A Guide to sightseeing in Alicante Spain -
If you’re looking for an adventure, and Spain is on your travel agenda, then you’re surely going to want to do some sightseeing in Alicante, which is actually the second biggest city of the Valencia Province, in the wonderful region of Costa Blanca. You won’t be alone on your excursion being that more than six million people visit this region each year as tourists, most of them entering the area by way of the Alicante airport.
If your thing is to visit museums or historical buildings when you’re sightseeing around town then you’ll want to visit The Old City Center, which has a plethora of these types of places for you to see. You’ll certainly take away the wonderful experience of Spanish culture and history as you visit this area. It would actually take you days to see all that this area has to offer, so your plans should include a few days in this vicinity if this is what you enjoy.
One such museum in the area that you’ll want to check out, especially if you’re one who loves Christmas or are traveling with someone who does is The Nativity Scene Museum. This museum has free admission, and displays nativity scenes from all over the world.
Another popular attraction in the area is The Con Cathedral of San Nicolas de Bari. You’ll easily spot this building due to the big blue dome on the top of the church, which is a staple of the city actually. At the entrance of the church is a sculpture of Saint Nicholas made from black marble that is a beautiful site to behold.
If you’re looking for a great view of the city, you will be doing yourself a great service by visiting The Castle of Santa Barbara, one of the greatest Medieval fortresses in all of Europe. From atop the tower is the great view that you were searching for. This is also a place to see many great Spanish sculptures, as well as artifacts from as far back as the Bronze Age.
Now, if you’re a party person and want to enjoy the nightlife of Alicante, then visiting the Old Quarter, perhaps better known as the Barrio Santa Cruz, will be the place to be for at least one night of your trip to this city. You’ll find an array of pubs, bars, and restaurants in this area where you can enjoy music and dancing.
Of course a big part of the attraction of Alicante are the beaches of the area. The Costa Blanca, home of the longest summers in all of Spain, is perhaps one of the best places in the world to relax in the sun. Whether you’re shopping at the promenade of the beach or enjoying a quick bite at a near café you’re sure to remember this spot forever.
If you’re looking for a small excursion away from the city of Alicante, then you’ll be glad to know that only about 50km from the southwest section of Alicante lies the beautiful city of Torrevieja. This is a big fishing area being home to over 300 fishing ships and 900 private fishing sports boats. As well, this area is a huge producer of salt, producing more than five hundred thousand tons of salt each year. You’ll be able to enjoy hotels near the beach and great weather in this region as well, plus you’ll get the experience of the great culture and architecture around the city with vivacious buildings, churches, fountains, and sculptures.
All in all, your trip to Alicante is sure to be a great one.
Written by Peter H. Wilson www.alicante-spain.com
Alicante Spain - How to Explore it in One Day -
Imagine some of you will come over and spend these summer holidays around the Costa Blanca in places like Benidorm, Torrevieja, Denia or Calpe. After two weeks of sunbathing and party at night, you finally get your act together and do a one day visit to Alicante – just to be able to tell the loved once at home that you have seen some culture and arts as well.
Come and join me for a foot walk around Alicante
Before we start a quick overview. Alicante, with about 310.000 habitants lies about 6 hours down from Barcelona along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Within the summer months about 6 million tourists visit the Costa Blanca area. Depending on different sources, about 4.5 Mio come from the U.K. alone. Cities like Benidorm (population 50.000) host up to 4 Mio visitors every year. Alicante is the second largest city in the province of Valencia.
The city is best explored by foot starting at the harbour area, where many parking areas are available. So we leave our car next to the Melia Hotel right on the harbour entrance. (A quick tip at the beginning, if you arrive at Alicante Airport you can get a very good Alicante map right at the tourist information centre at the arrival hall.)
Just behind the Melia Hotel at the foot of the Santa Barbara Castle you find the beach of Postiguet, where at the end of our little walk through Alicante, we will have our sunbath. But let’s go on and get some culture and historical buildings to see.
Directly in front of the Melia Hotel we enter a little road which brings us to the Plaza del Ajuntamento, which means Plaza of the City Hall. Alicante’s city hall was originally built in 1688 by the French, later heavily damaged and rebuilt in the 18th century. Guided by two 35 metre. tall towers, the city halls stairs measures the “Cero-Point” concerning sea level. All measurements of height in Spain – refer to this “cero-point” as base for their calculations. Within the city hall you can visit the blue salon with its wonderful mirror gallery (Monday to Saturdays). Just passing the city hall at the right you will find the Plaza de Santissima Faz, a lovely little area surrounded by palm trees.
