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    Tourist Attractions in Alicante

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Alicante. Photos and a brief description.

    Alicante
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    About Alicante

    The popular Spanish resort of Alicante occupies a central place among the towns of the Costa Blanca – a real pearl of the Mediterranean. In the midst of the summer heat, the beaches of the city are very crowded, as not only foreign tourists, but also Spaniards themselves like to relax in this place.

    Tourist Alicante offers comfortable hotels, snow–white yachts, well-groomed embankments and magnificent beaches. Also, the city has another side – traditional Spanish streets, ancient facades of dilapidated houses and powerful fortresses of the sunset period of the Spanish colonial Empire. If you alternate informative walks in Alicante with a vacation on its impeccable coast, the vacation promises to be varied and eventful.

    Top Tourist Attractions in Alicante

    Esplanade of Spain

    Walking boulevard, the heart of tourist life in Alicante. Restaurants, shops and banks are located here. In the evenings, performances are shown in a special concert pavilion. The street stretches for 500 meters from the city port to a small cozy square. The pavement of the Esplanade is lined with multicolored stone, forming a harmonious pattern. On the sides there are slender palm alleys.

    Esplanade of Spain
    Port of Alicante

    Port of Alicante

    The port of Alicante is a picturesque marina – a place for mooring yachts, boats, motorboats and other types of vessels. Mediterranean cruise liners often anchor here. The harbor is also of great economic importance, cargo ships regularly arrive here. In the port, tourists can book a boat trip on a yacht or rent an entire vessel. Along the port of Alicante stretches the main walking street – the Esplanade of Spain.

    Santa Barbara Fortress

    The fortress is one of the main historical attractions of Alicante. It is located on the top of Mount Benacantil. The structure was erected in the IX century during the rule of the Moors over the Iberian Peninsula. Up to the XVIII century, the fort was of great strategic importance and was used for its intended purpose. Until 1963, the fortress was in disrepair. After the restoration, its territory was open to the public.

    Santa Barbara Fortress
    San Fernando Fortress

    San Fernando Fortress

    The castle is located in the central part of the city. It was erected in the XIX century in order to repel a possible attack by the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte. But the French never came to Alicante. The castle is surrounded by a picturesque park, perfectly adapted for sports and walking. After a long period of desolation, the fortress was restored and opened to everyone.

    Santa Cruz District

    The historical part of the city, located at a relative distance from the tourist areas at the foot of Benacantil. The old Town consists of only a few small streets, along which you can get to the Santa Barbara Fortress. Santa Cruz is a typical urban quarter of a Spanish provincial town with peeling walls in some places, charming flower beds on small terraces and bright facades.

    Santa Cruz District
    Luceros Square

    Luceros Square

    The main square of Alicante, from where many tourist routes start. Buses from the airport also come here. In the center of Luceros there is a stone fountain from 1930, surrounded by a green lawn with palm trees. Modern residential buildings, offices, retail premises and administrative offices are located around the square. The two central highways of Alicante start at Luceros.

    Gabriel Miro Square

    The square is a shady green square overgrown with subtropical vegetation. Ancient trees with powerful trunks, palm trees and flowers grow here. This is a great place to hide in the shade from the scorching Spanish sun. The square and the square are named after the writer Gabriel Miro, who was a native of Alicante. This fact is recalled by a memorial stone to the left of the central fountain.

    Gabriel Miro Square
    Basilica of Santa Maria

    Basilica of Santa Maria

    Gothic church of the end of the XIV century, located on the site of a former mosque. The temple was founded in honor of the expulsion of the Moors and the liberation of this part of Spain from Arab rule. In later centuries, the basilica was rebuilt in the Spanish Baroque style. Inside the church there is a gilded altar of the XVIII century and a valuable organ of the XVI century. The interior is decorated with elaborate statues of St. John and the Virgin Mary.

    Cathedral of St. Nicholas

    The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Alicante. It was built on the ruins of a mosque in the XVII century. The building was built in a transitional style from Renaissance to Baroque, which is characterized by restraint of architectural forms. The cathedral is crowned with an impressive 45-meter dome, marble predominates in the interior decoration. The church altar of the XVI century, created by the master N. Borras, deserves special attention. The church houses the relics of St. Francis Javier, Felicita and Roja.

