

paseo_maritimo_playa_del_postiguet_alicante_españa

Take a stroll along the shady, seafront esplanade. There’s invariably something fascinating to watch or activities to take part in… exhibitions, kite competitions, naval displays, boating events, beach gym, tight rope walkers… you’ll never get bored!

You’ll also find a great choice of eateries and street cafés to enjoy, and many craft stalls to browse.

Albufereta Beach

playa_de_la_ albufereta_alicante_españa — Albufereta beach

Three kilometres northeast of the city, Albufereta beach is located between Serra Grossa and Tossal de Manises, in an area of archaeological remains, the historical origin of Alicante.

A sandy beach around 500 metres long, the calm sea is safe for swimming. Busy during summer months, there are restaurants, shops and various amenities close by. There’s a children’s play area, and a floating platform in the sea and disabled access facilities in summer.

On the TRAM line.

Almadraba Beach

A quiet beach with golden sands and calm, transparent waters. There is a shady picnic area, and a beach bar in the summer.

Almadraba beach is the ideal place to spend a relaxing day…and watch the fabulous sunsets.

A great place for water sports, the ‘Club Náutico Alicante Costa Blanca’ is located nearby.

Invalid access point in summer. On the TRAM line.

Cabo de la Huerta Coves

Located between Almadraba and San Juan beaches, there are a succession of sheltered rocky coves which can be reached on foot. The crystal clear sea is great for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Cala Cantalar is located near the lighthouse; it’s surprisingly quiet even in the height of the season… a discreet nudist beach where you can commune with nature.

Cala Palmera is a slightly smaller cove also popular with naturists.

San Juan Beach

Seven kilometres of fabulous golden sands extend from Cabo de la Huerta to El Campello. A wide, non-crowded beach with gently sloping sands, San Juan is a fun for all the family.

Facilities include invalid access points, children’s play areas and activities such as beach-volley. It’s also a great spot for windsurf or kitesurf, and other water sports.

There’s a smart beachfront promenade, many popular restaurants serving local cuisine, and a variety of interesting craft stalls. The popular ‘chiringuito’ beach bar café is open till late in the summer.

Located to the north of Alicante City, San Juan is easy to reach by local tram or by car.

Saladares Beach

Just five kilometres south of the city near a quiet residential area, you’ll find Urbanova beach… this magnificent, relatively unspoilt peaceful beach with rolling sand dunes, and zones for naturists.

Also known as Saladares beach, this is a wetland area of salt marshes. About 2 km in length, there’s a promenade with restaurants, shops, play areas and disabled access in the summer months.

This area extends to the dunes beneath Gran Alicante, and can be reached by car on the N-332 (Santa Pola direction) or by bus.

Tabarca Island

If you want the Mediterranean to yourself, head over to Tabarca! This small island was one of the first protected nature and marine reserves created in Spain.

It’s the perfect place for a day out… history, sea, beaches and fabulous local gastronomy! There are catamaran services from Alicante and Santa Pola.

Charter a yacht with crew to take you on a fabulous day out to Tabarca Island… don’t forget your swimwear, towel, shades, hat and suntan lotion! You can pack a picnic or lunch at one of the informal beachfront restaurants on the island. Laze on board, have a turn at the helm, or swim in the sea… it’ll be a day to remember forever.

Videos of Alicante

Enjoy San Juan Hogueras Fiesta in Alicante (Les Fogueres de Sant Joan).

A taste of Alicante City with El Portal Taberna & Wines.

…and when you’ve seen the city, there’s the beautiful Province of Alicante to explore!

How to Get to Alicante

Alicante has convenient connections to the main Spanish cities, and the rest of the world.

By road:
From Madrid and central Spain: A-3, subsequently N-430, and N-330;
From the Mediterranean take the A7/E-15 motorway in either direction (north to Valencia, Cataluña, or south to Murcia, Andalucía, etc.).

By rail:
Madrid-Alicante (links to Northern Spain);
Barcelona-Alicante (links to France and the rest of Europe);
Murcia- Alicante;
More info on RENFE (National Railway Company).

By air:
Alicante-Elche International Airport is located nine kilometres from Alicante (approx. 15 mins.). There are flights to the main Spanish and European airports.

Alicante, Spain: Costa Blanca’s City of Light!