Lying on the Eastern coast of Spain, Alicante has it all: parties, discos, festivals, castles - and if that isn't enough - hot sun, white sand beaches and a turquoise sea. Of course, something so good can't stay hidden for ever, and Alicante and the towns along the Costa Blanca (White Coast) are now among Europe's most heavily visited regions. If you want a secluded beach, or to be anywhere outdoors without being part of a crowd, don't come during the summer high season. But if you're looking for sunshine, all-night disco parties and hundreds of thousands of potential new friends, you've come to the right place.

With its seven kilometres of golden sand, its beautiful seafront promenades, excellent shops and restaurants and wealth of sports and entertainment Alicante is a major magnet for Spanish and foreign holidaymakers alike. Just 20 kilometres north of the El Altet international airport, Alicante provides easy access for the charter holiday market (flying time from London is two and a half hours).

It's best to start exploring Alicante on the beachfront, along the city's main pedestrian walkway, the Explanada de Espana with its four rows of magnificent palms, its Parisian-style street cafes and its intricate marble inlays of red, cream and black tiles, representing the colours of Alicante.. More than six and a half million of the tiny tiles were laid in 1957 guaranteeing the esplanade's future reputation as one of the most impressive in the whole of Spain. Spanish author Juan Gil-Albert wrote of the city: "To be in Alicante is to be on the Explanada." In the midst of this Mediterranean Xanadu there is, sadly, one note of warning: be especially wary here of pickpockets and bag snatchers.

Northwest of the Explanada, towards the center of the city, you'll see the imposing Catedral de San Nicolas, and around it, the narrow streets of the El Barro, or old quarter, which has most of the cheaper accommodation and the best nightlife. The Spanish-Property ABC

To the southwest, near the Calle de Italia, you'll find the main tourist office, post office, and the city's central bus and train stations.

The city centre offers an excellent range of top quality shops including the famous El Corte Ingles department store. There are local handicrafts, such as ceramics from Agost, bags and wicker baskets from Gata de Gorgos, rugs from Crevillente, the latest designer clothes, leather goods and exquisite gift shops.

Alicante - History

You have arrived in a city with three thousand years of history behind it. And in order to understand Alicante history and enjoy it all the more, we should consider not only its present but also its past, so as to delve a little more deeply into the idiosyncrasies of the city and its inhabitants.

The first settlements in the area were centred around the slopes of mount Benacantil, occupied today by the castle of Santa Bárbara, which combined the privileges of being close to the sea yet offering the protection of being high above the surrounding land. Although no definite remains have been found, historians are sure that the Iberians fortified the hilltop. Another settlement was located in the Benalúa area, where the Roman city of Lucentum was built, the predecessor of the city of Alicante today. Others villages from the same period have been located at the Albufereta and in the Serra Grossa.

With the arrival of the Moors, the present-day city was built under the protection of the castle. Alfonso, later to become the 10th, known as the Wise, conquered the city in 1246 for the Castilian crown, and in 1308 Jaime II incorporated Alicante in the Kingdom of Valencia. In 1490 Ferdinand the Catholic granted Alicante its City Charter, and 100 years later it was to become the natural port of Castile, propitiating a growing sea trade, thanks to which the economy of the area began to flourish and population grew considerably, with Alicante attaining the rank of Spain's third largest trading port.

Alicante has seen its share of wars and conflicts throughout the history of Spain, and due to its position on the coast, all attacks have been made from sea. In 1691, under the reign of Charles II, the French Armada bombed the city for seven consecutive days. Without so much as a breathing space, it became involved in the War of Spanish Succession (1701-14). It sided with the Bourbons and suffered the bombardment and destruction of the castle of Santa Bárbara by English troops. During the War of Independence (1804-14), known as the Peninsular War, it was the provisional capital of the Kingdom of Valencia while Valencia proper was occupied by Major General Suchet. The Spanish-Property ABC

In the 18th century Alicante began to recover after the disasters of recent wars, but it was really in the 19th century when it started to expand considerably. With the arrival of the railway in 1858, its linkage to the centre of the peninsula guaranteed its leading role as a port, giving it the cosmopolitan air of a city facing the sea and welcoming maritime traffic.