The nativity scene museum of Alicante
A little bit further, particularly if you are with children, you should visit the nativity scene museum at San Augustin Street. I have to admit it is a rather strange feeling to watch Christmas crips around the summer time, but it’s worth it. The museum contains such a variety of hundreds of different scenes and figures from all over the world, that it will impress every visitor. As entrance is free, just have a look – you will not regret it.
Just around the corner from the nativity museum, you will find the concathedral of San Nicolas de Bari. With the neighbour city of Orihuela being the residence of the bishop of the province, Alicante got a “sub-cathedral” granted by Pope John XXIII in 1959. With an impressive 45 metre high blue dome the concathedral the building is one of the landmarks of Alicante. At one of the two entrances you will find a sculpture of the holy Nicolas done in black marble.
Just when you walk out of the old city centre of Alicante and pass the rather modern street of Rambla de Mendez Nunez, you should enter the Avenida Del Teatro. There you will find Alicante’s huge theatre with massive roman style columns guiding the entrance. Just the right place for a pleasant evening entertainment, by the way. Walking down in the harbour direction, you will find the Plaza Nueva Alicante. Here you will find a little aquarium within lovely plaza. The modern display sits within palm trees and an alley. Just the right place to have a break in one of the bars around, enjoying the sun.
Alicante Bars and Parks
I think now is the best time to take a break from our traditional Alicante sightseeing tour and leave the path of historic buildings and museums. There are so many different churches, museums and places particularly around the old city centre, which you can spend many days discovering them. However, as you might visit the city during the rather hot summer months allow me to have a little step back and go up to the Plaza de C. Sotelo.
The lovely garden is the ideal rest place and the best starting point for a little shopping tour in Alicante. Right at the opposite you will find the El Corte Ingles, the famous Spanish department store chain with an impressive outlet. Not that you might just go there for shopping, but as it is air-conditioned it might just be the right thing to “cool things down” a little. So after a nice “shopping-rest” just coming out of the El Corte Ingles, we walk the Avenida Doctor Gadea down to the harbour area.
Next to statue of D. Eleuterio Maisonnave former minister of state and famous sun of the city of Alicante, the Avenida guides you down to the harbour with beautiful flowers along the way. It is this kind of alleys you find all around Alicante and make the city such a wonderful place for a walk around. The city is full with peaceful places and gardens its all up to you if you prefer going for the quiet site of Alicante. Down the Avenida Doctor Gandea we reach the harbour area again.
Before turning left to where we came from, you should visit the Panoramis shopping mall directly at the harbour. Just when you go there you will pass the Real Club de Regatas – the royal regatta club. If you are lucky you mind even see members of the Spanish royal family, who sometimes spend some time here. Similar to an American style shopping mall, the Panoramis offers you a breathtaking view over the Alicante harbour area. With a huge variety of different restaurants, most of them with perfect view over the city, it is a lovely point of reference for every walk around the city.
Finally we turn back to the area around the Melia Hotel, where we started our walk through Alicante. Along the harbour at the Paseo Explanada de Espana our way takes us in between an alley of palm trees right back.
Further sightseeing tips on Alicante
Having completed more or less our walk through Alicante – which might take anything in between 4 to 6 hours, there are obviously many more things to see and visit around this impressive city. Among others you could go up the castle of Santa Barbara (take the car to get there if it’s too hot), see the bullfighting ring or visit the Park Ruiz de Alda north of Alicante just to name a view. However you might reconsider your plans when you are actually visiting the Costa Blanca area, because above everything stands usually the beach, the sand and the sea.
Written by Robert Carlton www.alicante-spain.com
Sightseeing in Alicante Spain -
Alicante, the second largest city in the Valencia Province in Spain, is a major tourist attraction. There is no end to sightseeing on your vacation in this region. More than six million tourists each year find the Costa Blanca, where Alicante is located, a perfect spot for vacation. Most of them fly into Alicante airport and enjoy staying right in the city, and then taking excursions in the surrounding area.
Right in Alicante, you can visit many museums and historic buildings in the Old City. If you are interested in seeing and learning more about Spanish history and culture, this is the place for you. You could easily spend a number of days just touring around the town, so be sure to schedule a few days just to visit this interesting city.
