Posted By
Planmytour Team
August 3, 2023
Alicante, nestled along the picturesque Costa Blanca coastline, is one of Spain's most beautiful cities and a popular location for city breaks in the sun. Alicante is a terrific family holiday with several excellent activities in and around the town. This beautiful location has hosted a variety of cultures for the past 7,000 years (give or take), and its natural beauty is a significant lure in and of itself! If you’re wondering what to do in Alicante, rest assured that you will never be bored whether you are there for a few days or a week. Use our top things to do in Alicante list to maximise your holiday. Enjoy some of the best Alicante activities ever!
As one of the country's oldest cities, Alicante’s streets depict an incredible story of human civilization, from nomadic nomads and Roman emperors to a succession of political regimes. Nowadays, it provides a good blend of tranquil daytime panoramas, loud nightlife, and many unusual places to visit. Invariably, there are numerous exciting Alicante things to do during a trip. In fact, there are many things to do near Alicante as well.
With its rich history, there are numerous interesting attractions to explore, including castles, historic churches, museums, and natural wonders. One of the top things to do in Alicante Spain is explore its golden Mediterranean beaches, abundant sun, sea, and sand. It is a summer paradise for leisure-seekers looking to rest and unwind in the sun. During the summer, the Explanada de Espana, with its bustling beach bars, alfresco eating, and active nightlife, serves as the city's heart and soul.
What to do in Alicante for history? Head to the Santa Barbara Castle. A stronghold with mediaeval Arab origins crowns Benacantil mountain, the massive, towering rock looms over Alicante. The most recent repairs occurred during Spain's Golden Age (the 1500s), but if you look closely, you can see remnants of Moorish times. The best time to climb is early in the morning before the sun gets too hot, although a lift runs from right behind Postiguet Beach. Everyone should climb the battlements and marvel at the view of Alicante, the Mediterranean, and the dark, mountainous terrain. It is one of the most incredible things to do Alicante has to offer tourists and locals alike.
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As it begins in the old town and extends down the city's coastline adjacent to the marina, Alicante's sophisticated, marble-laid promenade is useful for wayfinding. A family walk is part of the culture in most Spanish cities, and promenades like the Explanada de Espana help you do it in style. As you stroll beneath the palms and observe daily life in the city unfold around you at patios and market stalls, you'll get a true sense of Alicante's atmosphere. There are beautiful coastline vistas, and after dark in the summer, this beautifully lit boardwalk benefits from great sea breezes at the end of hot days. Exploring these is among the top things to do in Alicante Spain on a holiday.
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If you're curious about Alicante's history, the MARQ Provincial Archaeological Museum is the place to go. You'll begin with hunter-gatherers and observe the first hand-crafted metallic artefacts forged around Alicante. Then there's the Iberian chamber, dedicated to the numerous pre-Roman archaeological sites nearby that have provided exquisite sculpture and ceramics. The Roman city of Lucentum was near contemporary Alicante, and excavations there yielded various ceramics, jewellery, and other everyday things. The exhibitions covering mediaeval eras, when Jewish, Islamic, and Christian civilizations coexisted briefly, are perhaps the most exciting.
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Getting lost in the old town can be among the best things to do in Alicante, which feels like a village in the middle of town. This community is spread out on a hillside under the castle, and getting about requires navigating steep streets and stairways between high whitewashed walls. Locals take great delight in their homes, decorating them with fresh flowers and painting their shutters blues and greens. If you need a break amidst fun Alicante activities like this, you can always relax in one of the many cafés and restaurants in this area of town.
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Beaches are the top answers to “what to do in Alicante Spain” query for most folks. But if you want to avoid travelling far for a dose of sea and sand, there is a pretty usable beach near the old town. Visiting Playa del Postiguet is among the most thrilling Alicante Spain things to do. It is a golden sand finger lapped by gentle waves. You have to wade very far out before the sea even reaches waist height, and from the ocean, there are magnificent views back to Santa Barbara's imposing walls. Given its size and position, the beach might get a little crowded in the summer, but its central location means plenty of places to get a bite to eat. Nevertheless, it remains one of the best things to do in Alicante Spain.
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There are plenty of things to do near Alicante as well. Exploring the city's oldest and most beautiful church located near the mountain's base and a few blocks from Postiguet Beach Is among the top Alicante things to do. Like many churches in Spain, Santa Mara was erected over a mediaeval mosque after the Moors were driven out of Alicante in the 13th century. The church's ominous twin towers are the first thing you'll notice. What's remarkable about these is that, despite their similar appearances, the one on the right is from the 1300s, while the one on the left is from the 1800s. Inside, see the gothic 14th-century Santa Mara statue and a mediaeval incunable, an early printed book from the 1200s. Seeing this architectural marvel will be among the most thrilling things to do in Alicante for history and art lovers.
