As a one-time resident, I’ve had time to discover all the things to do in Alicante, Spain. Located on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, the obvious attraction is the beach, but there are many other things to do and places to see. So if you ever find yourself in or near Alicante, check these activities off your list to experience the city to the fullest. Here are the top things to do in Alicante, Spain.
1. Hike up to Santa Barbara Castle
Before you even get to Santa Barbara castle, you can spend a lot of time wandering the small streets of El Barrio Santa Cruz, a charming and historic neighborhood that you pass through on your way up the mountain. Like most places in Spain, there are remnants of history everywhere and with the homes’ colorful Mediterranean tile, streets lined with potted flowers, and the Santa Cruz hermitage, there’s plenty to admire. During Holy Week, the Cruces de Mayo festival procession begins at the hermitage and winds through the streets of Santa Cruz and Old Town Alicante.
As you continue to ascend the mountain, you’ll come across La Ereta Park where you can sit down and look at the view of the city or stop into Restaurante La Ereta for a high-end tasting menu experience. If that’s too expensive for your taste, there’s a cafe close to the top instead. The castle itself includes enclosures from the 14th, 16th, and 18th centuries and a small museum with pottery and other artifacts. Although the climb gets a bit steep, it shouldn’t be a problem if you take your time to enjoy the views and your surroundings along the way. There’s also an elevator, but if you’re able I’d highly recommend you take the walk.
@aishaurbanescapist Add hiking up to Santa Barbara Castle to your #Alicante must-do list. #alicantespain #spain🇪🇸 #traveltiktok #costablanca ♬ Gold – Minh
2. Old Town Alicante
Alicante’s Casco Antiguo, or Old Town, is right at the foot of the castle and a great place for history, food, and culture. In this area you are surrounded by historic buildings and architecture along cobblestone streets. Some of the historical highlights are St. Nicholas Cathedral (construction began in 1600), the Basilica of Santa Maria (built between the 14th and 16th centuries over the ruins of Alicante’s biggest mosque), and the ayuntamiento, or town hall (18th century).
I’d also suggest stopping into the Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA) right across the street from the basilica. It has free entry and is a relatively small museum so you can see everything pretty quickly, but has some interesting art that’s worth a visit.
There are many food and drink options in the Old Town. You won’t necessarily get the best, most authentic dishes here since it’s a very touristy area, but I’ve also never had any bad food at the restaurants or cafes I’ve visited. Along with Spanish food, there are options for Italian, Middle Eastern, American, Indian, Thai, gelato, and crepes. There are lots of places to go just for a drink, as well as cafes for a coffee or WiFi connection. At night, the streets can get pretty lively with people going out for drinks and dancing. For a great view and a bit of a more upscale cocktail experience, I’d recommend La Milagrosa Rooftop. You can easily find less expensive options in Old Town, but La Milagrosa has a great view of Santa Barbara Castle and the Basilica and is especially good for sunset.
3. Postiguet Beach
The main city beach has volleyball nets, restaurants and bars on the boardwalk and one on the sand, exercise equipment, playground equipment for kids, and plenty of space to lay out with a rented beach chair and umbrella or one of your own. To rent a chair and umbrella, you’ll want to get to the beach early since they’ll most likely be gone by noon. Even though it’s a city beach, it’s kept clean and the water is still a beautiful Mediterranean blue. In front of you is the Mediterranean Sea and behind you is a stunning view of Santa Barbara Castle above downtown’s palm trees. The beach is also a great place to watch the sunset, whether it’s the summertime or winter. Just beyond the beach and boardwalk is La Rambla, the palm tree and restaurant-lined walkway that extends from the beach to the marina.
Alicante has a few museums that you can check out. In addition to the contemporary art museum (MACA) that I mentioned before, there are also the museums below:
- The Alicante Archeological Museum has a permanent collection, as well as changing temporary exhibits.
- The Bullfighting Museum is located inside Plaza de Toros, a bullring now used for events and the museum.
- The Fogueres Festival Museum is dedicated to the Fogueres de Sant Joan Festival, a fire festival every June with bonfires, parades and processions, and the main event of effigies set on fire.
- The Lucentum Archeological Site has the remains of ancient Alicante, called the Roman city of Lucentum.
5. Eat Out
There are a lot of restaurant options in Alicante and while the majority offer traditional Spanish food, there are also more diverse options as mentioned before. As far as Spanish food, I have a few recommendations for different reasons. La Crispeta is one of my favorites simply for the quality of the food. I suggest ordering the patatas bravas (these are offered almost everywhere, but La Crispeta’s are the best I’ve had), alitas picantes (hot wings), goat cheese with honey and nuts, and the octopus. The restaurant isn’t overly expensive, but it still has a classy ambience that’s good for a date or just dining with friends and family.
For a lively, cheap, and casual restaurant I’d recommend D’Tablas. Here, waiters bring around trays of montaditos/tapas, each one on a wooden plank, and you pick up what looks good to you. When you’re finished, the waiter counts how many planks you have at your table to tally the bill. One montadito only costs 1 euro and a caña (a cup of beer) costs even less than that.
You can’t miss the opportunity to try any of the arroces (rices) Alicante is known for. You may think these are the same thing as paella, but don’t confuse them. The city of Valencia is known for its paella. Alicante is known for its arroces that are similar, but with some differences. You can find many restaurants that serve them, but to get the best of the best make a reservation at El Bocaíto or El Caldero, two of the highest rated restaurants in Alicante for their arroces. Some of the most popular and specific to Alicante are arroz a banda and arroz del senyoret.
Other honorable mentions include Open, Boca de Vin, and Heladería Borgonesse.
6. Take the Ferry to Tabarca Island
Tabarca is an easy day trip, with ferries leaving from the marina most days. The ferry ride lasts one hour one-way, and only costs 20 euros roundtrip. You can either buy your tickets online or buy them right there at the booth before boarding. Tabarca is a tiny island with only just over 50 permanent residents. The only things to do there are swim, snorkel, eat at the restaurants, and wander, making it the perfect option for someone who just wants a relaxing day outside. The beach isn’t entirely sandy or rocky, it’s more of a mix, and you can find coves on the rockier edges of the island that you are free to explore. This is a must-do when visiting Alicante.
7. Palm Grove Park
El Parque Palmeral, or Palm Grove Park, is a natural (but man-made) oasis in the city. As you can tell from the name, it’s full of palm trees, plus a waterfall, streams, all kinds of plants, outdoor workout equipment, a tented event area, walking trails, and a full cafe. It’s a nice place to take a walk or jog and spend some time relaxing in nature.
@aishaurbanescapist Palm Grove Park in Alicante- a natural paradise (plus a full café!)🌴 #palmeral #alicantespain #travelblogging #spain2021 #europetravels ♬ Paradise – Coldplay
8. Day or Weekend Trips to Nearby Towns
A great thing about Alicante is that you have all of the Costa Blanca at your fingertips. With a simple bus, tram, or train ride you can visit Altea, Elche, Torrevieja, Benidorm, Calpe – the list goes on. Check out my upcoming blog posts (Subscribe to my e-mail newsletter to be notified of new posts!) that go into more detail on these towns individually and also see my Instagram Reels and TikTok for a quick look at what each town has to offer.
Have you visited? If so, did I miss anything in this list? If not, do you think you’ll add Alicante to your travel plans? Let me know in the comments and share this post with anyone who’d enjoy a visit! Plus, follow me on Instagram for video of all these things to do in Alicante, Spain.
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2 Comments
This is the best post ever. I was there and I just want to go back! Love the pictures and videos
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the post.