City, Beach, Coastal
Alicante
Alacant
A sunny Costa Blanca port city, with a hilltop castle, a palm-lined seafront promenade and golden beaches right beside the lively old town.
Alicante is a sunny port city on Spain's south-eastern Costa Blanca. Often seen only as the gateway to the beach resorts, it is an easy-going, likeable city in its own right, with a castle on a hill above the centre, a palm-lined seafront promenade and good beaches just steps from the old town. The climate is warm almost all year, and the pace is relaxed. With history, sand and sun in one walkable place, Alicante is more than just an airport.
What Alicante is known for
Alicante is known for its setting between hills and sea. Above the city rises the Santa Barbara castle, perched on Mount Benacantil, reached by a lift cut into the rock and rewarding the climb with sweeping views over the bay. Below it the old town, the Barrio de Santa Cruz, climbs the hillside in a tangle of bright houses and narrow lanes. At sea level, the city's signature is the Explanada de Espana, a grand palm-lined promenade paved with a wave-patterned mosaic, perfect for an evening stroll. The city beach of El Postiguet sits right beside the centre, and longer stretches of sand lie a short ride away, making Alicante a rare city where you can sightsee and swim in the same afternoon. Alicante is also the gateway to the wider Costa Blanca and its resorts, and a city with a strong food tradition built on rice and the sea. Sunny, friendly and well connected, it is an enjoyable destination as well as a doorway to the coast.
5WTP
Experience Name
Description
5WTP
Region name
Description
5WTP
Region name
Description
5WTP
Region name
Description
5WTP
Region name
Description
5WTP
Region name
Description
Experiences and things to do in Alicante
Climb or ride the lift up to Santa Barbara castle for the best views over the city and bay. Afterwards, wander the bright lanes of the old town below, the Barrio de Santa Cruz, and stroll the palm-lined Explanada promenade by the marina. For sand, the city beach of El Postiguet is right by the centre, with longer beaches a short tram ride away. Food lovers should try a local rice dish by the sea, and day-trippers can use Alicante as a base for the wider Costa Blanca and the island of Tabarca. Whichever way you want to play, Alicante has it.
Where to stay in Alicante
Where you base yourself shapes the trip. The old town and the central area around the Explanada put you close to the sights, marina and nightlife. The Postiguet beach area is best if you want sand on the doorstep. For a quieter, more local stay, the districts just inland from the centre are calmer and a short walk from everything.
Food and drink in Alicante
Alicante's food is built on rice and the sea. The region is famous for its rice dishes, from soupy arroz caldoso to paella-style pans cooked with seafood. Try local prawns from nearby Denia and fresh fish along the coast. For something sweet, the area is the home of turron, a Spanish nougat made with almonds and honey, especially around Christmas.
5WTP
Restaurant Name
Description
Airport Code
Region name
Description
Airport Code
Region name
Description
00
00
00
/
Feels like
00
Weather today in Alicante
00 km/h NE
Wind Description
UV 0
UV Description
0 mm
Rain Description
Weather summary text
2 Day Forecast
Forecast
0% Rain
00
/
00
°
Day
Forecast
0% Rain
00
/
00
°
Day
Condition
00:00
00:00
Best time to visit Alicante
Alicante enjoys one of the mildest climates in mainland Spain, with warm, sunny weather for much of the year. The best times to visit are late spring (May and June) and September, with hot days and a warm sea but fewer crowds than peak summer. July and August are busiest, especially on the beaches. Even winter stays mild and pleasant, which is why the Costa Blanca is popular year-round.
Getting to Alicante and around
Alicante-Elche Airport (ALC) is one of Spain's busiest, just southwest of the city, with flights from across Europe and a bus into the centre in around 20 minutes. Alicante is also on the high-speed AVE rail network, with fast trains to Madrid in around two and a half hours. The centre is compact and walkable, and a tram line runs up the coast to several Costa Blanca beach towns.
Nearest Airport to Alicante
Nearest Sea Port to Alicante
Travel tips for visiting Alicante
Use the cheap airport bus into the centre rather than a taxi. Climb or take the lift up to Santa Barbara castle early or late for the best light and views. Explore the old town and seafront on foot, as the centre is compact. Take the coastal tram for easy trips to nearby Costa Blanca beach towns. Try a local rice dish by the sea, ideally at lunch. Visit in late spring or September for warm weather without the peak crowds.
