Things to do in  Alicante

Precisely every 15 minutes, the sound of chiming bells emanate from the twin towers of the Alicante Town Hall, casting a romantic soundscape on the oceanside town. Holding court at the center of Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the stately Baroque building has a meticulously ornate interior, filled with art works highlighting the history and culture of Alicante.

Sitting atop Mxadount Benacantil, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Alicante plain, the 9th-century Castle of Santa Barbara is as one of Europe’s largest medieval fortresses, with three different enclosures from three distinct periods of time and artifacts dating back to the Bronze Age, and the Iberian and Roman empires.

Like neighboring Basilica of Saint Mary, the 17th-century San Nicolás Cathedral in the heart of Alicante was erected atop a historic mosque. Designed by Agustin Bernardino, a student of celebratedxa0 Spanish architect and mathematician Juan de Herrera, the cathedral’s interior is marked by a soaring dome, a raised pipe organ, with intact Valencian Gothic cloisters from the 15th century.

Running parallel to the seaside, from Alicante Port in the east to Canalejas Park in the west, the magnificent Explanada de España looks out over the marina’s yachts and fishing boats, offering a scenic introduction to Alicante. Landmarks like Casa Carbonell, the Royal Casino de Alicante, and Hotel Gran Sol line the promenade alongside cafés, bars, and restaurants.

Located in the heart of Seville, this former Jewish quarter is a labyrinth of narrow alleys, winding roads, picturesque landscapes and some of the region’s most iconic churches. Travelers flock to Barrio de la Santa Cruz’s maze of tiny atmospheric streets, an atmospheric respite from thexa0 Sevillian sunshine, and its lively town squares for community and culture.

Elche (or Elx in the Valencian dialect) is a small city on the edge of Alicante. Established over 2,000 years ago, it was inhabited by the Greeks and the Moors at different points in its history. Today, Elche is celebrated for its Palmeral—the distinctive, extensive groves of palm trees that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and other centuries-old landmarks.

As one of Spain’s most popular Mediterranean resorts and the gateway to the famous Costa Blanca, Alicante has long been an important cruise destination. Built around a natural harbor, the Port of Alicante is linked to the city by the scenic Esplanada de España pedestrian promenade, with top local attractions just a short walk away.

Built in the 1920s under the orders of a wealthy textile manufacturer, Enrique Carbonell, Casa Carbonell, with its striking white facade and towering blue domes, has become the most emblematic landmark in Alicante. Located along the maritime promenade, its old-fashioned iron, sandstone, glass and marble work is an elegant contrast to the more modern buildings in the city center.

The historical highlight of the palm-fringed city of Elche, just a short hop from Alicante, the Basilica of Saint Mary is best known for hosting the annual Mystery of Elche play, a theatrical interpretation of the death of the Virgin Mary and her assumption to heaven. Climb the bell tower for panoramic views of the city and the coastline.

Hidden between mountain ranges away from the beaches and nightlife of Alicante’s coast lies the small but popular town of Guadalest. Also known as El Castell de Guadalest, the town of Guadalest looks down to a reservoir and valley that share its name and looks up to a Moorish fortress perched upon rocky peaks that is only accessible by tunnel.

What would seem like a completely ordinary street in the center of Alicante has been transformed into something straight from a children’s book: Tall mushroom statues spring from Calle de Las Setas, while the ground is painted in an equally whimsical colorful pattern. A street that’s likely to delight families with young children, it’s dotted with slides and playhouses.

Atop a hill in Villena, dominating the Alicante horizon, the massive Atalaya Castle possesses a long history of resistance before becoming a royal possession. Built in the early 12th century during Spain’s Islamic period, the fortress commandeers the former frontier between Castile and Kingdom of Aragon, and is widely considered to be one of the region’s most important attractions.

Look in almost any direction from Alcoy, a small city north of Alicante, and you’ll see the rugged hills of one of the region’s many surrounding nature parks. Landscape views aren’t the only things on offer in Alcoy, as the city has a fondness for grand bridges and modernist architecture, even within its 19th-century Old Quarter.

Set inside a baroque warehouse—the city’s oldest civil building—Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA) features an impressive collection of 20th-century artwork from the likes of Picasso, Dalí, and Miró. The museum also showcases works by Eusebio Sempere, who donated his collection of art to the city; his generosity allowed for the creation of the museum, which was converted in 1977.

Beautiful paper mache effigies, known as ninots indultados, fill the rooms inside the Bonfire Museum (Museo de Fogueres), alongside photographs, documents, and costumes from the long-standing Hogueras de Alicante festival. Only a few effigies are spared from the bonfire each year, preserving the most delicately artistic or entertainingly cartoonish, so that museum visitors can admire their designs and learn about the traditions.