World City Guide

Mini Guide of Alicante

City Overview

This thoroughly Spanish city has a truly Mediterranean air; its wide esplanades, such as the Rambla de Mendez Nuñez and the Avenida Alfonso el Sabio, and its seafront promenades, full of terrace cafés, are perfect for relaxation.

A city of contrasts, Alicante also has a distinctly African flavour, with women clad in caftans, and hawkers selling African carvings along the waterfront and esplanades. The historical central quarter, though, is filled with Baroque buildings, bearing testimony to the city’s past when it was a major seaport.

Alicante’s past is that of any other corner of the Mediterranean Sea. Founded by the Greeks who named it Akra Leuke (White Peak), it was later captured by the Romans who renamed it Lucentum (City of Light). In the second half of the eighth century it was conquered by the Moors, and the city was finally retaken in 1246 for the Castillian crown. In 1308 it was incorporated in to the Kingdom of Valencia.

Today Alicante is the second largest city in the Valencian Country, and receives millions of visitors through its airport and its harbour each year. With its long sandy beaches, mild and pleasant climate, vibrant festivals, recently renovated old town and lively night life, this is definitely a city to spend some time in.

Getting There By Air

El Altet International Airport (ALC)
Tel: (966) 91 90 00.
Website: www.aena.es

The airport is located 11km (7 miles) south of the city.

Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs and a post office. Car hire services are available from various companies, including Atesa, Avis, Europcar and Hertz. Other facilities include a tourist information desk (tel: (966) 919 367), duty-free shopping, post box, pharmacy, first aid centre, shops, restaurants and bars. There is no business centre at the airport but Ifach VIP Lounge on Departure level 1, offers phone, fax, photocopying and Internet access for business class passengers.

An airport bus service runs to Plaza del Mar via Alicante Central Bus Station every 40 minutes (0630-2310). Other services run to Benidorm and Murcia. Taxis are also available: ranks are located opposite the terminal.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Motorways (autopista) are prefixed with the letter ‘A’, or ‘AP’ if it is a toll road (peaje) i.e. A-4 or AP-4. The speed limit on these roads is 120kph (74mph). Dual carriageways (autovias) and other major roads (carretera nacional) are generally indicated with three digits, i.e. A376. The speed limit on these roads is 100kph (62mph). Within towns, the speed limit is 50kph (31mph).

Assistance in case of breakdowns may be sought from the Spanish Royal Automobile Club (RACE) (tel: (902) 40 45 45; website: www.race.es).

Eurolines international coach services (tel: (965) 12 37 44 or (905) 40 50 40; website: www.eurolines.es) operates from the city Bus Station, C/ Portugal 17 (tel: (965) 13 07 00) linking Alicante to many other parts of Spain and also to destinations in Morocco and Europe. The Alsa coach company (tel: (902) 42 22 42; website: www.alsa.es) also operates out of the same station, with routes throughout the rest of Spain in addition to services to other European cities.

Getting There By Rail

Estación de Tren de Alicante, in Avenida de Salamanca, is the city’s main railway station. The Spanish rail network is operated by RENFE (tel: (902) 24 02 02; website: www.renfe.es).

Alicante has good rail links to Madrid (Altaria Trains) and Barcelona (Euromed Trains). Other trains such as the Talgo, link the city with Asturias, Castilla, the Basque Country, Valencia and Montpellier (France).

Getting Around

Public Transport
Public transport is operated in Alicante by the TAM bus company (tel: (965) 14 09 36; website: www.subus.es) with 12 different lines. Alicante is a relatively compact city and its major attractions are all within walking distance. However, a reliable bus service does operate in and around the city. The bus 9 goes to San Juan Beach every 15 minutes from the train station. Buses run roughly from 0600 until 2300 during the week, and from 0630 until 2230 at the weekend; each line has different timetables that can be found on the TAM bus company website. Single tickets can be purchased from the driver and cost ¬0.90. Passes for discounted travel are available and can be purchased in advance from kiosks, Caja Rural de Alicante offices and TAM ticket offices.

There are several tram lines under construction that will connect all the main places in Alicante and suburbs with Benidorm, Altea and Denia. At present, there’s already one line in service, connecting Alicante with Campello.

Taxis
Reliable companies include Tele Taxi (tel: (965) 10 16 11), Radio Taxi (tel: (965) 91 01 23) and Area Taxi (tel: (965) 91 05 91).

Car Hire
Supplements are often charged for drivers under the age of 25 wishing to rent a car in Spain. A valid passport is required as proof of identity. Along with several smaller rental agencies, the following major companies provide car hire in Alicante: Atesa (tel: (965) 12 33 96; website: www.atesa.es), Avis (tel: (965) 14 44 66; website: www.avis.es), Europcar (tel: (965) 21 02 27; website: www.europcar.es) and Hertz (tel: (965) 13 11 23; website: www.hertz.es).

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
Bicycles and scooters can be hired from Rent and Go!, Avenida de Costa Blanca 95, San Juan beach (tel: (965) 26 06 20; web site: www.rentandgo.es). They also rent skateboards, roller blades and quad bikes.

