Why visit the province of Alicante?
The province of Alicante is a holiday destination all year round
You can have a holiday in Alicante not only in the summer season. The weather allows you to swim in the sea until the end of October, and sometimes even until November, and you can sunbathe on the beaches even in February. In the off-season you can visit various excursions, admire the architecture, visit museums, and also visit bright festive events with dancing and costume processions.
The province of Alicante is a lot of interesting excursions and entertainments
The province is full of historical and natural sights, as well as interesting towns that are a must-see. The Costa Blanca offers a variety of boat trips and excursions, and near Benidorm there are many theme parks that will be interesting for both children and adults.
The province of Alicante offers a wide range of accommodation and property to invest in
The province of Alicante attracts both tourists and investors. The property market here is constantly developing, due to which the number of offers to buy and rent housing is increasing. Here you can find both budget flats and holiday flats, and luxury villas in gated urbanisations for long-term residence.
The province of Alicante has a marvellous climate
The province of Alicante is located in the best climate zone of the Mediterranean, and the World Health Organisation has even recognised the region as one of the best places to live. It has a mild Mediterranean climate, with an average annual temperature of +18 degrees Celsius. Winters here are warm and snowless, without sharp temperature changes, rain is rare (mainly in autumn), the number of sunny days per year - about 328. The Costa Blanca is considered one of the warmest places in Spain.
Mountains and rocks here serve as a natural barrier from cold winds, and the sea in the hottest months can warm up to +29 degrees Celsius. The beach season generally lasts from April-May to the end of October.
The province of Alicante has interesting architecture
The region has been ruled by Iberians, Romans, Arabs and Christians at different times, and each era has left its mark on the province's towns, buildings and streets.
There are traditional Spanish white houses as well as houses with Arabic motifs.
There are also old castles, fortresses and watchtowers throughout the region.
The province of Alicante offers great beaches on the Costa Blanca
The main point of attraction for tourists in Alicante are the world-famous resorts of the Costa Blanca, such as Benidorm, Torrevieja, Denia and others.
The total length of beaches here is more than 200 km, many of them are marked with the prestigious award "Blue Flag" for cleanliness, comfort and availability of beach infrastructure. Here you can find both long sandy beaches and small picturesque rocky bays.
The province of Alicante is a picturesque natural environment
The landscape of the province of Alicante is quite diverse: the northern part is hilly, the southern part is more flat. There are high mountains with gorges, rocky bays, forests, parks, gardens, waterfalls and lakes, ravines, picturesque valleys, salt marshes and sand dunes. Many natural parks, nature reserves and recreational areas can be found throughout the province.
What is known about Alicante? General information about the province
Alicante is a province located in the eastern part of Spain and is part of the Autonomous Community of Valencia. The administrative centre of the province is the city of Alicante. It is bordered on the south-west by the province of Murcia, on the west by the province of Albacete, on the north by Valencia, and on the east by the Mediterranean Sea.
Administratively, the province is divided into districts (comarcas), which in turn are divided into municipalities. There are a total of 9 comarcas and 141 municipalities in the province (26 of which have a population of more than 20,000 inhabitants).
The province covers an area of 201.3 km² and has a population of around two million people, making Alicante the second most populous province in the Valencian Community and the fifth of all Spanish provinces. At the height of the tourist season, the number of people living here increases two to three times. In addition, Alicante has the largest number of foreigners compared to other Spanish provinces. The locals speak not only Spanish, but also Valencian dialect of Catalan language is widespread here.
The main sectors of the economy in the province of Alicante are tourism and services, construction and real estate, agriculture, fishing, shoe making, toy making, as well as marble mining and processing.
Alicante is world famous for its magnificent beaches of the Costa Blanca. Besides beaches, there are many other interesting places for leisure and recreation: numerous restaurants and bars, parks and nature reserves, waterfalls and lakes, theme parks and water parks, casinos, water sports centres, yacht clubs, golf courses and much more.
Main cities and resorts in the province of Alicante
- Alicante is the main city of the province, a popular resort, a major transport hub and the business centre of the region.
- Altea is one of the most beautiful cities of the Costa Blanca, where artists love to visit.
- Benidorm is the "Spanish Las Vegas" and the tourist capital of the Costa Blanca. There are many skyscrapers and casinos, as well as theme amusement parks around the city.
- Guadalest is a historical open-air museum town and the main tourist gem of the region.
- Denia is a major port with ferries to the Balearic Islands.
- Calpe is a resort with picturesque nature and beautiful bays. Here is one of the symbols of Costa Blanca - the Ifach Rock.
- Torrevieja is a popular resort town, where most of the natives of the post-Soviet space live.
- Javea is a city with a unique climate, located among the mountains and forests.
In addition to these cities, there are many other interesting places, popular tourist areas and resorts in the province of Alicante.
History of the Province of Alicante
The province of Alicante has a long history. Since ancient times, these territories have been inhabited by Iberian tribes, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and Moors. The first fortifications in this area appeared on Mount Benacantil in the 3rd century BC. Around the 9th century, the Arab conquerors came here and dominated the area for almost four centuries. The modern name of the province and its main town comes from the Arabic word "Al-Laqant".
