Is Alicante Worth Visiting? 10 Reasons Why You Should Go
Thinking of heading to Alicante? Read on for all the best travel tips!
Alicante, on the south coast of Spain has been a popular tourist destination for many European travellers for many years, but is it really worth visiting?
I’ve been lucky enough to visit Alicante on several occasions and I’ve always been impressed with how much there is to do in this beautiful part of south Spain.
From glorious sunny beaches, awesome museums and a lively nightlife, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re visiting with family or plan to party with friends.
So I’ve compiled this list of the top ten reasons why you should visit and make Alicante your next destination.
⌚ In a rush? My Top Hotel Recommendations for Alicante:
⭐ Olé Backpackers Hostel
⭐ Hotel La Milagrosa
⭐ Hotel Spa Porta Maris by Melia
Is Alicante Worth Visiting?
The answer to that question is a resounding YES! Alicante is a beautiful place and is an ideal getaway if you’re in the mood for sun, sea and relaxation.
It offers a more authentic Spanish experience than the popular city of Benidorm close by, with more historic sites and cultural interests such as several fascinating museums and castles.
And Alicante is great value for money – it has an international airport which you can fly to for very cheap prices from the UK and other European cities.
All of these positives make Alicante an affordable holiday destination with enough interesting places to make it a top destination in Andalusia.
10 Reasons Why Alicante Is Worth Visiting
So without further ado, let’s take a look at 10 reasons why Alicante is worth visiting, in no particular order:
1. Fantastic Beaches
Obviously one of the main attractions that Alicante has for tourists is its top quality beaches.
There are several really exceptional beaches close to the centre of the city, with San Juan Beach being the most famous, about 7 kilometres from the city.
This is a white sandy beach that has perfectly clear waters, with plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes nearby.
Other beaches in the province of Alicante that you may want to check out include:
- Postiguet Beach – very close to the Old Town, the city’s port and Santa Barbara Castle, this is as central a beach as you could wish for.
- Levante Beach – popular with locals and tourists in Benidorm, this is a very lively but also clean and sandy beach with plenty of bars and restaurants close by.
- Almadraba Beach – this is a much less crowded beach, with beautiful golden sands and quiet, clear waters.
2. Incredible Castles
As well as being a great place to soak up the sun, Alicante is also quite a historical city with a total of 5 castles to explore.
The most well known castle is Santa Bárbara Castle, which is located right in the centre of the city perched on top of Mount Benacantil.
With Muslim origins, the fortification dates back to the 9th century and is totally unmissable on the Alicante skyline.
The views from the top of the fortress really impressed me and are absolutely stunning, making it a must do activity.
It is considered one of Spain’s largest fortresses – so expect to spend at least a couple of hours exploring the place. Plus, it’s totally free to visit.
👉 Pro Tip: I advise not to walk up to Santa Bárbara Castle as it is quite an exhausting walk (especially on a hot day), taking about 30 minutes and is of moderate difficulty.
It’s a lot easier to take a lift to the top instead! The lift is located right opposite Postiguet Beach on Avenida Juan Bautista Lafora and will save you a lot of time and effort and it costs just a few Euros too.
3. Awesome Museums
Perhaps surprisingly, Alicante is a culturally rich city that is filled with a lot of top class museums that you may wish to visit during your stay. Here are in my opinion the top 3 museums to visit:
- MACA Contemporary Art Museum of Alicante – featuring contemporary modern art from the 20th Century, this is a major art museum in Alicante and in all of Andalusia for that matter.
- Archaeological Museum of Alicante – a fantastic history museum that is fun and interactive, featuring artefacts from over 100,000 years ago!
- Bonfire Museum – this is a really unique museum that is dedicated to Alicante’s famous Bonfires of St. John festival that is celebrated every June in the city.
4. Beautiful Parks
Alicante is full of serene and idyllic parks, gardens and nature sites. A visit to one of these is a great alternative to the beach and to escape the busy city to enjoy some peace and quiet.
