What is there to do in the area?
Alicante
Dominantly present in present-day Alicante is the Monte Benacantil. This 166 meter high hill towers far above the city. On Monte Benacantil stands the Castle of Santa Barbara (Castillo de Santa Bárbara), which has its origins in the ninth century AD. However, the remains of peoples who inhabited the hill long before there was a castle have also been found on the hill. For example, utensils from the Bronze Age have been found and it is certain that both the earlier Iberians and the Romans lived and worked here. The castle was built by the Muslims who ruled here during the Moorish period.
The fact that you can see the hill with the castle so well from many places in the city is partly because the amount of serious high-rise buildings is not so bad in Alicante. If you look at the skyline of Alicante, you will only see two skyscrapers: Estudiotel Alicante is the tallest building in the city at 117 meters. With a height of 'only' 97 meters, the centrally located Hotel Tryp Gran Sol is twenty meters shorter. For the rest, it is mainly buildings of 3, 4, 5 or 6 storeys high that you will find in Alicante. As a result, you can easily see the mostly blue domes on the church towers sticking out the moment you stand at a slightly higher place in the city.
In the city of Alicante is the Barrio de Santa Cruz district, which is also simply referred to as El Barrio. This district is an extension of the center in the direction of Monte Benacantil. Whoever walks through Barrio de Santa Cruz suddenly forgets that he/she is walking in a fairly large city. The old working-class quarter offers you a glimpse into the daily life of the local people. Do not try to walk via a predetermined route, but let your senses guide you through the many streets and stairs.
The great thing about Alicante is that the city is located directly on the coast. That means beach, boulevards and a beautiful marina. Anyone who wants to combine shopping, going out and sightseeing with the wonderful beach life can do just that in Alicante. The nice thing about Alicante is that it is not only a holiday destination, but also simply a city where people live, study and work. As a result, Alicante has much more authenticity than many other coastal towns on the Costa Blanca.
Valencia
Discover the historic center with its rich artistic heritage. In the cathedral you can see the authentic holy chalice; the Silk Exchange, a jewel of bourgeois Gothic; the water tribunal declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO; the Mercado Central, one of the largest fresh produce markets in Europe; the spectacular frescoes of Saint Nicholas Church and much more.
In order not to miss anything, you can take a tour of the center of Valencia with a guide. Or take a panoramic route through the city with the Valencia Bus Turístico.
During your trip to Valencia, take the opportunity to visit the urban beaches of Las Arenas or La Malvarrosa, explore La Marina de Valencia and eat authentic paella by the sea. In the afternoon, go to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Discover the secrets of science in Museum Príncipe Felipe, the seabed in Oceanogràfic or watch one of the films in ´Hemisfèric.
If you have time, take a stroll in the Jardines del Turia with its 8.5 kilometers of gardens nestled in the bed of a diverted river.
Take a morning trip to Albufera de Valencia, a true ecological paradise just 10 kilometers from the city. You can take a trip in one of the typical fishing boats and eat Valencian paella in the place where it originally came from.
Lose yourself in the African savannah in the afternoon via Bioparc Valencia.
A walk through the center of Elche takes you past the Arab history of the city and many baroque architecture. For example, the current basilica of the city was built on the site where a large mosque once stood. See this Basilica of Santa María, visit the pleasant square La Glorieta Plaza and walk through the beautiful parks of the city.
A unique palm tree garden
One of the most special places in Elche is the Palmeral de Elche. With over 200,000 palm trees, this is one of the largest palm tree gardens in the world. In addition to palm trees, you will also find other Mediterranean trees here, such as the orange tree and the fig tree. Palmeral de Elche was built by the founders of the city (the Moors) and is therefore very old. Since 2000, the palm tree garden has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Elche is a very good city for shopping. Especially lovers of a nice pair of shoes can indulge themselves here. In addition to the city of palm trees, Elche is also a real shoe city. About 50 percent of all Spanish shoes are produced in Elche! Also visit the Salvador Artesano shoe outlet, this outlet is the largest in Europe and sells many well-known shoe brands. In addition to the shops in the city center, you will find the large shopping center L'Aljub on the edge of Elche.
Idea for when you go to Elche with the kids... The Rio Safari Elche! In the park you can spot many birds, but also many wild animals, such as zebras, lions, monkeys, tigers, giraffes and snakes! Rio Safari is not a normal zoo. You can walk around the park, but you can also take a train through the park (included with the entrance ticket) where you can really see the animals up close. The park is open 365 days a year. You can also swim with sea lions in this park! You can indicate this when ordering the tickets, if you want to do this.
