Alicante Travel Guide: Things to Do, Itinerary, Hotels and Day Trips

Alicante is one of the best destinations in Spain for a sunny city break. Located on the Costa Blanca, this vibrant coastal city offers the perfect mix of beaches, historic sights, great food and easy day trips.

Whether you are looking for the best things to do in Alicante, planning a weekend itinerary or searching for local tips on where to eat and stay, this Alicante travel guide has you covered.

I have visited Alicante multiple times over the years and keep coming back for its relaxed vibe, beautiful old town and the incredible places to explore nearby.

In this guide I will show you the best things to do in Alicante, must-see places, hidden gems, the best coffee spots and practical travel tips to help you make the most of your trip.

If it is your first time visiting Alicante, this guide will help you plan your trip step by step.

Why you should visit Alicante

Alicante is incredibly easy to reach, with plenty of direct flights to Alicante Airport from the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. That is one reason why Alicante is such a popular holiday destination, but it is definitely not the only one.

When I explored Alicante city center, wandered through the old town and spent time along the marina and beaches, I quickly realized there is far more to this place than just a quick weekend getaway. Alicante has the perfect balance between laid-back Mediterranean vibes and enough sights, food and atmosphere to keep you busy for days.

And then there is the location. Alicante is a perfect base for exploring the Costa Blanca, with white villages, coastal towns and mountain views all within a short drive. I keep coming back to Alicante, and every time I discover something new.

Make sure to explore the city first, but don’t miss out on the best day trips from Alicante to experience the real beauty of the Costa Blanca.

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History and interesting facts about Alicante

Alicante has a long and turbulent history. Due to its strategic location on the Costa Blanca, the city has been fought over, destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries.

Originally a walled medieval city, Alicante played an important role throughout Spanish history. Here are a few interesting facts that highlight its significance:

• The first long-distance train in Spain connected Madrid with Alicante.
• Alicante was one of the last remaining republican strongholds during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939).
• During the Napoleonic wars, Alicante was one of the few cities in Spain that was not occupied.

Because of this turbulent past, not many ancient buildings remain in Alicante Old Town today. Still, it is a beautiful place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere.

Things to know when you travel to Alicante

1. Best time to travel to Alicante

Any time of the year is a good time to visit Alicante. Of course if you want to avoid the crowds you don't travel to Alicante in the summer months June, July and August. But even winter is a great time to visit Alicante. All the photos taken in this Alicante travel blog are from mid December.

To me it was the perfect time for my holidays in Alicante, because of the mild temperatures and the deserted streets. As I found Alicante almost deserted at the end of autumn I listed it in a list of off the beaten track destinations in Europe.

2. From Alicante Airport to Alicante city center

May you decide to spend your Alicante weekend break just in the city then you can either take a taxi from the airport to your hotel or the Alicante airport bus. The bus is only around $5 EUR per person, taxi's easily ask €30 EUR. The bus from Alicante Airport to Alicante city center leaves just outside the arrivals hall and is called C6. It has several stops along the Explanada de Espana, the main boulevard in the city.

3. How to get around in Alicante

Rent a car

You can either rent a car at the airport and pick it up on arrival or rent a car at the Alicante city center. At the airport you can't miss the rental car companies in the arrivals hall. It is very simple and straight forward. I recommend you to book a car to see the best places to visit around Alicante.

You can also rent a car in Alicante city center. Almost all the car rental companies have offices next to the train station. I rented my car in the city center at the train station and dropped it off at the airport with no extra fee.

I ended up renting a car from Enterprise, it was less than €30 EUR per day including insurance.

From Alicante to Benidorm

There are busses and trains from Alicante to Benidorm that run every hour and take 1,5 hours only. One of the best places to visit in Alicante is Altea and but public transport will take pretty long.

4. Museums are free

A great thing about a trip to Alicante is that all the museums are free. You can just walk in. More about the best museums to visit in Alicante later. Churches are also admission free.

Alicante itinerary for 3 days

For those people that are only able to enjoy a weekend or 3 days in Alicante I think it is best to rent a car for one day and visit some places near Alicante. I would suggest the following itinerary for Alicante:

Day1: relaxing at the beach and hiking up to the majestic Santa Barbara Castle.

Day 2: Explore the old town by an early morning walking tour then enjoying the marina and one of the many lovely coffee shops or sea food restaurants.

Day 3: Rent a car for a day and see some of the amazing places to visit around Alicante, like the Canelobre Caves, Altea, Villajoyosa.

Then if you leave the next day you can drop the rental car off in the airport before your flight. Doesn't this 3 day itinerary sound like an amazing relaxing city trip or Alicante holiday?

