A Short Guide To Alicante
Take a stroll through the steep narrow streets of the beautiful old town, with its whitewashed houses and historic buildings. Or take a walk along the broad, palm-lined Explanada. The lift from El Postiguet beach to Santa Barbara castle has the most amazing views of the coast and city. For all you lover of art why not visit the Museo de la Asegurada modern art museum, with pieces by Spanish artists, Picasso, Miro and Dali. Bars Budget: Desden is a lovable music bar. Head to ‘El Barrio', the old town which has copious bars and clubs around Plaza Carmen and Plaza San Cristobal. Nepal is a bar bursting with atmosphere and one of the city's best loved bars is Sante Fe, with its railway-themed décor. Mid-Range: Behind the Explanada, around Avenida de Ramón and adjoining streets San Fernando, Canalejas and Alemania, is ‘La Zona', a buzzing area with a huge range of bars to suit all tastes.
Luxury: Head to the port and marina and you'll find a range of more up market places to eat and drink to your hearts content. On the Explanada de Espana is the popular meeting place Pacha, overlooking the beautiful harbour. Dining Out
Budget: La Rotonda (Avenida de Alfonsa X El Sabio), popular tapas bar; Restaurante Casa Ibarra (Calle de Rafael Altamira 19), good for tapas and grilled meats. Meson de Labradores (c/Labradores), tapas bar specialising in seafood; Don Claudio (c/San Francisco), taberna in the new town with outside tables and menu del dia for 6 Euros;.
Mid-Range: Boutique del Mar (Calle San Fernando 16), famous for seafood and rice dishes. Restaurante Jumillano (c/Cesar Elguezabal 64), one of Alicante's best restaurants. Try the pickled partridge. Luxury: Deportivo; Restaurante Marrakech (Calle de Gravina 15), atmospheric Moroccan restaurant. Restaurant Darsena (c/Muelle 6), stylish restaurant in the Marina Shopping If you want to hit the smaller shops, head to Calles Mayor, Castanos, Gerona and San Francisco in the new town, or head to Calle Mayor in the old town. Alicante's large new shopping centre is called Panoramis, and is situated east of the port. El Corte Ingles department store can be found on Avenida Maison Nave. For typical crafts from Alicante you can buy botijos, which are earthenware jugs for drinking. Also on offer are ceramics, leather goods and small mosaics. Get Out of Town
Why not visit the subtropical palm forest and World Heritage site of Elche, only a 30-minute train ride from Alicante. Take a jaunt to the attractive old town of Denia, and the bustling seaside resort and port of Javea, both only a short journey north of Alicante. Day trips to the inhabited island of Tabarca, off Alicante, are most enjoyable, a former pirates' haven and fortress. A great place to take the kids is Terra Mitica theme park just outside Benidorm, with recent renovations completed it now includes many more rides and attractions. |
