What to do in L'Alacantí

Located in the pristine Costa Blanca, Alicante Harbour is the gateway to the Spanish coast. Since most of the city’s maritime industry moved to Valencia in the 1980s, Alicante Harbour has been given room to redevelop into a tourist destination. Today, Alicante Harbour is a primary port of call for cruise ships, ferries and pleasure craft, bringing 80,000 visitors to the area each year. The harbour’s surrounding streets and main promenade buzzes throughout the day and night, with locals and visitors strolling between restaurants and bars.

A full day exploring the sights of Alicante may leave you searching for the perfect place to cool off and refresh yourself before the evening’s revelries. Look no further: the centrally located Postiguet Beach is the ideal spot to go for a revitalising swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Situated adjacent to the Alicante Harbour, Postiguet Beach can easily be reached by walking from the city, making it a great spot for a quick dip.

Evening strolls are so ingrained in Spanish culture, they even have a word for it: “paseo”. Enjoy a perfect paseo along the Explanada de España, the promenade that begins at the busy Alicante port and winds along the coast. More than 6 million marble tiles make up its patterned surface. Red, white and black designs represent the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. The path is busy day and night with people out for a stroll and admiring the view along different points of the route.

Food is a huge part of Spanish life. Keeping up the long-held tradition for national dishes and tapas is one of the great passions of Spain’s people. The Central Market is an enormous fresh produce market in the centre of the city that marks the beginning of the day for many Alicante locals. Spread over two levels are more than 200 stalls selling mostly fresh produce and meat. Other items such as authentic souvenirs are also on sale here. The market is a great place to start your day of sightseeing, as you can pick up some good quality food to prepare a cheap and healthy picnic. The best part of the visit is seeing a traditional Spanish food market in action.

Marked with a lake in the shape of an “S,” the designer’s initial, there is no doubt that Alicante Golf Course is a source of pride for both Severiano Ballesteros and the people of Alicante. Opened in 1998 to cater to both the increasing numbers of Spanish golf players and the many beachgoers looking for somewhere to play golf between dips in the sea, it now serves as a championship course that is also beloved by amateurs. Bring clubs or rent some and try the ingeniously designed challenges of the greens.

The Town Hall of Alicante, also known as Ayuntamiento, is a landmark building in the city’s Old Town. The current hall was built on the site of the former Casa de la Ciudad (Town Hall), and features two towers that measure over 40 metres (131 feet) tall. The interior and exterior of the building are lavishly decorated. A small chapel is located inside and paintings by prestigious local artists adorn the walls. The offices of the city council sit inside the newest part of the hall. A permanent archaeological exhibition is also on display here.

The Castle of Santa Bárbara sits high up on Mount Benacantil and looks out over the city of Alicante. This medieval fortification is one of the largest castles of its kind in Europe and is one of the city’s major attractions. The fort walls cover the entire top of the mountain. The castle dates back over a millennium to the ninth century when Muslims ruled the region. It has been preserved incredibly well and is almost completely intact. Visit the castle to take in some Spanish history and enjoy excellent views of the city.