Alicante in 3 days

A castle on a rock, palm-lined promenades and city beaches: the Costa Blanca's most liveable base. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $90 to $190 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Casco Antiguo (El Barrio), The old town below the castle: narrow lanes, painted houses, the Basílica de Santa María and the densest tapas and nightlife.

Morning: Climb to Santa Bárbara Castle. One of Spain's largest medieval fortresses, sitting 166 m above the sea. Take the lift from Postiguet beach up, then walk down through the old town for the best views.

Afternoon: Explore Casco Antiguo (El Barrio), The old town below the castle: narrow lanes, painted houses, the Basílica de Santa María and the densest tapas and nightlife.

Evening: Stroll the Explanada de España. Six and a half million marble tiles in a red, black and cream wave pattern, shaded by palms and lined with terraces. Best at sunset.

Eat: Arroz a banda and caldero rice dishes

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Explanada / Puerto, The famous wave-patterned marble promenade, the marina and waterfront restaurants.

Morning: Ferry to Tabarca island. A flat, walled Mediterranean islet 45 minutes offshore, with clear protected waters, a tiny village and excellent caldero rice.

Afternoon: Explore Explanada / Puerto, The famous wave-patterned marble promenade, the marina and waterfront restaurants.

Evening: Eat your way through El Barrio. The old town's tapas bars serve Valencian rice dishes, salazones (cured fish) and cold Mahou for a fraction of Barcelona prices.

Eat: Salazones: cured tuna roe, mojama and anchovies

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Playa del Postiguet, The city beach right under the castle, walkable from anywhere in the centre.

Morning: Day-trip to Guadalest and the Algar waterfalls. A castle village perched over a turquoise reservoir plus swimmable falls make the classic inland Costa Blanca combination.

Afternoon: Explore Playa del Postiguet, The city beach right under the castle, walkable from anywhere in the centre.

Evening: Barrio de Santa Cruz, the flower-covered hillside lanes below the castle.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Turrón from nearby Jijona

Hidden gems

Barrio de Santa Cruz, the flower-covered hillside lanes below the castle.
MARQ archaeological museum, one of Spain's best-designed regional museums.
Cabo de las Huertas coves for snorkelling away from the main beaches.
Mercado Central for turrón, salazones and cheap counter lunches.

Getting around

The centre, old town, Explanada and Postiguet beach are all walkable. The TRAM light rail runs from Luceros up the coast to San Juan, Benidorm and Calpe, which covers most Costa Blanca day trips cheaply. City buses and taxis fill the gaps, and Alicante-Elche airport is 20 minutes away by the C-6 bus. A hire car helps for Guadalest and inland villages.

Safety

Alicante is a safe, easygoing city. The main issues are pickpockets on the Explanada, at the Mercado Central and on packed summer beaches, plus bag theft in the old-town nightlife at weekends. Don't leave belongings unattended on the sand. Summer heat is serious, so carry water on the castle climb and avoid midday sun.

Alicante in 5 days | Alicante in 7 days | Full Alicante guide