We visited Alicante for two days in mid-December. After visiting the giant nativity scene, and getting all the Christmas-related stuff out of the way on day one, we were free to concentrate on the city itself for our second full day. And we loved it. Alicante is most famed as a summer destination, but we can fully recommend a winter visit to this beautiful Mediterranean city.
Like many other hot spots along Spain’s Costa Blanca, Alicante has bent over backwards to court tourists. But despite some questionable city planning, and odd architectural choices, we’re happy to report that it still won us over. If you can look past the ugly aspects of the city’s tourist-thirsty orientation, there’s plenty to love. We had a wonderful time exploring the castle, the old town, the beautiful city beach and the older neighborhoods.
On our second day, we got up early, found a traditional bakery, and sat down in a quiet plaza for breakfast, before heading out to explore more of Alicante. We popped our heads into a couple of churches, and then visited the fantastic MACA Contemporary Art Museum, found in the heart of the city near the church of Santa Maria. Afterwards, we spent the morning walking through the narrow streets, enjoying Alicante’s peaceful winter vibe.
Around noon we walked down the palm-lined harbor promenade, stunning with its wavy mosaic designs, and allowed our bodies to be warmed by the sun shining brightly overhead in a cloudless sky. But we couldn’t lounge forever; we had to be on time for our harbor tour, on a boat, which provided different views of Alicante and castle hovering over it.
Once the tour was complete, it was time for a big lunch and, naturally, a siesta on the beach. We didn’t have any specific plans for the afternoon, and decided to head back to the Barrio Santa Cruz, which had so far been our favorite spot in the city. Such a charming little neighborhood, which just screams “Spain!” with its tiny houses, winding alleys, and colorful flowerpots hanging off the walls.
We really enjoyed this short trip to Alicante, and vowed that we would return again soon. This city has a lot to offer, and two days wasn’t nearly enough time to see it all.
From our Alicante Travel Blog.
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