Business

Sightseeing

With its compact city centre, Alicante is an easy city to get around on foot. Most of the main attractions are located within the historical quarter. From the Cathedral, the labyrinth of narrow walkways in the Old Quarter are just a few steps away, where the Church of Santa María, the MUBAG and the Town Hall are side by side with the liveliest bars and terraces of el Barrio.

The most prominent symbol of Alicante is the Castle of Santa Barbara, which looks out over the city and the sea, from the summit of Mount Benacantil.

The Explanada de España is one of the most appealing promenades of the city. With palm trees and flower beds, the romantic setting is disturbed only by the occasional café.

There is a beach for everyone in Alicante, and any one of them would be the perfect setting for an afternoon’s sunbathing. The first, running north to south, is San Juan, long, broad and busy. It is a resort in itself, with hotels, restaurants, ice-cream bars, even a golf course. It really comes into its own as a top summer clubbing destination. The scene changes completely with a series of small coves to the south, Palmeral, Cantalares and Judíos. Next, you come to small, sandy Almadraba, and watersports-friendly Albufereta. This is linked by tram to the city beach Playa del Postiguet. After crossing the city and port, the last beach is the wide, sandy Saladar or Urbanova beach, with panoramic views across the bay.

Tourist Information
Tourist Info RENFE
Avenida de Salamanca
Tel: (609) 36 40 99.
Website: www.alicanteturismo.com

Tourist Info La Rambla
Rambla de Méndez Núñez 23
Tel: (965) 20 00 00.

Tourist Info Playa de San Juan
Avenida de Niza s/n, Playa de San Juan
Tel: (965) 20 00 00.

Passes
There are currently no tourist passes in Alicante.

Key Attractions

Castillo de Santa Bárbara (Castle of St Barbara)
Dating from the 9th century and Moorish in origin, the Castillo de Santa Bárbara is the most emblematic construction in the city. Located on the summit of Mount Benacantil at 166m (544ft) above sea level, the castle is built in several fortified levels.

Monte Benacantil
Tel: (965) 26 31 31.

Iglesia de Santa María (Church of Santa María)
This is the oldest church in the city and was built in the gothic style between the 14th and 16th centuries over the ruins of what was once the main mosque during the Moorish occupation.

Plaza de Santa María
Tel: (965) 21 60 26.

MARQ (Archaelogical Museum of Alicante)
Situated in the former Hospital de San Juan de Dios, this museum contains an important collection comprising pieces from Palaeolithic times to the Middle Ages, offering an educational experience. Voted Best European Museum in 2004.

Plaza del Doctor Gomez Ulla
Tel: (965) 14 90 06.
Website: www.marqalicante.com

Concatedral de San Nicolás de Bari (Cathedral of St Nicholas of Bari)
Built in the renaissance style of the Spanish architect Juan de Herrera, this is one of the most important buildings in the old town. Of special interest are the cloister, adorned with grilles and Baroque doors, the altar, the Communion Chapel and the 45m (147ft) high dome.

Plaza Abad Penalva
Tel: (965) 21 26 62.

Ayuntamiento (Town Hall)
A fine example of baroque civil architecture finished in 1760, it is flanked by twin towers. Of interest inside are the Blue Room, the Plenary Room and the Chapel. On the first step of the stairway on the first floor is a small metal disc indicating sea level, which is used as a reference point for measuring the height above sea level in all other parts of Spain.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento 1
Tel: (965) 14 92 92.
Website: www.alicante-ayto.es

Further Distractions

MUBAG (Fine Arts)
An 18th-century building located in the Calle Gravina houses the main art forms from the Alicante area, from the Middle Ages up to 1920. The collection is put into context using period furniture and textiles.

Calle Gravina 13-14
Tel: (965) 14 67 80.
Website: www.mubag.com

San Juan Beach
The most beautiful beach in the province, only 20 minutes drive from the city centre, San Juan beach boasts over 7km (4.5 miles) of spacious, wide beach with fine sand. Facilities include water sports areas, leisure areas and a tourist information point.

Tours of the City

Aguitur, the Tourist Guide Association (tel: (607) 95 62 19) employs official guides offering a wide variety of tours in more than five languages, including walking tours around the main city attractions, galleries and museums; panoramic bus tours; boat tours and customised tours.

Alternatively, Magic Alicante (tel: (965) 14 61 42; website: www.magicalicante.com) operates catamaran sailing excursions to Tabarca Island and the bays of Alicante and Benidorm.

Excursions

Excursions
Isla de Tabarca (Island of Tabarca)
This island is in fact a natural monument, and is the only inhabited island in the Valencian Country. It is 11 nautical miles from Alicante. The waters around the island are now listed as a Marine Reserve. The island has an important set of fortifications, an 18th-century church and the Castle of San José. Tabarca was declared a Historical-Artistic Monument in 1964. Kon Tiki (tel: (965) 21 63 96) have boats departing several times a day from Muelle de Costa 2. The journey to the island takes about 30 minutes.