An interesting fact about this modern art attraction is that it is housed in Alicante's oldest secular building, a former granary built in 1687 next to the Santa Maria Basilica. Eusebio Sempere, an Alicante sculptor, founded it in 1976 to display his collection. The collection contains around 800 items by many of the most prominent 20th-century painters, including Picasso, Francis Bacon, Salvador Dal, and Joan Miró. Only one-third of the pieces are on show at any given time, and the display rotates throughout the year, so no two visits are alike.
Discovering the numerous Blue Flag beaches is one of the best things to do in Alicante. Many are within a short drive of the city. Saladar Beach, located south of Alicante, is a 1600-metre-long stretch of golden sand. Except for a few isolated residential towers on the dunes, there is little in the way of tourist development here. Playa de la Albufereta is located on the northern outskirts of Alicante. This was the Roman settlement of Lucentum's harbour, and it is a clean bay with soothing waters backed by resort towers.
Costa Blanca also has a plethora of golf courses, and teeing off some of them can be among the most riveting things to do in Alicante for golfers on a holiday. There are 15 inside the province, all within a reasonable driving distance. If you want to go within a reasonable distance, Alicante Golf Club, created by Seve Ballesteros, is a 15-minute drive from the city centre. This 18-hole par-72 course pays homage to the local Roman heritage with rebuilt Roman ruins you must avoid on the 14th hole. Bonalba is also nearby, a par-72 course featuring a front nine that stresses your short game and a back nine that rewards accurate driving. Undoubtedly, golfing here will be among the most memorable Alicante things to do on your trip.
If you're self-catering, there's no reason not to visit this big covered market on Alfonso el Sabio's upper side. In Spain, central markets are like culinary temples, and Alicante's is no different. There are numerous fish and meat stalls and unlimited inspiration for aspiring chefs! The seafood vendors are a particular highlight, with counters practically overflowing with crabs, lobsters, squid, and other delicacies. Fresh fruit and vegetables are abundant, as are regional specialties such as turrón nougat and Mistela, a sweet dessert wine.
If you're still getting familiar with Spanish dining culture and wish to eat like a local, lunch is typically served after two p.m. This is the day's main meal, and for many people, dinner is a small snack or tapas at a bar. The Valencian Community produces most of Spain's rice, and Alicante has simmering rice dishes similar to paella. Try Arroz a banda or Arroz al horno, both of which are improved by the excellent seafood available in this region of Spain. Acquiring some turrón, a nougat with honey and almonds, as a souvenir can be among the most amazing Alicante activities. It's a tremendous Spanish favourite, especially around the holidays.
Taking a boat ride is among the top things to do in Alicante. There are a few boat tour firms in Alicante's port area. This is a short catamaran excursion in the sea near the city, but if you want to make a day of it, consider visiting Tabarca Island. It's only a few miles south of the ocean but it feels like another universe, making it one of the best things to do near Alicante. Tabarca has a small walled neighbourhood with identical whitewashed houses and blue shutters as Alicante's old town. Only here are vehicles and other modern amenities unnecessary! Visit the small church of St. Peter and St. Paul and walk through the island's austere scenery to the lighthouse.
If you still need to fill out Alicante's history, you can download a map of the region's coastline watchtowers. For decades, this section of Spain was threatened by Barbary Pirates, who would pillage towns and even enslave people. As a result, beginning in the 1500s, a sophisticated network of defences and lookouts was created to provide residents with an early warning to withdraw inside the walls. Thirty of these towers still stand in the Huerta de Alicante, encompassing the city and a few adjacent towns and villages. Learning about them is among the best free things to do in Alicante.
Those wondering what to do in Alicante Spain when it comes to unique Alicante activities will be glad to know that there are plenty, like the Elche, which is around 20 minutes by car west of Alicante and offers an incredible panorama. This is Europe's largest palm grove, planted by the first Muslims who arrived in the early-middle centuries. There are 200,000 trees, most of which are the phoenix dactylifera, which did not exist in Spain until the Moors imported it. The grove is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and walking the Ruta del Palmeral, a circular trail that begins and finishes at the Huerto de San Placido is the finest way to explore it.
On June 23, Spain celebrates St. John's Eve with bonfires. Witnessing this can be among the most thrilling things to do in Alicante. However, none of these are as enormous as those held in Alicante. Traditionally, people would burn off their old furniture for San Juan, but in 1928, the city determined that these fires must be accompanied by a fiesta, which now lasts four days until the 24th. The end product is similar to Valencia's Las Fallas, with fires in which specifically made cardboard sculptures are destroyed at an event called the Cremà. These fires can be frightening, and teams of firefighters are waiting in the wings to put them out.
With this guide, you no longer need to wonder what to do in Alicante Spain! Make your Alicante to do list and experience as many exciting Alicante activities as you can on your holiday. Check off as many fantastic things to do in Alicante as you can when you arrive on cheap all inclusive holidays to this scenic region.
