'''Alicante''' [http://www.alicanteturismo.com] is a popular city with tourists in the Alicante Province in the Valencia Region of Spain.

Get in

By plane

Alicante Airport (ALC) is located 11 km (6.8 miles) south of the city.

Alicante is served by a number of airlines including easyJet and Ryanair, Air Berlin, Iberia, Spanair, Monarch, Germanwings, Aerlingus, Finnair, Thomsonfly, Sterlingand, and Transavia.com.

Bus No C-6 takes 30 minutes to the centre for €1.25. 40 minutes '''to''' the airport. [http://www.subus.es/Lineas/Horario.asp?codigo=272] It departs every 45 minutes from Bus stop No 30.

By train

Trains run by RENFE [http://www.renfe.es] from Madrid, Sevilla and Barcelona daily. Go to Alicante Train Station, located in the city centre at ''Avenida de Salamanca 1''.

By tram

Alicante has a modern and still-expanding tram system [http://www.tramalicante.com/]. Along the coast to Benidorm where you can connect to Altea, Calpe and Denia.

By Bus

The bus station is on the western rim of the city centre. ALSA[http://www.alsa.es] has many lines, including to Valencia, Barcelona and Granada.

By boat

Direct ferry links exist between Alicante and Ibiza, and Palma de Mallorca. Book early!

Get around

If you stay in the old town, mosta reas of interest are within walking distance.

See

  • Castle of Santa Barbara
  • On the top of M-ount Benacantil at a height of 166 metres, is one of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain, built in the ninth century by Muslims. An amazing view of town and harbour. If you feel fit, the walk from Plaza de Carmen is a sight in itself, through some very narrow winding streets. April to September: Castle from 10:00 to 22:00. Elevator from 10:00 to 20:00. October to March: Castle from 10:00 to 20:00. Elevator from 10:00 to 19:30

  • Castle of San Fernando, in the north part of Alicante center, built at the beginning of the 19th century on Tossal hill.
  • Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ), founded in 1932, has avant-garde design and uses modern audiovisual techniques, with more than 80,000 pieces found in local archaeological sites. Shows educational movies about the history of Alicante area from the Stone Age, through Iberian and Roman eras, to the medieval times.
  • Plaza del Doctor Gomez Ulla s/n, 03013 Alicante

    Tel: (+34) 965 149 000

    Opening hours:

    Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 ? 19:00

    Sunday and holidays: 10:00 ? 14:00

    Mondays closed.

  • MUBAG. alle Gravera 9, Old Town. ree. Local fine arts museum.

    Do

    The sandy beach is popular during the day and fairly busy during the evening when it's illuminated by sodium street lights. These give the beach and breaking waves a surreal effect.

    Learn

  • Don Quijote [http://www.donquijote.org/english/alicante.asp] Spanish school in Alicante is a great school where you can take 4-6 hours of courses a day. All courses including beginner courses are taught entirely in Spanish.
  • Buy

    You can still buy commemorative plates of General Franco from some souvenir stalls!

    Eat

    As elsewhere in the region, seafood and rice dominates, with ''paella'' in the frontline.
  • Restaurant El Flamenco in c/. San Francisco 12 does a 4 course meal for only 9 euros.
  • Drink

    Alicante has its own regulatory wine council [http://www.crdo-alicante.org].

    Nightlife is concentrated in Old Town, called ''Barrio'', with dozens of bars and clubs along the narrow streets:

  • Desden. arge beer for 1 euro before midnight!.

    Another focal point is the eastern rim of the marina, called ''Puerto'', in an around the casino, where things start and end later.

    Sleep

    Budget

  • La Milagrosa. . Villavieja 8. y Iglesia de la Santa Maria. 34 965 216 918. ension@hostalmilagrosa.com. ttp://www.hostallamilagroa.com. ingle 20 euros, double 40, with bath 30/50.. Thoroughly refurbished. Bright and clean. Big roof terrace. Kitchen. Laundry. Two blocks from the beach. Close to nightlife. Also has apartments that can house up to 6 people.

    The cheapest place to sleep is on the beach! The police don't seem to move people on and in the summer mini hippy colonies spring-up. This seems to typify the easy going attitude in Alicante.

    Mid Range

    Spurge

  • '''NH Alicante''' Mexico, 18 (esquina Rosa Chacel), 03008, Tel: +34 96 5108140 Fax: +34 96 5110655 [http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/spain/alicante/nh-alicante.html] NH Alicante Hotel is situated in the new commercial zone, 5 minutes away from the city centre. There are some superb holiday villas to rent in Alicante [http://www.Directholidaybookings.co.uk/location_Spain]
  • '''NH Cristal''' Tomas Lopez Torregrosa, 11, 03002, Tel.: +34 96 5143659 Fax: +34 96 5206696 [http://www.nh-hotels.com/nh/en/hotels/spain/alicante/nh-cristal.html] Close to the 'Rambla de Mendez Nunez' and 'Esplanada de Espana', In the heart of the city's commercial and service district, it is close to the Historic Centre and Town Hall.
  • Get out