Altea
Located less than an hour’s drive north in the direction of Valencia, Altea is set on a small hill overlooking a stretch of coastline. The restricted tourist development is centred on the sea front, and the town has retained its character and charm. The old village on the hill is a picturesque one, with its blue-domed church and white houses, all decorated with beautiful flower displays. Contact Tourist Info Altea, Carrer Sant Pere 9 (tel: (965) 84 41 14) for more information.

Sport

Shopping

The heart of the shopping district is in and around Avenida de Maisonnave. Here you will find a vast array of shoe shops, boutiques, specialist shops and department stores such as El Corte Inglés. Other more classical centres are the Avenida Alfonso el Sabio, as well as La Rambla, Calle del Teatro and Calle Gerona. You can find a good selection of turrón (nut nougat), the local delicacy, at Teclo, Calle Mayor 23. The Esplanade is the ideal place to purchase arts and crafts, leatherwork and costume jewellery from the street stalls.

The Central Market on Avenida Alfonso el Sabio is not to be missed. It is open from Monday to Friday, 0700 to 1430, and Saturday 0730 to 1500. Go as early as you can to get the best fish! The biggest street markets are Campoamor, Carolinas, Benalúa y Babel (Thursdays and Saturdays). On Sunday mornings, stamp collectors and antique collectors congregate in the flea market held in the Town Hall square.

Most shops open at 0930/1000, closing between 1330/1400 for lunch and reopening from 1700 to 2000 on weekdays. On Saturdays they generally only open for half a day and on Sundays remain closed. However several larger stores stay open all day, including Saturdays.

Culture

Alicante is host to a year-round range of cultural activities. Teatro Principal de Alicante, Plaza Ruperto Chapí (tel: (965) 20 31 00; website: www.teatroprincipalicante.com) is the main venue in town for concerts, theatre, dance, opera and other cultural festivals. Another venue for more modern concerts is the Plaza de Toros (the bull ring), Plaza de España 7 and 8 (tel: (965) 21 68 88; website: www.alicante-ayto.es/plazadetoros/) but events here are less regular.

There are several cinemas, from the modern multi-screen complexes such as Cines Warner Lusomundo Panoramis, Zona Muelle Poniente (tel: (965) 98 86 00) to the ‘old-style’ of the Minicines Astoria, in the old district, Plaza del Carmen (tel: (965) 21 56 66).

For more information on cultural events visit www.alicante.es or pick up a copy of Guía del Ocio, a ‘what’s on’ and leisure guide available from kiosks and bookshops.

Nightlife

There are a large number of night-spots in Alicante catering for all sorts of entertainment. El Barrio Antiguo (the Old District) is undoubtedly one of the liveliest places, with a multitude of bars and clubs where you can drink and listen to live music. Also in the area are restaurants, taverns and two cinemas. In the surrounding streets there are trendy cafes, luxury restaurants, pubs and clubs. An area that has recently been attracting tourists and locals alike is the port of Alicante, which provides a unique backdrop for pubs, open-air bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants. In summer, night life shifts to the chiringuitos (kiosks) on the San Juan and Postiguet beaches.

Bars and clubs line the narrow streets of El Barrio Antiguo. La Misión, Virgen de Belén 9, is a popular bar/club with several floors. The cosy bar Coscorrón, Calle Tarifa 3, serves the best mint-infused mojitos in town, while La Havana, in Rambla de Méndez Núñez 26, is one of the most popular bars. The Little Duke, Calle Doctor Gadea 9, is a typical Irish pub.

Down in the port area, relaxing cafés double up as crowded clubs every night: Ay Carmela, Muelle de Levante, 6 bloque 1 local 3, plays popular Spanish music, while a few doors down, el Puerto di Roma is the biggest bar in this area. All the clubs in the port are open until the sun comes up.

The trendy Art Gallery Café Loft, Calle Barcelona 15, in Muchavista beach, hosts live music every night in its lounge bar. Jamboree, Calle San José 10, an established live music venue, with an eclectic bill of performances, has one of the best terraces of the historic centre.

City Statistics

Location: Costa Blanca, South-East Spain.
Country dialling code: 34.
Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the last Sunday in March to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 11°C (53°F).
Average July temp: 25°C (77°F).
Annual rainfall: 300mm (11 inches).

Special Events

Carnival, Feb, held on the weekend and days leading up to Ash Wednesday
Semana Santa, Mar/Apr, eight days of religious processions, from Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, all around the city
The Pilgrimage of the Holy Visage (Santa Faz), Mar/Apr, pilgrimage to the monastery of the Santa Faz
Moors and Christians, Mar/Apr/Jun/Aug/Sep, ancients festivities commemorating former Christian battles for the reconquest of this land from the Moors; held in various quarters of Alicante and in the surrounding towns. All include magnificent processions and mock battles
Hogueras de San Juan, 20-29 Jun, this is the most outstanding festivity held in the city, declared to be of International Tourist Interest. At midnight, on St John’s night (24/25 June) there is a huge fire work display from the Castle, and all the bonfires and allegorical floats are burnt to ashes (website: www.hoguerassanjuan.com)

Cost of Living

1 Euro (¬1) = £0.68; US$1.19; C$1.39; A$1.56
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005