Stay in one of the many hotels, guesthouses and hostels of the Alicante Old Town. Resting beneath Castle Santa Bárbara, which crowns Mount Benacantil, the Old Town’s winding cobblestone streets are some of the city’s liveliest. The city’s most popular place to lodge is also filled with restaurants, shops and bars.
Alicante’s major attractions are conveniently located together in the Old Town. The best way to get around the tiny cobblestone streets is on foot. It is easy to lose your bearings in the labyrinth of curving, narrow streets, so pick up a map from the Alicante tourist office, located at the city’s bus station. Use the map to find the many attractions that dot the area, including the Alicante Town Hall. Tour this Baroque-style building to see why it is one of the city’s landmark structures. Sit to watch the crowds in the square out the front of the busy Town Hall. Visit the Gravina Museum of Fine Arts in the eastern part of the Old Town to see works by some Spanish masters.
If you’re hungry, head to the two streets bordering the Old Town, Rambla de Mendez or Explanada de España. Here, Spanish restaurants and tapas bars line the streets and can serve as an excellent introduction to the national cuisine. Make friends with townspeople over an assortment of local dishes, which are primarily rice or seafood based. Try paella, one of Spain’s national dishes, at an arrocería (rice restaurant). By midnight the Old Town is filled with people drinking and dancing. It is one of Alicante’s most popular nightlife destinations and many bars stay open until early the next morning.
The Alicante Old Town is located at the southwest base of Mount Benacantil and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. Walk or take taxis and public transportation to get around because parking spots are rare.
