Alicante
really is a fantastic place to visit; for fun days or great nights out!!
TheAlicante Region is on the east
coast of Spain and
covers the area between Murcia to the south, and Valencia to the north. AlicanteCity is main city on the Costa Blanca and is situated between Benidorm
and Elche.
CosmopolitanAlicanteCity has a population of over 300,000 and provides
business and pleasure, entertainment and education. It has 5 miles of golden sand, beautiful sea front promenades, excellent
shops, bars and restaurants, and a fascinating history. All this makes Alicante
a first rate tourist destination for Spanish and international holidaymakers alike.
The city is really easy to get to from
the Apartment, it is only 15-20 minutes by car, and the convenient bus service which runs from Gran
Alacant only takes about half an hour.
Shopping
You will find something for everybody in Alicante,
from international labels to local crafts, in designer shops, department stores and even outdoors.
The city centre offers an excellent range of top quality shops including the famous El Corte
Ingles, along with popular fashion boutiques such as Zara and Mango.
The traditional shopping district is found around the Rambla de Méndez Núñez, and the area of
Maisonnave and its surrounding streets, is also a lively shopping area. A market is held along the Paseo del Doctor Gadea
in winter and the Explanada in summer, offering everything from casual clothes to pottery, jewellery and decorative items.
Alicante is a great place to buy locally produced products, with internationally
recognised quality. Foods, such as; fish and vegetable preserves, olives stuffed with anchovies, chocolates, dates, sugared
almonds (peladillas) and the local delicacy nougats (turrones), as well as wines, leather goods, handcrafted pottery and basketwork
items.
Most shops open at 0930/1000, closing between 1330/1400 for lunch and reopening from 1700 to
2000 on weekdays. On Saturdays they generally only open for half a day and on Sundays remain closed. However several larger
stores stay open all day, including Saturdays.
Leisure and Nightlife
The Explanada de España is the perfect place to
take an evening stroll, and stop for a drink or a chat or simply to take a break from sightseeing. Here you will find restaurants,
cafés, bars, taverns, pizzerias, burger bars, chocolaterias and ice-cream parlours.
Alicante
Explanada de España
Behind the Explanada is an area called 'la zona', where cafés, pubs, beer-gardens and
night-clubs all combine to form a lively ambience The hub of 'La zona' is around the Avenida de Ramón y Cajal and Paseo
del Doctor Gadea. It is not unusual to see a trendy night-spot packed out with teenagers, or places for outgoing adults -
this is all part of the variety on hand in 'la zona'.
The largest and most popular area which is suitable for everyone is 'el barrio'. At night it
has a lively atmosphere, with dozens of bars, pubs and taverns that cater for all tastes and frequently offer live music or
art exhibitions.
A more cosmopolitan feel, with excellent views of the harbour, is provided by the recently developed
port and marina, where you will find excellent sea food restaurants, pubs and cafés mixed in with nautical themed shops. This
is a great place to visit during the day or night.
In the summer San JuanBeach stages theatrical and musical performances, and holds open-air
suppers accompanied by concerts in the barracks square of the Santa BarbaraCastle. During the winter season, a superb line-up of leisure and cultural
events is hosted in the town theatre, with plays, opera, zarzuela (Spanish light opera) classical and contemporary music concerts,
recitals, and ballet.
Beaches in Alicante
Alicante has some beautiful beaches,
with fine, golden sands and high standards of cleanliness and service. They have been awarded the Blue Flag of the European
Union year after year, which provides assurance of
their consistent quality.
The best known beaches are San Juan beach and Postiguet beach, which both offer a wide range of services and facilities, such as; foot showers,
Leisure & Learning Area for the mentally handicapped, access points for the physically handicapped, rescue and first aid,
water sports hiring facilities, etc.
Those in search of rockier coastlines, with peaceful, gravel coves (some of which are nudist
bathing areas), are also catered for.
Culture
Alicante has some interesting palaces worth visiting, including the GavinaPalace which
houses the Provincial Gallery with fine paintings from the 19th century. The main theatre dates from 1847 and is a fine example
of classical construction.
The bullring is one of the oldest in Spain. Built in 1849 it has since been restored and enlarged. The current design
dates from 1888.
There are a wide range of museums in the city including; the CAPA
Sculpture Collection and the Asegurada Museum of Contemporary Art, the Alicante Bullfighting Museum, the MARQ archaeological
museum and the Gravina Fine Arts museum (MUBAG); the Museo de Belenes (Nativity Scene museum); the Pozos de Garrigós (Water
Museum) and the permanent exhibitions at the Lonja de Pescado and at the Archivo Municipal.
Alicante is packed with a whole host of monuments
that reflect its dramatic history and culture, ranging from churches, convents, and mansions in the Old Quarter to the modern
sculptures that have recently been placed around the city.
The most significant monuments include the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall), Santa Barbara Castle,
the Santa María Church, the San Nicholas de Bari Co-Cathedral, the Santa Faz Monastery and the remains of the Iberian settlement
on Tossal de Manises. Alicante is full of beautiful buildings that will surprise you where you least
expect them.
Alicante
The Castle overlooking Alicante City and the Marina
AlicanteParks and Gardens
The city boasts a variety of peaceful, green, leafy areas. Some of the best are; the Panteón de Quijano, Portal de
Elche, Plaza de Gabriel Miró and Plaza de Calvo Sotelo, as well as La Ereta Park, situated on the slopes of Mount Benacantil,
which has the most spectacular views of the city and the coastline.
Alicante really is a fantastic place to visit; for a fun day-out, sightseeing,
serious shopping, or for a great night-out!!