Best things to do in Alicante

1. Hike up to Santa Barbara Castle

If you are reasonably fit or have the time anyway, please walk up to the top of the Santa Barbara Castle. To me it is one of the best things to do in Alicante. There are many path to lead to the castle on top of the hill. It is 166 meters above sea level but the views from up there are obviously impressive. During the hike up you will constantly be spoiled with fabulous views in all directions over Alicante city center.

The walk up is pretty steep, but once you reach the top you will appreciate it even more. You can also drive up to the entrance of the Santa Barbara Castle.

There are some places to have a drink along the way with good views over the city center and the ocean.

There are some expositions halls, but I was just mostly interested in the view. There is no Santa Barbara Castle entrance fee. When you visit Alicante make sure to put this on your things to do list!

Watching the sunrise is not possible as there are opening hours. From April till September the castle is open from 10am to 10pm, in the winter months the castle is only open till 8pm.

Watching the sunset from Santa Barbara Castle, a romantic thing to do in Alicante.

2. Stroll through Old Town Alicante

One of my favorite things to do on a city break is to get lost. This time I ended up somewhere in Alicante Old Town and I was blown away by its beauty. Perched in the slopes of the Santa Barbara Castle there are these cute little streets and stairs.

Houses are painted in different colors and all have flowers in front. If you are looking for romantic things to do in Alicante then stroll through Old Town.

3. Sunbath on El Postiguet Beach

This is El Postiguet on a Wednesday in December just before sunset.

There are several amazing beaches around Alicante. I cant tell you which one is the best as I did not try them all. The beach in the city center is called El Postiguet. A little North you can find a huge beach called San Juan Playa. For people staying in Alicante City Center I would recommend going to El Postiguet.

4. Visit the fish market

The local food in Alicante mostly always contains fish. Because of its dry climate there never really were opportunities to grow something so historically dried food and fish has always been part of their menu. In Alicante city center there is Mercado Central, this bustling place is cool to walk around. You will be amazed what they all sell here.

5. Bring your own fish restaurants

Fresher than this it can hardly get. Around the markets there are some restaurants where you can bring your own fish and they cook it for you. Buy it at the market, present it to the restaurant and let them prepare a meal for you with your own fish. Just outside the market there is a restaurant called La Rotonda who also does this. If I were you I would ask in advance before you get there and say: but Traveltomtom told me it was possible… ;)

6. Try Turron

When on an Alicante city break you surely have to try Turron. Originally from the Alicante region it is a kind of nougat sweet made from egg white, honey, sugar and toasted almonds. It comes in many different variations. There are shops dedicated to Turron.

I walked into Turrones ESPI at Calle Tomas Lopez Torregrosa and they let me try different kind of Turrones. Definitely something you have to try when you visit Alicante. They claim to be making Turron since 1820, so I assume they know what they are doing. The liquor of Turron taste a bit like Baileys.

7. Free walking tour Alicante

Did you know that every city you visit has free walking tours? In Alicante you can also find one and I honestly think it is one of the best things to do in the city. Not only do you get to see all the best places to visit, you also get a little slice of history and some cool anecdotes about the city by a local tourguide. The Alicante free walking tour takes about 2 hours and is tip based. They meet every day at 11am at the beginning of Explanada de Espana and you recognize them from of the purple umbrella.

During the free walking tour in Alicante we learned that the rock above Alicante has a face, the one who protects Alicante from Evil. Do you see it?

8. Segway tour

Have you ever tried riding a segway? It is just as easy as walking trust me. An hour city tour cost about €50 EUR. You get a little Segway lesson and once you are comfortable you are ready to explore the city on a segway.

9. Snorkel at Tabarca Island

From the beach in Alicante you can see a little rocky island in the ocean. During summer there are many boats going to Tabarca. This inhabited island is a protected marine reserve since 1986. It is a great place for snorkeling

10. Stroll up and down La Rambla

Just like in Barcelona the main street in Alicante is called La Rambla. Stroll up and down and sample food and look for souvenirs in typical stalls from street vendors.

11.  Explore the Alicante marina

Marinas are always great to walk around, especially around sunset. It always gives me such a calming feeling to see all these boats perfectly lined up. There is a nice terrace at SOHO Mar to have a drink with views over the marina. You can also find a Volvo Ocean Race Museum, but I did not go inside as well as a casino.

If you fancy a typical Alicante coffee ask for a Bombon Coffee, its a layered coffee with condensed milk. Not my taste, but worth a try.

12. Shopping

If you want a moment for yourself tell your wife to go to the area around Avenida Maisonnave. It is right in the Alicante city center and there are endless shopping opportunities. Make sure she brings her own credit card!

Check out a leather bag store called Cala. It's really cool if you need some gifts from Alicante, it is worth going. The leather shoes in Spain are cheap and amazing quality compared to most of the world!

