TOP THINGS TO DO IN ALICANTE

Castillo de Santa Bárbara

There are sweeping views over the city from this large 16th-century castle, which houses a museum recounting the history of the city. It’s a sweaty walk up the hill to the castle, but there’s a lift that rises through the bowels of the mountain to the summit. To return, it’s a pleasant stroll down through Parque de la Ereta via Calle San Rafael to Plaza del Carmen.

Costa Blanca (White Coast)

The long stripe of the Costa Blanca (White Coast) is one of Europe’s most heavily visited areas. If you’re after a secluded midsummer strand, stay away – or head inland to enjoy traditional villages and towns. Then again, if you’re looking for a lively social scene, good beaches and a suntan…

It isn’t all concrete and package deals. Although the original fishing villages have long been engulfed by the sprawl of resorts, a few old-town kernels, such as those of Xàbia (Jávea) and Altea, still survive.

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Alicante

This splendid museum, inside the 17th-century Casa de la Asegurada, has an excellent collection of 20th-century Spanish art, including works by Dalí, Miró, Chillida, Sempere, Tàpies and Picasso

Tabarca Island

The island’s waters are officially declared a Mediterranean Marine Reserve for their excellent quality and for the biodiversity of their flora and fauna.

Tabarca is the only inhabited island in the Region of Valencia and is located opposite the city of Alicante, 11 nautical miles offshore and near the Santa Pola headland. In fact, it’s more than just an island: it’s a small archipelago that comprises the islets of La Cantera, La Galera and La Nao as well as the Isla de Tabarca itself. It is approximately 1,800 metres long and measures some 400 metres across at its widest point.

In the past, its shores were a refuge for Berber pirates and, in the 18th century, King Carlos III ordered the island to be fortified and a town built, in which to house several families of Genoese fishermen who were being held prisoner in the Tunisian city of Tabarka.

The walls surrounding the town have been officially declared a Historical and Artistic Site and an Asset of Cultural Interest.

source:www.alicanteturismo.com