Alicante – The Perfect Touring Base

October 6th, 2008 Posted in Travel and Leisure

Since it’s a gateway into the Costa Blanca, Alicante is an ideal base for touring. Containing a refreshing mixture of old and recent culture and traditions, Alicante is found within the popular tourist area of the Costa Blanca. Visitors to Alicante enjoy a sunny and warm climate, some of the best beaches Spain can offer together with some great examples of Moorish architecture.

Found on the Spanish coastline between the resorts of Elche and Benidorm, The city sits in the shadow of its mountain-topped castle. Alicante and its surrounding landscape are scattered with churches with the most photographed of them all being that of the Iglesia de Santa Maria. This is the city’s oldest church and was constructed between the 14th and 16th centuries with the church originally being a mosque. St Nicholas Cathedral in the city was constructed in the seventeenth century to honour the city’s patron saint and is therefore one of the most significant buildings in this area.

Alicante has lots of old buildings to please sightseers and historians alike and can be found throughout the area with statues and columns adding interest to a number of once unexciting locations. Offering a sharp watch out to Alicante Bay, the Castillo de Santa Barbara is said to be one of the biggest medieval fortresses in Europe. Readily reached by road or by elevator (lift) from the Paseo Maritimo, the fortress offers incredible views of the stunning surrounding area. Apart from the benefits the Castillo offers, Alicante offers more architectural treasures including the Provincial Gallery, once the Gavina Palace, plus its its nineteenth century bull- ring. The vast majority of the Alicante sights are readily reached using an Alicante Airport hire car. Arranging your car rental online would be expected to save you money together with guaranteeing that your requested vehicle is actually available upon your arrival at the airport.

Alicante is the ideal resort to come to enjoy life and the main reason tourists return each year. With such a huge range of hotel rooms available, there’s a great selection of of discounted Alicante hotels to suit all tastes and pockets. The beaches here have the most golden sand and offer a variety of both easy to get to and hidden coves perfect for private sunbathing. Drive over to Albufereta Beach where there is excellent water sport capabilities. It is a quiet spot that is generally unspoilt by the majority of holidaymakers.

The Playa del Postiguet offers the ideal location for an evening stroll. You will join the locals along this attractive seaside promenade – it’s a perfect setting for bringing the day to a close. Once the Port serving Madrid, Alicante Harbour combines fishing and sailing and is the ideal venue to visit for the best fish restaurants around. The harbour offers an excellent location for activity night and day. This is where visitors come to eat incredibly fresh, delicious seafood, learn sailing and enjoy a spot of clubbing into the wee small hours.

Nobody enjoys a celebration as much as the locals and visitors of Alicante! Here you will find an event of some description taking place much of the year, no matter what time of the year you choose to visit. One of the more sombre of Costa Blanca festivals is that of the Easter Procession. Dressed in black and carrying candles, an effigy of Jesus is paraded on a cross through the streets. Every November, in remembrance of the Patron Saint Crist del Bon Encert, every town has its own fiesta. Don’t be surprised to find that shops are closed all day, every day as commerce grinds to a halt for this fantastic event of dancing, singing and firework displays. On a less religious note, one of the most well known local fiestas is that of the International Puppet Festival.