Alicante: the jewel of the Costa Blanca
Alicante is the undisputed jewel of the Costa Blanca, nestled between the mountains and the sea, and has become an important cruise port, especially for cruises to the Canary Islands and overseas.
The boat stop is usually 9/10 hours. Here you’ll find miles of beautiful beaches, but that’s not all… let’s see what else there is to discover in this delightful seaside town.
The city center is not far from the cruise terminal (a little more than 2 km.) and is easily reached by shuttle/bus/taxi or on foot, walking along a wonderful avenue that serves as a promenade, the Explanada de España, the main street, which consists of a long tree-lined pedestrian avenue carpeted with mosaic tiles.
There are some very interesting sculptures in this area, the most famous of which is a surfer coming out of the water.
Sabrina Saretto
Foto di Toni Pippia
Explanada de espana
The main monument in Alicante is the Castle of Santa Barbara, a fortress located on a promontory overlooking the city.
It is one of the most spectacular buildings in the city and one of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain.
To reach the Castle, it is advisable to take the elevator located right in front of Playa del Postiguet. From the highest point of the Castle you will have a wonderful view of the city and the beach.
Inside the Castle of Santa Bárbara you can visit the Museum of the City of Alicante, made up of five rooms with a permanent exhibition tracing the history of the city.
Spiaggia e promontorio del Castello di Santa Barbara
Another museum of great interest is the Museum of Contemporary Art of Alicante (MACA), which houses several masterpieces by famous artists such as Picasso, Miró and Dali. It also houses magnificent permanent collections, such as the 20th Century Art Collection and the Juana Francés Collection. The museum is located in the Asegurada building, the original Casa de la Asegurada.
Other points of interest include:
The Basilica of Santa María, a 14th century building built on the remains of the largest Islamic mosque in Alicante.
The fortress of San Fernando, known locally as Castell de Sant Ferran, is an excellent vantage point from which to enjoy stunning views of the sea. Near the Castle is the Monte Tossal Park.
The Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari, is located in the old town. Built on the site of a mosque, it is decorated with marble and jasper. Don’t miss the Communion Chapel, which contains the bust and relics of St. Felicita of Alicante, St. Rocco and St. Francis Xavier.
On the other hand, if your main interest is the beaches and you want to spend a relaxing day under the sun, we recommend some beaches.
Foto di Veronica Conelli
Alicante porto wikicommons
Postiguet Beach, is a strip of sand about 800 meters long. It is located near the city center, at the foot of the Castle of Santa Bárbara, not far from the famous Explanada de España promenade.
Albufereta Beach, located between Serra Grossa and Tossal de Manises, is a small beach of fine golden sand that is a meeting place for the citizens of Alicante.
San Juan Beach is a true paradise of fine sand and transparent waters. It stretches from the beaches of El Campello to Cabo de las Huertas.
Cabo de las Huertas is located between San Juan Beach and Albufereta. It is an area of coves with transparent waters and rocky bottoms.
For those who want to go further, about 15 km from Alicante, in the heart of the Costa Blanca, is “El Campello”, a municipality with 23 km of coastline; beautiful beaches and wonderful coves; fabulous cliffs, such as that of Coveta Fuma.
What cruise passengers say:
I: Very nice, free shuttle, but you can also walk. You can walk to the Castle of Santa Barbara, which has a stunning view, but it is a nice climb, or take the bus for 1.50 euros. The seafront is nice, the historic center with some churches.
T: We visited it independently. We took a minibus up to the Castle and then walked back to see the famous mushroom street (via San Francesco, if I’m not mistaken), very characteristic.
S: In front of the ship there is a free bus that stops a stone’s throw away from the beach. Then we took a taxi for only 5 euros to the Castle of Santa Barbara, for me it is a very steep climb and I could not have done it on foot! After that we went for a nice walk, there are several squares with a lot of green and many churches. Finally we went to the mythical mushroom road, via San Francisco.
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