Events happening in Alicante
What's on in Alicante - annual festivals and events.
00 annual festivals and events coming up in [Destination].
DATE
Destination
,
Country
Event Name
Collapsible text is perfect for longer content like paragraphs and descriptions.
Date
Country
,
Country
Event Name
Collapsible text is perfect for longer content like paragraphs and descriptions.
Town Name
Country
,
Country
Event Name
Collapsible text is perfect for longer content like paragraphs and descriptions.
FAQs about visiting Alicante
Helpful answers for planning your visit to Alicante.
Planning
Is Alicante worth visiting beyond the airport?
Things to Do
What is Santa Bárbara Castle, and how do I get up to it?
Planning
When is the best time to visit Alicante?
Things to Do
Are Alicante's beaches good?
Transport
How do I get from Alicante airport to the city?
Things to Do
What is the Explanada de España?
Planning
Is Alicante a good base for the Costa Blanca?
Things to Do
What is the Barrio de Santa Cruz in Alicante?
Food & Drink
What local food should I try in Alicante?
Transport
Is Alicante walkable?
Visit the Spanish islands
countAllIslands-Islands
More destinations in Spain
Places to stay near Alicante
4 places to stay
Elche
City, Historic
An inland city in Alicante province with the largest palm grove in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a long history of dates and shoemaking.
La Marina
Beach, Coastal
A quiet beach community on the Costa Blanca south of Santa Pola, known for long dune-backed sands, pine forest and a large weekly market.
Santa Pola
Beach, Coastal
A working fishing town and beach resort on the Costa Blanca, with a busy harbour, long sandy beaches and ferries to the island of Tabarca.
Torrevieja
Beach, Coastal
A lively resort town on the Costa Blanca, famous for its bright pink salt lake, long sandy beaches and a large international community.
Explore more Spanish regions
18 regions
Catalonia
A proud northeastern region with Barcelona, the Costa Brava coves, Pyrenean peaks and its own language and culture.
Region of Murcia
A warm, sunny southeastern region of beaches, the Mar Menor lagoon and a rich Roman and farming heritage.
Andalucía
The sun-baked heart of southern Spain, home of flamenco, Moorish palaces, white villages and tapas.
Galicia
A green, Atlantic region in the northwest, with the Camino's end, fjord-like coves and superb seafood.
Asturias
A green northern region of dramatic mountains, a wild coast, cider houses and the Picos de Europa.
Cantabria
A compact green northern region with sandy beaches, the Picos de Europa and a famous prehistoric cave.
Basque Country
A distinctive green region of world-class food, the Guggenheim, surf beaches and a unique ancient language.
Community of Madrid
The central region built around Spain's capital, with world-class art, royal palaces and mountain escapes.
Castilla-La Mancha
The vast central plateau of windmills and castles, Don Quixote's country, with Toledo and Cuenca at its edges.
Castilla y León
A vast northern plateau of historic cities, Gothic cathedrals, castles and the Ribera del Duero wine country.
Aragón
A varied northern region running from the high Pyrenees to dry plains, with Zaragoza and striking Mudejar towers.
Navarre
A green northern region of Pyrenean valleys and the Camino, famous for Pamplona's running of the bulls.
La Rioja
Spain's most famous wine region, a small northern land of vineyards, bodegas and the Camino de Santiago.
Extremadura
A wild, unspoilt western region of Roman ruins, conquistador towns, jamón and rich birdlife.
Balearic Islands
Spain's Mediterranean island region, four distinct islands from lively Ibiza to quiet Menorca and Formentera.
Canary Islands
Spain's Atlantic island region off Africa, eight sun-soaked islands of volcanoes, beaches and year-round warmth.
Ceuta
A small Spanish city on the North African coast, a crossing point of cultures between two continents.
Melilla
A small Spanish city on the North African coast, known for its remarkable Modernist architecture.
Explore more in Spain
Explore the undefined
countIslandGroups-Island
More places to stay in undefined
countInIsland-Island
More in Province of Alicante
countAdminArea-Mainland
