TOP
Exploring Tourism in Spain
Spain
icon Worldwideicon
Places to Visit Details

Alicante

Alicante, Spain

Castle of Santa Bárbara

Perched on top of M­ount Benacantil, at a height of 166 metres, stands one of Spain’s largest mediaeval fortresses, providing great views of Alicante’s perfect bay.

Island of Tabarca

If you want the Mediterranean all to yourself, Tabarca is the place for you. This small island has a wide range of flora and fauna, which constituteSpain’s first ever marine reserve.

Buildings with History

The Town HallThe Carbonell BuildingThe Central Market,  plaça de BousThe San Nicolás  Co-Cathedral,   The Santa María BasilicaSanta Faz MonasteryThe Santa Cruz hermitageThe San Roque Hermitage and  other  civil and religious buildings.

Parks and gardens

Explanada de Espanya, Paseo de Gòmiz, Park of CanalejasLa Ereta ParkPark El Palmeral,  Paseo Volado, Portal de Elche, Gabriel Miró Square, Calvo Sotelo Square, Luceros Square,  The  Quijano’s Pantheon,  El  Tossal park,  Lo Morant.

Museums

MARQMACA, MUBAGMUSAThe  Fogueres Festival  Museum The Nativity Scene MuseumMUA,  Volvo Ocean Race Museum The Bullfighting Museum,  Las Cigarreras C.CCentro 14,  The Fish Market ‘La Lonja’, Alicante Water Museum and Garrigós Well

Nights in Alicante

The “Barrio” is where most of the fun starts in Alicante. Located in the old part of the city and including the districts of Santa Cruz and Carmen, it has a wide range of pubs and restaurants (many with outdoor seating) located on the streets of Labradores and San Isidro, the San Cristobal Square and in the surrounding area. This area was the original birthplace of Alicante’s nightlife, and still boasts some of the city’s most historic nightspots.

Less than a stone’s throw from the “Barrio” is the city centre, where an enticing area based around the Rambla, the Portal de ElcheGabriel Miró Square and streets San Francisco and Castaños awaits you with a full range of nightlife activities: bars, restaurants, cocktail bars, ice cream parlours, and pubs where you can spend a wonderful evening any night of the week.

And that’s not all! The area around the Central Market, known as the “Ruta de la Madera”, hosts a variety of nightclubs and concert venues catering to fans of rock and heavy metal, as well as some of the most famous establishments in the city. On Saturdays it is also the meeting place for enthusiasts of the late afternoon throng known as the  Tardeo”.

Seafront

As a Mediterranean city, Alicante naturally offers entertainment and fun by the sea as well. In the summer, you can enjoy the lively atmosphere of the beach bars (chiringuitos) located on several of the city’s beaches. There are also restaurants, ice cream parlours, discos, and exciting nightspots galore open throughout the year at the Marina’s Levante dock and in the Volvo area.

The popular and bustling Esplanada de España, a must-see for visitors to Alicante, offers a host of attractions, including an open-air theatre called “la Concha”, with a busy programme of evening events (mostly concerts in the summer). ThePanoramis shopping mall located at the Poniente dock offers restaurants and modern cinemas.

San Juan Beach

San Juan Beach is definitely one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions, and has an extremely varied nightlife scene. If you want to enjoy dinner by the sea, the best place to go is the Avenida de Niza, or if it’s a drink you’re looking for, there arebeach bars open throughout the summer.

The Avenida Costa Blanca is home to various pubs, which also organise all kinds of entertainment (from theatre to culinary events), cafes, ice cream parlours, and restaurants catering to all tastes.

You can enjoy fine Alicante cuisine at the  Fontana and Garden Shopping Malls and nearby surroundings, and many of the shops are open until late.

 Torre Golf Shopping Mall takes its name from the beautiful watchtower located in the same area.  This enchanting historic location is an ideal place to entertain your children, try some delicious ice creams, and dance until late into the night.

The recently opened LASEDA Gastro Village offers a variety of culinary experiences and cultural and leisure activities in a charming Mediterranean village setting of small houses and winding streets.

In addition to its dynamic and contemporary programme of cultural events, this modern complex hosts restaurants, bars specialising in tapas or beer, cocktail bars, a children’s play and entertainment centre, and relaxed nightclubs.  

Check out more Places to Visit