The Archaeological and History Museum
The beautiful museum Museo Arqueológico y de Historia de Elche (MAHE) is a must for those who want to learn more about the city and its surroundings. The museum consists of two architecturally very different parts. The first and modern part of the museum is located below the square and contains museum pieces from ancient times. In the second part of the MAHE, which is located in a restored historic palace, you will find the modern history of Elche. The pieces are supported by many audio and visual images that create a lot of interactivity with the visitors.
novelda
May 2017 marks the centenary of the laying of the first stone of the Santa María Magdalena in Novelda. The architect
had copied the art from Gaudi in Barcelona and that is clearly visible in the architectural style and the materials used. The result was one of the most remarkable churches in the province of Alicante. The Santa María Magdalena is located on the hill la Mola.
The Costa Blanca
Most people who visit the Costa Blanca do so to enjoy the pleasant climate, the beaches and the wonderful life on the coast. However, the Costa Blanca has more to offer. The Costa Blanca offers a number of fun, beautiful and interesting sights that will make your stay in Spain extra worthwhile.
Chocolate
Chocolate lovers should visit Villajoyosa. This town was originally a fishing village. However, the chocolate industry has also been an important source of income and employment for many years. As a tourist you can visit the factories of Valor or Perez. Part of both factories has been set up as a chocolate museum.
Penyal d'lfac
The town of Calp (Calpe) is built around the 332-meter high rock Penyal d'Ifac. Penyal d'Ifac is a natural park through which you can go through an approximately one and a half hour walk. You will discover the typical flora and fauna that have developed here over the years. Make sure you have sturdy (walking) shoes on and have enough water with you. You cannot buy anything during the walk.
Explanada de Espana
Almost every town located on the coast has a pedestrian promenade. These are in most cases located along the beach or even directly on the water. The most beautiful promenade is not directly on the water, but a few tens of meters away. Explanada de España is located in the center of Alicante. This approximately six hundred meters long promenade is one of the highlights of the city.
The social life of Alicante partly takes place on the walking paths (three of them) separated by rows of palm trees. You notice this especially in the evenings. Seniors come here to chat or play a game. Young people find each other here. Tourists come here to shop at the many market stalls and to admire the whole spectacle. Central to the Explanada de España is the auditorium of Alicante. Shows are regularly held here.
The beach bars of Xàbia
Most tourists in Xàbia (Jávea) visit the Arenal beach during the day. This large sandy beach is the main attraction of Xàbia. If you don't go for swimming but especially want to enjoy the beautiful sea view, you should go to the beach Segon Muntanyar. This is located between the original village of Xàbia and the Arenal beach. The beach consists of sandstone, rocks and pebbles. Here are a number of beach bars scattered from each other where you can enjoy a snack, a drink and a view of the Mediterranean Sea that is not spoiled by crowds.
The colorful houses of Villajoyosa
Before the arrival of tourists, agriculture and fishing were always the main sources of income on the Costa Blanca. It is not for nothing that most of today's seaside resorts used to be mainly fishing villages. Also Villajoyosa, located near Benidorm. To show the fishermen from Villajoyosa from the sea where their houses were, the houses were painted in all kinds of beautiful pastel colors. Over the years, the ravages of time struck. At the end of the last century, the houses had a major refurbishment. They have the look of before, maybe even more beautiful. The pastel colored houses of Villajoyosa are worth a visit.
Placa del Castell
The districts of Poniente and Levante are separated on the coast by a cape. On top of this cape is Plaça del Castell: a large square that consists of several parts. From Plaça del Castell you have a fantastic view over both parts of Benidorm. It is not for nothing that the square is one of the most visited places in Benidorm.
Cuevas de Canelobre
The Caves of Canelobre are located near the village of Busot. With a guide you can take the walk through the highest caves in Spain. The main cave has a height of up to seventy meters and offers great acoustics. This cave is called The Cathedral. The walk takes you past stalagmites and stalactites. The amount of people allowed in is variable. This is partly determined by the amount of CO2 and the humidity. It may therefore be that you have to wait a while before you can enter.
Guadalest
The village of Guadelest is located inland. The old village is an amalgamation of sights. This is the reason that thousands of visitors travel to Guadelest every day. The location of the village center is what makes it so unique. The village is hidden behind and on a mountain. There is only one entrance to this part of the village: a tunnel leads you inside. This made the village ideal to defend against enemies. The villagers saw enemies approaching from afar because of the turrets they built like a crow's nest. In Guadelest you will find the Castle of Guadelest (you must visit it), a beautiful village square with a beautiful town hall and several museums.
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