For example, you should make sure you visit the Nativity Scene Museum, on San Augustin Street. There are hundreds of nativity scenes on display. They come from all over the world and anyone interested in all things related to Christmas will absolutely love this museum, and the museum is even free. It is no wonder it is one of the most popular attractions, all year long.
The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas de Bari is a stunning cathedral. In addition to its beautiful blue dome which is a landmark visible from all over the city, there is a dramatic black marble sculpture of Saint Nicholas at the church entrance. This cathedral is home to the Bishop of the Province of Valencia.
Don't miss the Castle of St. Barbara, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. Built by the moors in the ninth century, its imposing tower has a dominant view over the city. This castle is a treasure trove of ancient history, ranging from artifacts of the Bronze age to Spanish sculptures from many different centuries.
Once you have satisfied your cultural and historic bent, you may want to loosen up with some nightlife, and Alicante will not disappoint. The Barrio of Santa Cruz, also called the Old Quarter, is the place to visit for nightlife. Although this quarter is still medieval in feeling, there are lots of bars and pubs for modern partying. You have to make it a point to spend at least one evening in the Old Quarter.
Even though there are so many cultural and historical things to do in Alicante, for many people, the real draw is the beaches. The entire Costa Blanca has Spain's longest Summer season. Sun and the beaches are an attraction from spring to fall and you can find no better place to bask in the sun. A beautiful promenade, lined with palm trees lies alongside the beach area, and you can enjoy a drink or a bite along with your beautiful view.
The city has a great many shops, both large and small to satisfy your shopping urge. Visit the harbor and the old city, as well as El Corte Ingles, a large department store. For handmade items, visit the crafts stands down by the waterfront. There is also a large shopping mall in Alicante, called the Panoramis. It is near the harbor and though it is a typical mall similar to those in America, you may be tempted to shop there for necessary items. And American malls sure don't have a water view like this!
While you are in this area, pass by the Real Club de Regatas (Royal Regatta Club). The Spanish Royal family visits this club, so you may be able to spot some royals while you are there.
Written by Jack Blacksmith www.alicante-spain.com
If you’re looking for an adventure, and Spain is on your travel agenda, then you’re surely going to want to do some sightseeing in Alicante, which is actually the second biggest city of the Valencia Province, in the wonderful region of Costa Blanca. You won’t be alone on your excursion being that more than six million people visit this region each year as tourists, most of them entering the area by way of the Alicante airport.
If your thing is to visit museums or historical buildings when you’re sightseeing around town then you’ll want to visit The Old City Center, which has a plethora of these types of places for you to see. You’ll certainly take away the wonderful experience of Spanish culture and history as you visit this area. It would actually take you days to see all that this area has to offer, so your plans should include a few days in this vicinity if this is what you enjoy.
One such museum in the area that you’ll want to check out, especially if you’re one who loves Christmas or are traveling with someone who does is The Nativity Scene Museum. This museum has free admission, and displays nativity scenes from all over the world.
Another popular attraction in the area is The Con Cathedral of San Nicolas de Bari. You’ll easily spot this building due to the big blue dome on the top of the church, which is a staple of the city actually. At the entrance of the church is a sculpture of Saint Nicholas made from black marble that is a beautiful site to behold.
If you’re looking for a great view of the city, you will be doing yourself a great service by visiting The Castle of Santa Barbara, one of the greatest Medieval fortresses in all of Europe. From atop the tower is the great view that you were searching for. This is also a place to see many great Spanish sculptures, as well as artifacts from as far back as the Bronze Age.
Now, if you’re a party person and want to enjoy the nightlife of Alicante, then visiting the Old Quarter, perhaps better known as the Barrio Santa Cruz, will be the place to be for at least one night of your trip to this city. You’ll find an array of pubs, bars, and restaurants in this area where you can enjoy music and dancing.
Of course a big part of the attraction of Alicante are the beaches of the area. The Costa Blanca, home of the longest summers in all of Spain, is perhaps one of the best places in the world to relax in the sun. Whether you’re shopping at the promenade of the beach or enjoying a quick bite at a near café you’re sure to remember this spot forever.