Today, Alicante is the second largest city in the Land of Valencia, a central location on the Costa Blanca, and now deriving much of its income from the tourist industry.

Castillo de Santa Barbara: It is one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe. It occupies the entire summit and a large proportion of the slopes of the Benacantil mountain. It commands a unique look-out over the coastline, the Bay of Alicante and the surrounding farmland. Remains from the Bronze-age have been discovered on this site. The castle has three enclosures of differing dates, each with unique features. The castle can be accessed by a road leading up the western slope of the mountain, winding it's way through pine trees..... or for a small fee take the elevator from the entrance in front of the beach.

Popular parks of Alicante

With lots of parks and gardens, a pleasant leisurely walk is a must in this beautiful area of Spain. The whole city is dotted with a variety of leafy, green areas and in the outlying areas of the city you will find important areas of parkland. The Spanish-Property ABC

El Palmeral: On the southern outskirts of the city, next to the sea, there is a palm tree plantation which has been used as a natural film location. Today it is one of the most delightful green zones of Alicante, called the El Palmeral park, with an area of 72,000m². It has waterfalls, ponds, flowerbeds showing a range of local flower and plant varieties, a children’s playground, a cross-country biking circuit, an auditorium, promenades, a café, etc.

Canalejas Park: It is the oldest park in the city. It was designed in 1886 by the architect González Altés. The entranceway is guarded by stone sculptures of lions and dogs, and inside is a spectacular hundred-year-old ficus of enormous proportions, a small monument by Daniel Bañuls as an allegory to the Alicante writer Carlos Arniches, a map of Spain carved in wood and various fountains.

Fiestas, traditions and more

Alicantes cultural calendar includes many events and celebrations that combine traditions and customs with current themes of interest to all types of people. A cultural offering both rich and participative that makes it worth while to visit Alicante.

In Alicante you may enjoy "Fallas", carnavals, Easter celebrations, the bonfires of San Juan and the Moors and Christian festivities to name but a few of the numerous "fiestas" that make it the busiest calendar in all the province of Alicante. The fiestas of the Patron Saint are celebrated in November in honor of St James and the Virgen del Sufragio, whose miraculous discovery is dramatized in the month of March. The "Fiestas de la carxofa" are celebrated in the old part of the town the 3rd week in November and are the oldest fiestas in Alicante.

Hogueras de San Juan (St John’s Bonfires)
This is the most outstanding festivity held in Alicante, declared to be of International Tourist Interest. It is based on the ancient custom of burning useless objects to celebrate the summer solstice, connecting with the feast day of St John the Baptist. It was first held in 1928, with lots of colour, gunpowder and bonfires. Of note are the Flower Offerings to Our Lady of Remedy (22 June), the International Folklore Parade (23 June) and the mascletás or fireworks competitions (20-24 June). There are also processions with marching bands, outdoor dances and sports competitions. The feast coincides with a bullfighting festival bringing in leading matadors, on foot and on horseback. At midnight on St John’s Night (from 24 to 25 June) a huge fireworks display is set off from the top of Mount Benacantil, and all the bonfires, and monumental floats made in papier-mâché and wood are burnt to ashes. The holidays continue until 29 June, St Peter’s Day. During the second half, a Medieval market is held in the old quarter of town, and from 25 to 29 June there is a fireworks competition, with displays being set off from Postiguet Beach.

Carnival
Even the street benches are especially decorated for the Alicante Carnival. On Saturday, called Sábado Ramblero, there are parades down Rambla Avenue featuring carnival costumes, ending with a festivity called the “Funeral Wake and Burial of the Sardine”. Held on the weekend and days leading up to Ash Wednesday.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)
From Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday a total of 27 brotherhoods take part in processions carrying floats or effigies called pasos, some of which are authentic masterworks by famous artists such as Salzillo, Bussi, Avalos or Castillo Lastrucci. Of note among the processions are that of the Holy Cross because it goes up the steep streets in the old quarter, the Procession of Silence, and the “Two Encounters” between Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The Santa Cena (Holy Supper) float is the largest in Spain and is carried by 208 porters. This is a movable feast falling in either March or April.