Exploring Alicante Spain ~ Popular Places to Visit

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Alicante Spain is an extremely popular place to spend a few weeks during summer on vacation. It is a great place where you can relax by the many beaches, spend the night partying, and enjoy a sunny lifestyle. This port city is located on Spain’s southeastern Costa Blanca.

Many northern Europeans, including Germans, Swedes, etc., love Alicante so much that they move down and live in Alicante all year round. Even my grandparents bought an apartment there for our family to use any time of the year.

When my grandparents bought the apartment many years ago, there were only a few houses there. Today the area is huge, and Alicante, Spain as a destination is growing every year.

So why does Alicante seem to attract so many tourists who come back again? The main reason seems to be the lovely beaches and the amazing summer weather. It’s nearly always sunny, and the beaches are gorgeous. Another reason why so many Scandinavians visit each year is that they can find so many cheap flights to Alicante.

This combined with partying for those who want to as well as a relaxed atmosphere with a ”mañana mañana” mindset is what I think people are so attracted to. Enjoy today, and deal with responsibilities tomorrow.

You will find many people with the mindset of “What ever happens in Alicante, stays there” as well.

Exploring Alicante Spain Popular Places

Reasons Why You Should Visit Spain The Costa del Sol
Reasons Why You Should Visit Spain The Costa del Sol

Mount Benacantil

There are some really beautiful cultural and historic sites to visit. Mount Benacantil is an important landmark of Alicante, which you can find right in the middle of Alicante and on the top you get to explore the Castle Of Santa Barbara, one of the biggest medieval fortresses in Spain.

From here you get an awesome view over the city and ocean, as well as walking among buildings and remains that date back as far as 11th century.

Another cool way to see the mountain is from the beach “El Postiguet”, right next to the mountain. From there you can see how the mountain forms the shape of a face, known as “The Moor’s Face”, a characteristic image found in Alicante.

Exploring Alicante Spain Beaches

Costa Blanca are famous for their beaches, and in Alicante there are many to choose from. For an open long beach try La Playa de San Juan, a 7 kilometer golden beach. If you want it more secluded try La Albuferta, and if you want a beach close to the city El Postiguet is perfect, since it’s basically “in” the city.

Explanada de España

“To be in Alicante is to be on the Explanada,” wrote Juan Gil-Albert. I agree that if you’re here, this promenade is something you wouldn’t want to miss. It’s one of the most beautiful seafront promenades in Spain, made out of 6.6 million colorful marble tiles.

There are also loads of nice places to eat and clubs to party at along the street. I hope you enjoy your time in Alicante, and maybe you will find my and my extended family along the beach sometime this summer, enjoying the sun and water!

Costa Blanca Road Trip: What You Need To Know

Also in the Alicante province is Costa Blanca, translated to “the white coast.” It is nicknamed after its 200km long coast line with countless, never-ending white sandy beaches, and is one of the most heavily visited areas in the whole of Europe.

You will find all of this and more in the Costa Blanca region:

  • Nature
  • City Tourism
  • Art and Culture
  • Sports and Adventure
  • Food and Wine
  • Coasts and Beaches
  • Shopping
  • Routes and Hiking

Exploring Alicante Spain Costa Blanca Road Trip

While it’s not something for “off-the-beaten-path” kind of people, it’s definitely popular for a reason. If you’re into sunbathing and love a good paella, this is a good place to start.

Costa Blanca has as many as 320 sunny days per year, so you’re pretty much guaranteed a few sunny days at the white beaches. My grandparents are among the many Europeans who came to Costa Blanca once and completely fell in love with it, bought an apartment and have been going there several times a year ever since.

So of course I’ve taken advantage of a free stay and gone there quite a few times, exploring the area by car.

The best way to explore Costa Blanca, is to either base yourself in one of the Costa Blanca hotels somewhere along the coast, and make day trips to different cities, or to simply make a road trip down the coast and stay over for a few days in each town.

There is one thing you need to know if you’ve decided to road trip down Costa Blanca Spain: They’re really bad drivers there! They drive really fast, and don’t hesitate to blow the horn for no reason.

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Sun, Sand and Cocktails on the Beach = Benidorm

Benidorm is a town in the Alicante region. This is a love it or hate it kind of place. For those looking for crazy partying, flirting at the beach, or spending your days trying different water sports, it’s perfect. Choose Benidorm as your destination and enjoy a week at one of the Benidorm hotels with a good pool and bar sipping sex on the beach cocktails from morning to – well – the next morning.

You can see the city a mile away when you are driving in. The high rise buildings stick up out of nowhere, all tucked closely together.

This is not a place for everyone, but it’s definitely an experience to have seen it, so I’d recommend at least a quick stop over if you’re driving by, just to see the craze.

All In One Pot = Alicante

You have the beaches, the shopping and some interesting history with for example Castle Santa Barbara, one of the largest medieval castles in Spain. It’s a good place if you don’t want to completely get away from the big city feeling, soak up some culture and still enjoy the beaches. Here are some destinations you can make from Alicante or you can continue south and follow the Spanish coastline.

Get Down and Dirty – Mud Baths = Lo Pagan

Around 90km south is Lo Pagan. Not only will you get the chance to awake that inner-child within you by covering your whole body in mud, it’s actually very beneficial!

The mud is said to be very good for skin complaints like acne, ulcers, inflammation abscesses and even arthritis and rheumatism. At least it won’t hurt to take a plunge into the slime, and best of all – it’s free!

Perhaps the ultimate thing about road tripping or taking day trips around this region is that you will find some awesome beaches just by driving along the way and stop wherever you like, at whatever beach you choose  after all, there are hundreds of them!

Catch a Wave on La Manga Beach

Around 132km from Alicante and south of Lo Pagan is La Manga. Given La Manga’s coastal location and its temperate Mediterranean climate, water sports are extremely popular here, which include sailing, kite boarding, windsurfing, kayaking, and jet skiing. 

La Manga Spain Wakeboarding
La Manga Spain Wakeboarding

Most resorts offer rentals, as do many companies located along La Manga strip. La Manga Del Mar Menor, or the Little Sea, is actually a huge saltwater lake that runs along the length of La Manga strip. Its waters are also reputed to have healing properties, and staying at a nearby resort is the best option for visitors seeking relaxation and recovery.

Fishing in La Manga

Divers can enjoy spotting tropical fish, and many dive companies also offer snorkeling and wildlife tours. Fishing expeditions can also be chartered through your resort or through operators located on the strip. Murcia beaches are a must-enjoy thing to do. With 300 days of sun a year, Murcia is known for its beautiful beaches, and they make for great day trips out from a resort.

La Manga Festivals

Check the calendar to see if there are any holidays or fiestas scheduled – these processions and parades are not to be missed. Shopping in a local market is a fun way to practice your Spanish, but remember that they are usually only open in the morning.

Be sure to check out the La Manga Spain musical festivals. In addition to music, Spain’s food fight festivals are renowned and throughout the year.

La Manga Dining

There are many excellent options for dining out in La Manga, and the marina area has a high concentration of restaurants – the short walk out to the marina is usually pleasant and balmy.

Be sure to sample tapas in La Manga Spain. Stopping at a cocktail bar before or after dinner and enjoying the fiery sunset over the Mediterranean is highly encouraged. From sports to spas, La Manga is a great place for kicking back.

Continue on with your travels through Spain. There are many reasons you should visit Spain for adventure. Whether you want to experience the running with the bulls, visit historical sites, or eat your way through the country, learn about more things to do and areas to visit.

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