There are several parks in the region, ranging from quiet plazas, to bigger parks that are perfect for hiking.
Paseo de la Explananda de España is the central esplanade just off of Postiguet Beach and is a delightful walk, full of palm trees and plants and offering plenty of shade.
One of the most beautiful nature sites just outside the centre of Alicante is El Palmeral. This is a beautiful paradise of a park, with flowerbeds, palm trees, lakes and more – a place I highly recommend to chill out for a while.
If you’re in the mood for a day of hiking, you could visit either Penyal d’Ifac Nature Park or Serra Gelada Nature Park. Both parks are on the outskirts of the city but have multiple trails with stunning scenic views.
5. Awesome Nightlife
Alicante is well known for having a fantastic night life scene and is considered to be quite a top party destination.
Whether you just want to socialise at one of the many bars in the centre or enjoy the livelier atmosphere of one of its many night clubs, you really are spoilt for choice here.
6. Cheap Prices
Another top reasons to visit Alicante is that it’s a very cheap and affordable place to visit.
It’s possible to book a very cheap flight to Alicante from certain UK and European cities, with flight tickets being very low cost especially during the winter season.
There are plenty of affordable hotel accommodation options in the centre of Alicante, and food and drink is very reasonably priced at a lot of restaurants too.
Also, a lot of the top tourist activities and places to visit are completely free – such as the great beaches and the medieval fortress Santa Bárbara Castle.
7. Top Class Restaurants
As mentioned, there are countless top class restaurants in and around the centre of Alicante that are pretty inexpensive – with a lot of main meals and a drink costing between 10-20 Euros.
But if you want to dine out somewhere a bit fancy then you’re in luck, because Alicante has a grand total of 13 Michelin starred restaurants.
These top fine dining experiences showcase the best local produce with unforgettable dishes. Such restaurants will be quite expensive but are definitely worth the money if you’re a big foodie like me!
8. An Impressive Cruise Port
Alicante has a huge cruise port area which is nice to discover and check out the multiple luxurious cruises.
The port also features a huge marina area, full of bars and restaurants and has 3 hotels. This is the perfect spot to see all of the many cruises, yachts and boats on show.
👉 Pro Tip: The cruise terminal is about a 15 minute walk from the city centre, but if you don’t fancy walking then there there is a free shuttle bus to the terminal from Plaza Puerta Del Mar in the downtown area.
9. Pristine Golf Courses
If you’re even a closet golf enthusiast then Alicante is the perfect destination for you, with the entire Costa Blanca region in the south east of Spain having more than fifteen 18 hole golf courses.
Enjoying a relaxing round of golf is a really nice holiday activity for a day, or more if you want to practice your golf score!
Alicante Golf is one of the most well known commercial golf courses in the region and was designed by the late legendary Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros.
10. Amazing Weather!
And last but most definitely not least in this list of why Alicante is worth visiting is probably the most obvious – the glorious weather!
Alicante is renowned for having fantastic sunny weather and exceptional temperatures no matter when you visit – it only rains around 20 days per year!
July and August are of course the hottest months when temperatures are usually above 30 degrees, and temperatures remain mild throughout the spring, summer and even winter months.
Best Places To Stay In Alicante
Choosing where to stay in Alicante is a far from easy decision as there are many top quality hotels to choose from. Here are three personal recommendations to consider at three different price ranges:
Budget Recommendation: Olé Backpackers Hostel
If you’re on a tight budget when visiting Alicante then fortunately there are a lot of cheap hostels in the area, and Olé Backpackers Hostel is one of the best options.
This is a hostel based very centrally in the city, just a short 15 minute walk from Postiguet Beach. The hostel offers several dormitory rooms and has a 24 hour front desk, a bar, lockers and wi-fi throughout the building.
You can also hire bikes and cars direct from the hostel and a stay here is really good value for money.
