Sightseeing in Alicante - what to see. Complete travel guide

Alicante in an ancient and beautiful town located on the Costa Blanca coast. This is not only a popular beach resort, but also a famous cultural center that has retained its precious monuments and sights up to our days. Here you can see beautiful chapels, towers and fortresses, walk though old quarters and squares, rest in a wonderful park or enjoy sunbathing in one of the city’s beaches.

You can start your acquaintance with this city from Iglesia de Santa Maria church. It was built in 15th-16th centuries and features a splendid example of gothic architecture. The church is built on the place of ancient mosque and reminds of the victory in the battle against Moors, who have ruled the city for a long time. Wonderful valleys and public gardens have been created nearby the church. If you walk them through, you will reach the Museum of Art of XX century. The halls of the museum feature the works of Braque, Kandinsky, Ernst, Picasso, Chagall, Gris and Miro.

The famous trading street Calle Mayor also begins nearby the church. Here you will find numerous shops, food markets and boutiques. The street ends at Plaza del Ayuntamiento which borders several administrative buildings including the mayor’s office. Alicante also has several valuable religious buildings like La Catedral San Nicolas de Bari cathedral the building of which started in 1662. The cathedral was severely damaged during the civil war of 1936-1939. Later it was renovated and opened for tourists. The façade and the decoration of halls are made according the project of the famous architect Juan de Herrera. The main adornments of the cathedral are the gold plated altar, walls covered with pictures and an unusual vault. The city’s central street is La Rambia de Mendez Nunes, which is also known as a wonderful place for walking. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Guests of Alicante are able to make a true trip to the past, for this they simply need to take a stroll through the colourful neighbourhood of Santa Cruz. It is located in the foothills of Benakantil, the area of which many medieval buildings were preserved, some of which were erected in the 13th century. Here you can walk for hours through the ancient curvy streets, admire the houses built of white stone, as well as buildings in the Moorish style. It is most interesting to walk to these places in the spring and summer, as virtually all old houses are decorated with curly flowers and ornamental plants. 

For those who like to relax in the fresh air, the Canalejas park will be pure joy; it is next located to the coastline. This park does not does not impress with size, yet it will amaze with its original design. There are several trees in the park, that date back to more than a hundred years. Each year, the park is decorated with interesting landscape ornaments, it features numerous fine sculptures and decorative fountains in its territory. 

Travellers who love the unusual sights should go on an excursion to the island of Tabarka. Many years ago it was home to pirates, where they hid their treasures. Today the island attracts with its natural beauty and the preserved historical monuments. You can visit the ancient church, which bears the name St. Peter's, as well as admire the ruins of the old city walls. The island has several small towns, where you can visit the national restaurants and get acquainted with the life of local residents. 

One of the unique historical attractions is the Mercado Central market - the largest and most picturesque in town. It has a very beautiful, historic building, which managed to maintain excellent interior decor and atmosphere of the past. In this market, visitors can always buy fresh fruit and vegetables, with meat and dairy products also available from local farmers. This market is worth a visit when looking for interesting souvenirs too. The market building is a valuable architectural object; it was built on the foundation of the fortress walls of the 8th century. Stone bas-reliefs and mosaics on the facade of the historic building were partially preserved.