If you’re looking for a small excursion away from the city of Alicante, then you’ll be glad to know that only about 50km from the southwest section of Alicante lies the beautiful city of Torrevieja. This is a big fishing area being home to over 300 fishing ships and 900 private fishing sports boats. As well, this area is a huge producer of salt, producing more than five hundred thousand tons of salt each year. You’ll be able to enjoy hotels near the beach and great weather in this region as well, plus you’ll get the experience of the great culture and architecture around the city with vivacious buildings, churches, fountains, and sculptures.
All in all, your trip to Alicante is sure to be a great one.
Written by Peter H. Wilson www.alicante-spain.com
Alicante Spain - How to Explore it in One Day -
Imagine some of you will come over and spend these summer holidays around the Costa Blanca in places like Benidorm, Torrevieja, Denia or Calpe. After two weeks of sunbathing and party at night, you finally get your act together and do a one day visit to Alicante – just to be able to tell the loved once at home that you have seen some culture and arts as well.
Come and join me for a foot walk around Alicante
Before we start a quick overview. Alicante, with about 310.000 habitants lies about 6 hours down from Barcelona along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Within the summer months about 6 million tourists visit the Costa Blanca area. Depending on different sources, about 4.5 Mio come from the U.K. alone. Cities like Benidorm (population 50.000) host up to 4 Mio visitors every year. Alicante is the second largest city in the province of Valencia.
The city is best explored by foot starting at the harbour area, where many parking areas are available. So we leave our car next to the Melia Hotel right on the harbour entrance. (A quick tip at the beginning, if you arrive at Alicante Airport you can get a very good Alicante map right at the tourist information centre at the arrival hall.)
Just behind the Melia Hotel at the foot of the Santa Barbara Castle you find the beach of Postiguet, where at the end of our little walk through Alicante, we will have our sunbath. But let’s go on and get some culture and historical buildings to see.
Directly in front of the Melia Hotel we enter a little road which brings us to the Plaza del Ajuntamento, which means Plaza of the City Hall. Alicante’s city hall was originally built in 1688 by the French, later heavily damaged and rebuilt in the 18th century. Guided by two 35 metre. tall towers, the city halls stairs measures the “Cero-Point” concerning sea level. All measurements of height in Spain – refer to this “cero-point” as base for their calculations. Within the city hall you can visit the blue salon with its wonderful mirror gallery (Monday to Saturdays). Just passing the city hall at the right you will find the Plaza de Santissima Faz, a lovely little area surrounded by palm trees.
The nativity scene museum of Alicante
A little bit further, particularly if you are with children, you should visit the nativity scene museum at San Augustin Street. I have to admit it is a rather strange feeling to watch Christmas crips around the summer time, but it’s worth it. The museum contains such a variety of hundreds of different scenes and figures from all over the world, that it will impress every visitor. As entrance is free, just have a look – you will not regret it.
Just around the corner from the nativity museum, you will find the concathedral of San Nicolas de Bari. With the neighbour city of Orihuela being the residence of the bishop of the province, Alicante got a “sub-cathedral” granted by Pope John XXIII in 1959. With an impressive 45 metre high blue dome the concathedral the building is one of the landmarks of Alicante. At one of the two entrances you will find a sculpture of the holy Nicolas done in black marble.
Just when you walk out of the old city centre of Alicante and pass the rather modern street of Rambla de Mendez Nunez, you should enter the Avenida Del Teatro. There you will find Alicante’s huge theatre with massive roman style columns guiding the entrance. Just the right place for a pleasant evening entertainment, by the way. Walking down in the harbour direction, you will find the Plaza Nueva Alicante. Here you will find a little aquarium within lovely plaza. The modern display sits within palm trees and an alley. Just the right place to have a break in one of the bars around, enjoying the sun.
Alicante Bars and Parks
I think now is the best time to take a break from our traditional Alicante sightseeing tour and leave the path of historic buildings and museums. There are so many different churches, museums and places particularly around the old city centre, which you can spend many days discovering them. However, as you might visit the city during the rather hot summer months allow me to have a little step back and go up to the Plaza de C. Sotelo.
The lovely garden is the ideal rest place and the best starting point for a little shopping tour in Alicante. Right at the opposite you will find the El Corte Ingles, the famous Spanish department store chain with an impressive outlet. Not that you might just go there for shopping, but as it is air-conditioned it might just be the right thing to “cool things down” a little. So after a nice “shopping-rest” just coming out of the El Corte Ingles, we walk the Avenida Doctor Gadea down to the harbour area.