Best places to see in Alicante

Explanda de Espana

The main tourist spot in Alicante is its Explanda de Espana. The main boulevard made out of more than 6.5 million marble tiles is something the people from Alicante are really proud of. It has a long history but nowadays tourists on their Alicante weekend break stroll up and down through the massive palm trees before they sit back and relax. There are many terraces and people watching is a popular thing to do in Alicante. The marble tiles of the Explanada have three colors: white and blue are the city colors of Alicante and red. Alicante Red is an official color marble and expensive all over the world, it is marble that comes from this region.

Basilica Santa Maria

Nestled in Alicante Old Town next to the Museum of Contemporary Arts you can find the Santa Maria church. The Baroque entry is pretty impressive and still in tact. They renovated the square and the church about 10 years ago and it looks beautiful from the outside. To peak inside you gotta come at the right time.

The basilica is only open from 11.00-12.00 and from 19.00-20.00. During this time there are also church services, but taking photos is allowed. Therefore plan a visit to the Santa Maria Basilica carefully as it is one of the best places to visit in Alicante.

Alicante Cathedral

The San Nicolas de Bari Cathedral is located in Alicante city center in front of Plaza del Abad Penalva. The cathedral has a 45 meter high blue cupola that towers out above the city skyline. The interior is pretty impressive too. Inside there is a second floor to get to by a staircase for a different perspective of this amazing cathedral. Definitely among the best places to visit in Alicante.

On the right side of the picture you can see the cathedral. Sad that they allowed one skyscraper to be build in Alicante city center. After this construction they realized it was not a good idea and they did not permit any more of these high rise buildings to be build.

Contemporary Art Museum

Located next to the Santa Maria Basilica is the Museum of Contemporary Art. It is free to enter and it was one of the first times I walked into a museum like this. I like the free museums concept!

Water Museum

At the bottom of the Santa Barbara Castle you will find the water museum. It basically is a cave in where there is al little exposition about how people back in the days used techniques to save rain water. The entrance is free, it is a 5 minute visit. Not the most exhilarating place to see in Alicante, but nice to peak inside when you pass by.

Alicante Marina

The Alicante marina is one of the most relaxing places to visit in the city, especially towards the end of the day. Walking along the harbor with views of the yachts, palm trees and the Mediterranean Sea gives you that perfect laid-back Costa Blanca vibe.

I especially liked coming here around sunset when the light gets softer and the whole area feels calm and atmospheric. There are plenty of terraces and bars where you can sit down for a drink with a view over the water.

The marina is also a great place to combine with a stroll along the Explanada de España or after visiting the old town. Whether you come here for a quick walk or to enjoy a drink, it is definitely one of the nicest spots in Alicante to unwind.

If you are looking for a calm and scenic place in Alicante, this is it.

MARQ Archaeological Museum Alicante

MARQ is the only museum in Alicante where you have to pay an entrance fee. It is only €4 EUR and it is used for preservation and research. It won the European Museum of the year award in 2004, so obviously listed as one of the best things to do in Alicante. It was nice to walk around, surely worth the couple Euro. Taking photos with flash is allowed. I loved that the MARQ Archaeological Museum is an interactive museum.

Where to eat in Alicante

When you walk out of the Alicante Cathedral and turn left there is the Calle de Munoz, a lovely little passageway with some of the best restaurants in Alicante. If you are looking where to eat in Alicante I could recommend you one of the restaurants in this little alley.

Anywhere along Explanada is good to eat outside on one of the many terraces. For evenings I liked the Plaza Santa Faz where you find many terraces under big palm trees.

Best nightlife in Alicante

From what I found was El Barrio the best place to go out in Alicante. There are a dozen restaurants and bars located in the narrow streets. Havana is a lively place where tourists and locals mingle. Royal Night Club is a popular place to go out late night.

Best coffee places in Alicante

As part of my working holiday visa in Australia I did a barista course and since then a standard coffee is not good enough anymore. Therefore I always roam around to find the best coffee places anywhere I go. In Alicante Old Town I found three amazing places.

1. Madness Coffee Specialty Coffee

Choose your favorite coffee roast from Costa Rica, Rwanda or Colombia. This place knows how to make excellent coffee, thumbs up! A very inviting interior as well, a place where you just want to hang out.

2. Bunatic Slow Coffee

Another little coffee gem in Alicante Old Town. Great coffee and although the interior is a bit minimalistic, this is where you want to come for breakfast. Start your Alicante city break at Bunatic Slow Coffee as their breakfast deals are delicious. You should definitely try the homemade granola with fresh fruits. The toasts are also yummy. Coffees €3 EUR, breakfast deals €7 EUR.

3. Sip & Wonder Coffee House

If you are looking for things to do in Alicante when it rains this is a good place to go. Coffee is world class and the homey atmosphere will make you smile. There are sofas, lounge chairs and it is filled with foreign students studying.