In the 13th century these territories were conquered by the Christians and came under the rule of the united kingdoms of Castile and Leon, and then the Kingdom of Valencia. Each of these periods has affected the province's appearance, culture, traditions and cuisine.
The prosperity of the province of Alicante began in the XVII century with the active development of maritime trade, and by the end of the XIX century the province began to play a significant role in the Spanish economy. In the middle of the twentieth century, the tourism boom and construction boomed, and nowadays Alicante is the most popular province for tourists and investors.
Natural attractions in the province of Alicante
The province of Alicante has a rich and varied nature, landscapes, flora and fauna. In the northern part of the region there is much more natural beauty. Moving from north to south, you can notice that the mountainous terrain gradually changes to hilly, and the forests and greenery become noticeably less. The south of the Costa Blanca has the longest and most beautiful sandy beaches, while its northern part boasts picturesque rocky bays.
There are 42 mountain peaks scattered across the province, the main of which is the Sierra de Aitana at 1558 metres above sea level. There are many national natural parks and mountain ranges (Sierra Hellada, Sierra Bernia, Sierra de Santa Pola, etc.). In 15 km from Benidorm there are the famous Algara waterfalls, in Elche - a unique Palm grove, near Senta Pola - Las Salinas lagoons, and in Calpe you can see the symbol of the coast - the rock and natural park Peñon de Ifach. And this is not the entire list of natural wonders that the province of Alicante has to offer.
There are many caves in Alicante: Cova de l'Aigua (Cave of Water), Cueva de Las Calaveras (Cave of Skulls), Cuevas de Canelobre, Cueva de Absubia and others. In many caves archaeological artefacts and traces of ancient man's presence have been found.
Not far from the coast there are interesting islands of volcanic origin - Columbretes, rocky island Tabarca and island with wild nature Benidorm.
Also in Alicante there are many vineyards, olive and citrus trees, as well as pine groves that give the local air a unique flavour.
The Costa Blanca coastline is also diverse: there are both long sandy beaches and small but very picturesque rocky bays with stone grottoes and underwater caves, where you can enjoy the beauty of the underwater world and learn about its diversity.
Architecture of the province of Alicante
The province of Alicante is not only the sea, beaches and beautiful nature, but also a rich culture and historical heritage. On the territory of the province there are many ancient castles, fortresses, defence towers and other interesting architectural sights. Everyone who dreams of diversifying their holidays should definitely visit the following interesting historical places:
- Santa Barbara Castle in Alicante
- Santa Pola Castle and Fortress
- Barchel Castle in Alcoa
- Denia Castle
- Elda Castle
- San Jose Castle in Guadaleste
- Altamira Palace in Elche, etc.
In the historical region of Alto Vinalopo there is the famous "road of castles", which includes castles built in Novelda, Biar, Saxe, Villena and a number of other towns.
The watchtowers scattered throughout the province are also interesting. They are especially common near the coast, as they all once served as part of defence systems to protect against pirate raids. These include the towers of Villajoyosa - Torre del Aguiló, Torre del Charco, Torre Simeón, Torre de la Cruz and others, the tower of La Torre de Finestrat in Finestrat, the towers of Santa Pola - Torre de Tamarit, Torre d'Escaletes, the tower of Torre de la Illeta in Campello, etc.
The ancient squares in many towns in the region are also beautiful. They are usually the centre of attraction for tourists and the main venue for various traditional fiestas and festivals, such as the Moors and Christians, Las Fallas, Carnival, and so on.
In the historic neighbourhoods of many towns in the province, you can enjoy the traditional architecture while strolling along narrow cobbled streets steeped in history.
Active leisure and entertainment in the province of Alicante
Alicante is not just about sea and sun, but also about a variety of outdoor activities. There are many interesting hiking routes of varying lengths and levels of difficulty throughout the province, during which you can admire the beauty of the local nature and explore the flora and fauna of the region. For example, near Benidorm there is an 8 kilometre hiking route through the Sierra Ellada Natural Park, and near Altea there is an 8.6 kilometre route through the Sierra Bernia Park. All routes are marked and signposted, so you won't get lost.
For lovers of water sports and marine entertainment in the resorts of Costa Blanca there are many yacht clubs, diving centres and surf schools, where you can get training, work out with an instructor, as well as rent equipment for diving, surfing, windsurfing and others. You can also rent a boat or yacht with a captain, take a kayak or ride a jet ski. These centres also offer a variety of boat trips and fishing.
Those who can't live without extreme sports will find paragliding centres in El Campello and Santa Pola, where you can take a tandem flight with a pilot and enjoy a bird's eye view of the area.
Golf is very popular in Alicante, so lovers of this aristocratic sport will find many excellent golf courses here.