Next to statue of D. Eleuterio Maisonnave former minister of state and famous sun of the city of Alicante, the Avenida guides you down to the harbour with beautiful flowers along the way. It is this kind of alleys you find all around Alicante and make the city such a wonderful place for a walk around. The city is full with peaceful places and gardens its all up to you if you prefer going for the quiet site of Alicante. Down the Avenida Doctor Gandea we reach the harbour area again.
Before turning left to where we came from, you should visit the Panoramis shopping mall directly at the harbour. Just when you go there you will pass the Real Club de Regatas – the royal regatta club. If you are lucky you mind even see members of the Spanish royal family, who sometimes spend some time here. Similar to an American style shopping mall, the Panoramis offers you a breathtaking view over the Alicante harbour area. With a huge variety of different restaurants, most of them with perfect view over the city, it is a lovely point of reference for every walk around the city.
Finally we turn back to the area around the Melia Hotel, where we started our walk through Alicante. Along the harbour at the Paseo Explanada de Espana our way takes us in between an alley of palm trees right back.
Further sightseeing tips on Alicante
Having completed more or less our walk through Alicante – which might take anything in between 4 to 6 hours, there are obviously many more things to see and visit around this impressive city. Among others you could go up the castle of Santa Barbara (take the car to get there if it’s too hot), see the bullfighting ring or visit the Park Ruiz de Alda north of Alicante just to name a view. However you might reconsider your plans when you are actually visiting the Costa Blanca area, because above everything stands usually the beach, the sand and the sea.
Written by Robert Carlton www.alicante-spain.com
Sightseeing in Alicante Spain -
Alicante, the second largest city in the Valencia Province in Spain, is a major tourist attraction. There is no end to sightseeing on your vacation in this region. More than six million tourists each year find the Costa Blanca, where Alicante is located, a perfect spot for vacation. Most of them fly into Alicante airport and enjoy staying right in the city, and then taking excursions in the surrounding area.
Right in Alicante, you can visit many museums and historic buildings in the Old City. If you are interested in seeing and learning more about Spanish history and culture, this is the place for you. You could easily spend a number of days just touring around the town, so be sure to schedule a few days just to visit this interesting city.
For example, you should make sure you visit the Nativity Scene Museum, on San Augustin Street. There are hundreds of nativity scenes on display. They come from all over the world and anyone interested in all things related to Christmas will absolutely love this museum, and the museum is even free. It is no wonder it is one of the most popular attractions, all year long.
The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas de Bari is a stunning cathedral. In addition to its beautiful blue dome which is a landmark visible from all over the city, there is a dramatic black marble sculpture of Saint Nicholas at the church entrance. This cathedral is home to the Bishop of the Province of Valencia.
Don't miss the Castle of St. Barbara, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. Built by the moors in the ninth century, its imposing tower has a dominant view over the city. This castle is a treasure trove of ancient history, ranging from artifacts of the Bronze age to Spanish sculptures from many different centuries.
Once you have satisfied your cultural and historic bent, you may want to loosen up with some nightlife, and Alicante will not disappoint. The Barrio of Santa Cruz, also called the Old Quarter, is the place to visit for nightlife. Although this quarter is still medieval in feeling, there are lots of bars and pubs for modern partying. You have to make it a point to spend at least one evening in the Old Quarter.
Even though there are so many cultural and historical things to do in Alicante, for many people, the real draw is the beaches. The entire Costa Blanca has Spain's longest Summer season. Sun and the beaches are an attraction from spring to fall and you can find no better place to bask in the sun. A beautiful promenade, lined with palm trees lies alongside the beach area, and you can enjoy a drink or a bite along with your beautiful view.
The city has a great many shops, both large and small to satisfy your shopping urge. Visit the harbor and the old city, as well as El Corte Ingles, a large department store. For handmade items, visit the crafts stands down by the waterfront. There is also a large shopping mall in Alicante, called the Panoramis. It is near the harbor and though it is a typical mall similar to those in America, you may be tempted to shop there for necessary items. And American malls sure don't have a water view like this!
While you are in this area, pass by the Real Club de Regatas (Royal Regatta Club). The Spanish Royal family visits this club, so you may be able to spot some royals while you are there.
Written by Jack Blacksmith www.alicante-spain.com
© My Costa Blanca 2008 - Alicante Spain
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