Alicante is well seen in one or two days and is the best base for the Costa Blanca. It has sun almost year-round, a spectacular castle above the sea, a charming old town and a beach a step from the centre. This guide covers the essentials and the escapes nearby.
Getting there
By high-speed train from Madrid in 2h 20min; the station is 15 minutes from the centre. By air, Alicante-Elche airport is 20 minutes away. The centre is walkable and the tram links the beaches and the northern Costa Blanca.
The route
Climb Santa Bárbara Castle (there's a lift from Postiguet beach) for the 360-degree views over the bay. Drop down to the Santa Cruz quarter, of white lanes and flowers, next to the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolás. Stroll the Explanada de España with its wavy mosaic and take a dip at Postiguet beach. From the port, a boat sails to Tabarca Island, a marine reserve ideal for half a day.
Around (Costa Blanca)
A step away: Benidorm and its theme parks (Terra Mítica, Aqualandia), Altea, Calpe with the Peñón de Ifach, Jávea and the inland village of Guadalest.
Where to eat
Rice dishes (not just paella: arroz a banda, soupy rice) and fish. Look for rice restaurants away from the touristy port front.
In one sentence
Alicante is castle, old town and urban beach, and the perfect gateway to the whole Costa Blanca. In two days you see the city and an escape to Tabarca or Guadalest.