⭐ Check out Antonio’s top review of Olé Backpackers Hostel:
“Great hostel with a bar and good food. The people working in here are fantastic. The hostel location is very central with many cafes, shops and restaurants.”
➡️ Book a stay at Olé Backpackers Hostel by clicking here
Mid-Range Recommendation: Hotel La Milagrosa
Another good accommodation choice in Alicante is Hotel La Milagrosa, which is a top quality hotel with reasonable prices.
This two star hotel has an excellent location based close to the beachfront. It is just a 2 minute walk away from Alicante’s golden sands and 300 metres away from the port.
It offers rooms with balconies and it has a lovely terrace dining area that has beautiful views of the coast of Alicante.
⭐ Check out Alex’s top review of Hotel La Milagrosa:
“Beautifully presented in the perfect central location, with a bijou exclusive feel from the moment you step into reception.”
➡️ Book a stay at Hotel La Milagrosa by clicking here
Luxury Recommendation: Hotel Spa Porta Maris by Melia
If you’re looking for a more luxurious stay in Alicante, then your best choice is Hotel Spa Porta Maris by Melia.
This fantastic 4 star hotel is once again very close to Alicante’s beach front and features stunning views of the Mediterranean coast.
The hotel has beautiful spacious rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, fitness centre and a spa and wellness centre.
This hotel is a truly outstanding place to stay in Alicante and will make your visit all the more memorable.
⭐ Check out Michael’s top review of Hotel Spa Porta Maris:
“The location is superb. All of the staff are so friendly and helpful. The hotel is immaculate and beautifully presented.”
➡️ Book a stay at Hotel Spa Porta Maris by clicking here
Alicante FAQs
Still not convinced about visiting Alicante? Let me answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this popular Spanish seaside destination:
How many days in Alicante is enough?
In my personal experience, I would recommend visiting Alicante for anywhere between 2 or 5 days.
It’s the ideal location for a long weekend getaway or a stop off before visiting other cities in Andalusia such as Seville, Cordoba.
You can also get to other parts of Spain thanks to the country’s high speed train system. You can reach Madrid in 2 and a half hours, as well as Valencia, which is reachable within just 2 hours.
You can certainly visit a lot of the main tourist attractions and do most of the activities within a 2 day period. But Alicante is a place where you really want to relax and take your time – so around 4-5 days would be ideal.
Of course there is nothing wrong with spending 1 or even 2 weeks here. Especially if you want to chill on the beach and enjoy life at a leisurely pace.
When is the best time to visit Alicante?
I would highly advise you to not visit Alicante during the summer months. This is the peak season for Alicante. It is often overcrowded with many tourists and accommodation prices will be at a premium.
Instead, a visit to Alicante any time during the spring or autumn months are good options. Wintertime is becoming an increasingly popular period to visit as well.
Is Alicante a safe place to visit?
Yes, Alicante is overall considered a safe place to visit for tourists. Petty crime does occur here as it does everywhere though, so make sure you stay vigilant, especially during the night time.
Conclusion: Why Alicante Is Worth Visiting
So that concludes everything you need to know about why Alicante is such a top destination. A lot of people think that Alicante is just another beach resort, but it has so much more to offer.
From a varied choice of fascinating museums, exceptional restaurants and historical sites and parks, Alicante is one of the more sophisticated and interesting beach cities to visit on the south of Spain.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through all the reasons why Alicante is most definitely worth visiting. I hope now you’ll now consider visiting it the next time you’re planning a trip to sunny Spain.
You might also like this blog post about Spain:
➡️ Best Time To Walk Camino de Santiago (& The Worst!)
➡️ How To Spend 72 Hours In Seville: A Complete Itinerary For 2025
➡️ 30 Bucket List Destinations In Spain That You Simply Must Visit
➡️ What I Learned From Walking The Camino de Santiago Alone
➡️ Hidden Gems In Northern Spain That You Simply Must Visit In 2025
Pin This Post!
➡️ Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:
🏨 Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights