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Spain Costa Blanca Summer Heat Alicante Alluring Alicante Trip
Alluring Alicante Trip
I was reluctant to leave the alluring Alicante out of my Costa Blanca escape.
Hankering to explore and take plenty of photos, I set out to wander its streets early in the morning after having arrived. I immediately fell in love with Alicante.
The legendary city has a rich history and it always had a strategic importance on the Iberian Peninsula (due to its location).
Numerous battles were fought in and around the city and, it has always been an important Mediterranean port. Hence, its significance today.
Nowadays, Alicante is a leading travel destination in Spain.
Unfortunately for us travelers, its airport only opens periodically - for the warm months when streams of foreigners arrive.
My walks in central Alicante gave me a taste of the city's rich history - I saw motifs of galleons depicted on exterior walls and on ceramic tiles.
In addition, the city is guarded by the majestic Santa Bárbara Fortress, established at the top of an immense seaside cliff.
During this trip, I've visited two parts of Alicante, which are rather distant from each other (it's a bigger city that I had anticipated) - central/historic Alicante and Cabo de Las Huertas. I actually stayed at two hotels.
But, Alicante wouldn't be so significant today, if it wouldn't have great beaches.
The historic (older) part of Alicante has the Poniente Beach (the most beautiful, just under the fortress' rock, but also terribly agglomerated), while "the Cabo" has a vaster, but less frequented beach - known as Playa San Juan.
See my guide to Alicante's beaches for details about the beaches in and around it.
Wandered around and explored - here's my list (with photos) of the best places to visit when in Alicante!
I only wish I could have stayed longer...
The citadel of Santa Bárbara guards Alicante from the peak of a tall cliff (which made me think of the "Rock of Gibraltar"...).
The views from up there are spectacular. Plus: it cost me nothing to go up there by elevator (installed in the interior of the thick cliff!).
Nevertheless, Playa del Postiguet and Playa de San Juan are the leading beaches here, besides the few smaller ones.
The difference between the beaches is huge. Some are quieter, others noisy and crowded, some are small, some are rough and rocky.
Alicante too has its own Rambla - but this busy main street differs Barcelona's Rambla. Only the name is the same...
Actually, some of Alicante's best places are found along or very close to the Alicante's Rambla Méndez Núñez.
The Postiguet Beach is Alicante's leading attraction - many photos of the city depict this beach with the Mount Bonacantil in the backround.
Very beautiful, close to the city centre, but very crowded too!
An Alluring Art Nouveau Wooden Door in Alicante
Because I am obsessed with Art Nouveau, this beautiful wooden door of an old building found on the Rambla is "architectural dessert" to me.
Unfortunately it was partly covered by a protective external door.
Spain is a street art paradise and Alicante's street art collection is merely a slice...
Although I only had a very short stay in Alicante, I did come across a few beautiful works.
Plaza Doctor Balmis and the Ghosts of Barcelona
Whenever I travel within Spain, I keep getting slapped by the "Barcelona feel". I call this "the ghosts of Barcelona".
In Alicante, a Gaudí-like feel gravitates at the Plaza Doctor Balmis...
Wandering in central Alicante from bar to bar, I suddenly came across a weird silver box-like structure on a plaza...
An aquarium in the street, literally!
I chose to spend a few more nights at Cabo de Las Huertas, a bit away from central Alicante's beautiful old quarters and sprawling beach life.
Why did I go to "the Cabo", I'll reveal to you in this article...
The longest beach area of the Cabo de Las Huertas is the Playa de San Juan. Vast... long and wide. But, less frequented than central Alicante's Postiguet.
Why, it was so, I do not know. The beach itself is by no means "worse", but the views are less impressive and there are less bars, clubs, restaurants...
Strange Buildings at Cabo de Las Huertas
Even simpler modern buildings can be interesting, if they bear a touch of fantasy, if they're unique in some way. And, there are plenty of these at Cabo de Las Huertas, Alicante.
Cabo de Las Huertas Ghost Town
The Cabo de Las Huertas part of Alicante is a vast area with an infrastructure built primarily for tourism. It's a hotel-quarter, literally.
All apartment blocks and hotels and a few restaurants near the long long sandy beach.
Strangely, it felt almost deserted. Like a ghost town...
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Guide to my personal travel slang vocabulary, which seasons my content...