    Cathedral of St. Nicholas
    Archaeological Museum

    Archaeological Museum

    A large museum with an impressive collection of 81 thousand copies. A large number of exhibits were found and collected on the territory of the Costa Blanca region. The Archaeological Museum of Alicante is on a par with the largest collections in Spain. The exhibition halls are equipped with modern equipment, so visitors have the opportunity to watch videos or listen to short lectures about a particular historical period.

    Volvo Ocean Race Museum

    Volvo Ocean Race is a unique round–the-world regatta that starts in Alicante and lasts for several months. It has been held here since 2005. In 2012, a museum dedicated to this event was opened, which is the only one of its kind. Thanks to interactive technologies, visitors will be able to feel like participants in a grandiose voyage, as well as learn more about the features of the ecosystems of the seas and oceans.

    Volvo Ocean Race Museum
    Museum of Modern Art

    Museum of Modern Art

    A gallery with an impressive collection of real "mastodons" of contemporary art. There are works by Miro, Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky, Vasareli and Gonzalez. The museum is located in an old building of the XVII century. Its history began in 1978, when a local abstract artist E. Sempere donated his collection of paintings to the city. Sempre's own works occupy a separate floor of the museum.

    Museum of Fine Arts in the Gravina Palace

    The gallery is located in the palace of the XVIII century. The museum opened in 2001 after a complete restoration of a somewhat dilapidated building. The museum collection is a collection of paintings by artists and sculptors from Alicante and the surrounding area, who worked during the XVI-XX centuries. There are X 's works here . Agrosota, L. Casanova, A. Hisbert, F. Cabrera and other masters. The museum has a program to support young talents.

    Museum of Fine Arts in the Gravina Palace
    Central Market

    Central Market

    The main market of Alicante, located in a building that occupies an entire city block. The shopping malls are located on two floors – one sells meat of all possible types and shapes, the other has numerous counters with seafood, fish, vegetables and fruits. The market also has a large department with wines, cheeses, olives, spices, nuts and all kinds of sweets.

    Alicante City Hall

    The City Hall was built in the XVIII century according to the project of V. Soler in the Spanish Baroque style. The construction work lasted about 90 years. A fountain system has been installed on the square in front of the city Hall, whose jets beat directly from the pavement, which delights children and local dogs. Public holidays are often held near the city hall. In the lobby of the building there is a sculpture of St. John, created by Salvador Dali.

    Alicante City Hall
    Carbonel 's House

    Carbonel 's House

    The building was erected in the 20s of the XX century in the fashionable at that time Art Nouveau style with non-welded elements. Today it is considered one of the most picturesque in Alicante. The house was designed by architect H. B. Ramos for E. Carbonel, a textile industrialist who settled in Alicante. The luxurious building was erected on the site of the old city market next to the Palace Hotel.

    The ship "Holy Trinity"

    The ship is permanently parked in the port of the city. It is a copy of a real galleon of the XVIII century, which was built in Cuba. The ship took part in many battles, including the famous Battle of Trafalgar. After this devastating battle, the Holy Trinity sank off the coast of Cadiz in 1805. A replica of the ship was built in the 2000s. A restaurant, a bar, a nightclub and a museum were placed on board.

    The ship
    Tabarka Island

    Tabarka Island

    The island is located near the coast of the Costa Blanca, it is home to several dozen people employed in the tourism industry. The island is mentioned in documents of the XVIII century in connection with the seizure of its territory by the Tunisian army. There are several old churches and mansions on Tabarka. Numerous restaurants offering a wide variety of seafood dishes are open to tourists.

    The beach will comprehend

    The beach is located in the center of the resort area of Alicante. Thanks to the picturesque surroundings, white sand and clear water, it received the prestigious "Blue Flag" quality mark. Postignet is considered the best city beach, there are numerous cafes, playgrounds and rental of equipment for water sports. The beach is located quite close to the historical part of Alicante.

    The beach will comprehend
    Bonfires of St. John the Baptist

    Bonfires of St. John the Baptist

    The Spanish Folk Festival, which is celebrated every summer on June 18 — 29. It is dedicated to the Day of St. John the Baptist. The largest celebrations take place on the territory of Alicante. Bright processions, parades and a contest of giant figures are held on the streets all week, fireworks are launched, people burn effigies and jump over the bonfire. Some traditions of this holiday are similar to the Slavic Summer Solstice Day.