Activities in Alicante

1. What to do

**The castle and the old town.** Santa Bárbara Castle crowns Mount Benacantil, above the city and the sea. Its name comes from the Christian conquest of 4 December 1248, the saint's day, and the present fortress has three enclosures: the Torreta, the middle one, with the Felipe II Hall, and the lower one, from the eighteenth century. You go up on foot from the Santa Cruz quarter, on the shuttle from Puerta del Mar, or on the lift through the hill from Avenida de Jovellanos, beside Postiguet. Below, the Santa Cruz quarter is a quarter of narrow streets and whitewashed houses at the foot of the hill, and the old town holds the concatedral of San Nicolás de Bari, the basilica of Santa María, and the town hall, on the town hall square.

**The Explanada, the port and the market.** The Explanada de España runs from Puerta del Mar to Canalejas park, with its wave-pattern mosaic floor and palm trees, and it has its present shape since the 1950s. Beside it are the port, with its marina, and Postiguet beach, the city-centre beach, at the foot of the castle. The Central Market, in the centre, is the city's food market: a good place to see local produce, from the market gardens and the sea.

**Museums.** The MARQ, the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante, covers the history of the province from prehistory to the Middle Ages. The MUBAG, the Gravina Fine Arts Museum, stands in Gravina palace, in the centre, and shows art from the province. The MACA, the Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art, stands beside the basilica of Santa María, in the old town.

**Beaches and nature.** Besides Postiguet, Alicante has Albufereta beach, small and sheltered, and San Juan beach, long and open, to the north, reached by TRAM. Cabo de las Huertas, between Albufereta and San Juan, has coves among rocks. For walks with views, Mount Benacantil and the seafront walk joining Postiguet to San Juan are the two clearest routes in the city.

**One trip out: Tabarca.** The island of Tabarca belongs to the municipality of Alicante and has a walled village and a protected setting that is a marine reserve. Boats to the island leave from the Alicante port area, with fewer sailings out of season. Santa Pola, to the south, is the nearest departure point to the island, and it is also a possible trip from Alicante. Other trips outside the city are Elche, with its palm grove, and Santa Pola, with its salt flats and fishing port.

2. Seasonal notes

The Hogueras de San Juan, the city's official festivals, are held from 20 to 24 June, and end on the night of the 24th with the cremà, the burning of the monuments, among them the official hoguera on the town hall square. They have been Festivals of International Tourist Interest since 1983. In summer, the beaches and the Explanada run fuller, and the castle is best enjoyed first or last thing in the day, outside the midday heat. In winter, the city is visited at ease: the walk through the old town, the museums and the port do not depend on the bathing season.

3. Practical notes

This page gives general information. It does not verify opening hours, prices or specific services.

• **Check opening before going.** This page gives no opening hours or entry prices because they change: check the official website of each museum, the castle or the boat company before setting out.
• **The castle means going up.** On foot from Santa Cruz there is a slope; the shuttle and the lift avoid the climb, but check they are running on the day itself.
• **Take care in the sea.** Postiguet is a calm city beach, but the Mediterranean has days of swell: swim only in supervised areas and respect the flags.
• **Respect places of worship.** The concatedral and the basilica are churches in use: enter quietly, without flash photography, and follow the signs of the place.
• **Plan Tabarca ahead.** Boats depend on the season and the weather at sea: book ahead in summer and confirm the return on the same day.