In the vicinity of Benidorm there are several interesting amusement parks for children and adults. You can visit the huge amusement park Terra Mítica, the safari parks Terra Natura and Aitana, the largest water park Aqualandia, the children's park with dinosaurs DinoPark Algar, as well as visit the theme park Mundomar, where you can see animals, birds and sea creatures living in natural conditions.
Excursions in Alicante
For those who love travelling and new experiences, the province of Alicante offers many interesting excursions to various amazing places and attractions. One of the most popular trips in this region is a day trip to the open-air museum city of Guadalest. Here you can see the famous 11th century San José Castle, admire stunning views from the observation decks and visit local themed museums.
In Villajoyos you can visit the famous chocolate factory and Valor Chocolate Museum, in Elche the largest Palm Grove in Europe, in Elda the Shoe Museum and in Torrevieja the popular salt lakes. Being on the Costa Blanca, it is also worth visiting the authentic bohemian artists' town of Altea.
Also very popular among tourists is an excursion to one of the most picturesque natural parks in the region - Fuentes del Algar (Algar Waterfalls). This is a reserve with beautiful Mediterranean vegetation, which is located in the mountainous area near the Algar River.
The islands of Tabarca and Benidorm are also interesting to visit. La Isla de Benidorm is an uninhabited island near the coastline of Benidorm. It can be reached by boat from the town's marina in just 20 minutes. Diving is available near the island. From Alicante and Santa Pola you can travel to the island of Tabarca, the largest island in the Valencian Community, where you can visit a small colourful Spanish village. This island also offers excellent diving and fishing.
How to get to Alicante?
The province has very well-developed transport links. There are several ways to get to Alicante: by plane, by train or by ferry.
The Alicante-Elche International Airport (Aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche, ALC) is located 10 km from the administrative centre of the province and is considered one of the largest air hubs in Spain. Every year it receives more than 10 million tourists and offers direct flights to 120 cities around the world. Major European airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet and others fly here. Direct flights to Alicante are available from London, Manchester, Liverpool, Paris, Milan, Brussels, Stockholm and other major European cities.
Alicante can also be reached from the airports of Murcia (about 100 kilometres south) and Valencia (171 kilometres north, travel time - about 3 hours).
The province is connected to other Spanish cities by a well-developed network of railways and motorways. From other regions Alicante can be reached by the comfortable railway transport RENFE. From Barcelona or Malaga the journey time is 5-6 hours. From Madrid there is a high-speed railway line AVE, which can take you to Alicante in just two hours.
The distance from Madrid to Alicante is 414 kilometres. If travelling by car or bus, the journey time is approximately 5 hours. But the best way to get from Madrid to Alicante is by plane, as the flight takes only an hour.
To get to Alicante from other cities with which there is no direct flight connection, it is best to get there via Madrid.
The distance between Alicante and Barcelona is 490 kilometres. If you take land transport, the journey will take about 8 hours, but it will be the cheapest way. To get to Alicante faster, it is better to buy a plane ticket. The flight in this case will take no more than one hour.
Alicante has a large seaport, which is considered one of the main ports in Spain for cruise ships. From here there are ferry connections to the Balearic Islands and Algeria. Water transport to Ibiza and Mallorca is also available from Denia.
Comparison of Alicante with other Spanish provinces
Spain is the warmest and sunniest country in Europe. This is especially true in the south-eastern region, which includes the entire Mediterranean coast, including Andalusia, Murcia, Catalonia and the Valencian Community, which includes the province of Alicante. Although the nature here is not as rich as in the northern part of the country, this is fully compensated for by the long beach season and warm sea.
The regions with the best climate in Spain are Costa Blanca (Alicante), Costa Calida (Murcia), Costa del Sol (Andalusia) and Costa Valencia (Valencia). The Balearic and Canary Islands stand apart: the former are similar in climate to the south-eastern Mediterranean region, while the latter are characterised by eternal summers and a variety of climatic zones.
Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante is considered the region with the longest beach season (you can swim here from May to November) and the warmest sea water (in closed bays and coves in August it can warm up to +29 degrees Celsius). In addition to proximity to the sea, this region of Spain is loved by foreigners because of the large selection of relatively inexpensive property (housing prices in Alicante are lower than in Madrid or Barcelona).
In the province of Alicante perfectly developed resort infrastructure and transport links. Among the cities of the province you can choose between more noisy and touristy places, such as Benidorm and Alicante, and quieter ones, such as Altea or Guardamar del Segura.
Why the province of Alicante?
What attracts tourists to the province of Alicante:
- warm climate, a large number of sunny days a year and picturesque nature;
- well-developed infrastructure, which allows you to live and rest comfortably in this region all year round;
- the opportunity to combine beach holidays with visiting interesting places and attractions;
- good transport links with other regions and the presence of a major international airport;
- a wide range of accommodation and its cost;
- the presence of 28 international schools, which makes Alicante a good choice not only for holidays but also for extended family stays.
And to make your holiday in Alicante was even more pleasant, you need to choose a suitable city in advance, decide on accommodation and decide what kind of holiday suits you - lazy beach or active.