Alicante is one of the lesser known towns of the Costa Blanca. Tourists often skip Alicante for the more popular Valencia, but I recently discovered that Alicante is definitely worth a visit. From Alicante you can do many good daytrips, with Villajoyosa being one of them.
Where to stay
I stayed in the Eurostars Centrum Alicante, this hotel had a parking garage and I needed a parking spot. I visited Alicante in November in a weekend and a room cost about € 90, prices do differ based on season and dates. The hotel is a large business hotel, it did not have any personal touches, but it was a good base to explore Alicante. As the name of the hotel explains, the hotel is situated in the center of Alicante and was only a few minutes walking distance from the boulevard. I loved the sauna which was located on the rooftop and enjoyed the breakfast which even had lactose free ingredients.
Things to do
Santa Cruz: My favorite activity in Alicante was visiting the neighborhood Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is located right next to Monte Benacantil, this is the mountain where the Castle of Santa Barbara is located. Santa Cruz contains whitewashed houses, small alleyways, picturesque doors and colorful potted plants. As Alicante is a more modern city, Santa Cruz is an area where there are hardly any tourists or traffic. This is the closest you are going to get to Andalucía in Alicante.
Mercado Central: This is the market of Alicante, it is in the style of the famous Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona. In the center the groceries are located, while at the side some small bars/restaurants are located. The Mercado is located in a popular area of Alicante and there were waiting lines at the popular restaurants (such as the sushi place). The market is an import part of the regular lives of the inhabitants of Alicante and it is a cool spot for a drink. Opposite the Mercado some touristy shops are located, one has a lot of affordable painted crockery, if you are into that.
Beach: I visited Alicante in November, so I did not visit the beach. However, there is a city beach “El Postiguet”. I would recommend to visit the beach at the close by located town of Villajoyosa (read more about it further down).
Boulevard: Alicante has a lovely boulevard with an interesting tiling pattern and palm trees. In the afternoon/at night this boulevard comes to life, as there are many stalls that sell nice souvenirs and accessories such as bags. Because Alicante is not super busy, you do not get hassled a lot, so you can just take your time and take a look at all the stalls.
Harbor: Alicante also has a harbor, in some years the sailing Ocean Race is held and it starts from Alicante. I can imagine it getting really busy in Alicante then, so make sure you keep your eye on the schedule of the Ocean Race. There is also an Ocean Race museum in the harbor.
Museums: I did not have time to visit any museums, but Alicante is a perfect place to combine sunshine with cultural activities, as it hosts several art museums.
Villajoyosa: Villajoyosa is located 35 kms from Alicante. It is a little town with a square with colorful houses, located right at the beach. The beach is full of palm trees, so you will find plenty of shade if needed. If you love colorful houses as much as I do, you will love Villajoyosa. It would be a nice day trip from Alicante to visit the beach of Villajoyosa. In November there was hardly anybody in Villajoyosa, so I can imagine it being quiet the whole of off season. You can also get to Villajoyosa by bus from Alicante (45 minutes).
Food & drinks
Of course you also go to Spain because of the food. I was super surprised about the trendy restaurants in Alicante, I expected it to be more traditional. We visited the following:
El Portal Taberna & Wines: I dined here on a special occasion, as this restaurant is on the pricy side for Alicante (€ 120 for two including wine and aperitives). The restaurant is decorated beautifully, while we visited they had decorated the ceiling with large fake roses, which was super impressive. They switch up the decorations regularly, so the restaurants stays interesting. I have to note that the music was pretty loud, but I liked the music choices, it was kind of jazzy with a club sound. Luckily the food was also really good, they have an extensive menu, so there is something for everyone. I loved the lamb shoulder, it was incredibly soft and spiced exactly right. You have to make reservations in time (definitely a few days before) as it is a very popular restaurant.
Bar Manero: This is a tapas bar, that is also decorated extremely well. It is kind of in an art deco style, so it feels like you go back in time once you enter the restaurant. The menu has a good combination of classics and modern options. We turned up for a spontaneous lunch and did not get the best seats. Again, it is sensible to make a reservation if you want to eat here.
Soho Parc: We bumped into this cute bar that is located outside between willow trees. At night the trees give of a mystic vibe and it made for the perfect location to have a glass of cava. The willow trees made it a sheltered place, which was perfect during winter time as it felt warm. I can imagine that the trees create shade in the summer months, so there is not bad time to visit this bar. Unfortunately I did not take good pictures, as there were some street lights that ruined each picture I tried to take.
Ally cante, misschien toch langer dan 1 nachtje blijven 😉
Ja is echt de moeite waard!