Dogs are allowed inside and every time I hang out there I saw a bunch of dogs. The avocado sandwich is delicious. Coffees €3 EUR, avocado on toast €8 EUR.

Festivals in Alicante

1. Carnival

The number one festival that I would love to go to myself is the Carnival. Im from Southern Holland where we celebrate Carnival big time as well and I have also celebrated Carnival in the Caribean and South America. Street parades, happy people, costumes, smiles, drinks and warm weather and I am 100% sure this is a good festival to attend. Carnival is held mostly around mid February or beginning of March.

2. Running with the bulls

This is exactly what it implies. The brave are able to run with the bulls through the main street. Spectators are behind wooden fences as bulls run through the streets ending up in a temporary bullring at the fishing port. The Running with the Bulls festival is yearly held in July. In 2016 two people died.

3. Start of Volvo Ocean Race

There is a reason why there is a Volvo Ocean Race Museum in the port of Alicante as since 2008 the start of the Volvo Ocean Race is in the Alicante port. It is a big happening every time. The Volvo Ocean Race 2022 - 2023 started again in January 2023 in Alicante.

Day trips from Alicante

As you can see there are many things to do and places to see on your Alicante holidays, so no need to even leave the city. But there are some amazing places around Alicante that are definitely worth a visit.

• Canelobre Caves - a big cave inside a mountain, with guided tours.
• Busot - a charming village on top of a hill.
• Benidorm - a popular beach town.
• Altea - one of the best places to see in Alicante Province.
• Guadalest - a lovely village with a castle on top of a hill.
• Villajoyosa - colorful coastal town.

For the full list check my list of the best day trips from Alicante.

My trip to Alicante

As you have been able to read I have explored the city quite extensively. This lead to the above information about holidays to Alicante. The vibe in the city is super chilled especially in the winter season. People are more relaxed and it is not at all crowded. Flights to Alicante are cheaper and hotels too.

You can already find Alicante hotels for as less as €50 EUR per night. Every morning I made my way to one of the coffee shops mentioned to get a good cup of coffee and a healthy breakfast.

Then walked around the city taking photos and sampling some Jamon Iberico and of course some ice cream. Life in Alicante was good… I will definitely be back!

Where to stay in Alicante

5 star hotel in Alicante

Hospes Amerigo - 5 star hotel in Alicante city center with a score of 9+

4 star hotel in Alicante

Sercotel Suites Del Mar - amazing location in the Marina with ocean views, close to the beach with a score of almost 9

Boutique hotel in Alicante

Hotel Boutique Alicante Palacete - charming boutique hotel in the city center and it scores a 9+

Apartment in Alicante

Wellrenting Alicante CS - close to the train station, spacious 1 bedroom apartment for around €50 EUR per night

Budget hotel in Alicante

Habitaciones Engel - Super central, shared bathroom but only €50 EUR and a 9+ score

Hostel in Alicante

Smile & Co Hostal Boutique - On the west side of Alicante city center clearly a favorite with almost 1,000 reviews and a 9.6 review score.

FAQ about visiting Alicante

How many days do you need in Alicante?

For the city itself, 2 to 3 days is enough to see the main highlights like the old town, Santa Bárbara Castle and the beaches. If you want to explore the Costa Blanca and do day trips, consider staying at least 4 to 5 days.

Is Alicante worth visiting?

Yes, Alicante is one of the best destinations in Spain for a city break. It offers a great mix of beaches, historic sights, good food and easy access to beautiful places nearby.

Do you need a car in Alicante?

You don’t need a car to explore Alicante city itself, as everything is walkable. However, if you want to visit places like Guadalest, Altea or the Canelobre Caves, renting a car is highly recommended.

What is the best time to visit Alicante?

Alicante is a year-round destination. Spring and autumn are ideal for fewer crowds and pleasant temperatures, while summer is perfect for beach lovers and boat trips.

How do you get from Alicante Airport to the city center?

The easiest and cheapest option is the C6 airport bus, which runs frequently and costs around €5. Taxis are also available and take about 20 minutes, costing around €30.

What are the best day trips from Alicante?

Some of the best day trips from Alicante include Altea, Guadalest, Villajoyosa, Cartagena and the Canelobre Caves. You can find a full overview in my guide about day trips from Alicante.

Thank you for reading my Alicante travel blog. I hope all the information I provided was helpful for your holidays in Alicante.

Would you please help me a little in return? Would you mind posting the link on Facebook or in a Facebook Group? Or tweet it on Twitter? It would mean a lot to me! Massive thanks in advance.

If you are interested what it looks like traveling to every country in the world then check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom for some serious wanderlust.

Enjoy your trip to Alicante!

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