Experience
Spain

BUCKET LIST TRAVEL : ALICANTE

Palm trees and the beach!

This seaside city on the Costa Blanca in south-eastern Spain is the ultimate summer destination. Think fine sandy beaches, markets selling fresh produce and the beautiful historic Santa Cruz neighbourhood with its charming narrow streets and colourful houses.

A SPANISH OASIS

Palm trees as far as the eye can see! Be surrounded by 240,000 trees over 500 hectares in the city of Elche to the south of Alicante. It’s an enormous palm grove that rivals those found in North Africa. It’s also the biggest in Europe, which led to it being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as evidence of cultural transmission from East to West.

The location has a long history. Specialists estimate that it dates back to the Phoenicians of Carthage, between 2,000 and 5,000 years ago. But the area took on its scale at the end of the 10th century when irrigation channels helped it flourish. Since then, the palm grove has been seen as a place of escapism. Divided into plots, it’s home to Huerto del Cura (The Priest’s Garden), where you’ll find the oldest and most beautiful palm trees, cacti, ponds and statues. Some of the trees are more than 300 years old!

This grove has another unique feature: the famous Imperial Palm Tree, an exceptional specimen with a trunk with seven branches. Its name refers to Austrian Empress Sisi, who marvelled at the tree during her visit to Elche in 1894. Its owner decided to name it in her honour. Other huertos (gardens) can be explored on foot or by bike thanks to a route linking the municipal park and the Museo del Palmeral (palm grove museum).

Must-sees in Alicante

SANTA BARBARA CASTLE

Perched on Mount Benacantil, the Santa Barbara medieval fortress was built in the 11th century. Dee Alicante Bay from the summit. It can be reached by a lift carved into the rock opposite Postiguet beach.

POSTIGUET BEACH

This is Alicante’s city centre beach. Its vast stretch of sand is separated from the city’s buildings by the Passeig de Gómiz, a promenade lined with palm trees. Thanks to its central location, there are many amenities close by.

THE EXPLANADA DE ESPAÑA

This wide walkway is a meeting place for walkers and regulars. Visit the Explanada de España to walk up and down its marble tesserae floor designed in wave patterns. The rows of palm trees at the sides offer some shade. A market selling handmade goods is held along the promenade in summer.

SAN JUAN BEACH

This stretch of fine sand spans almost five kilometres and goes through several towns, with El Campello in the north and Cap de l’Horta in the south. You can get there by tram in about 20 minutes, and it offers picture-perfect scenery: palm trees, white sand and turquoise waters.

THE CENTRAL MARKET

Constructed in 1921 on Avenida Alfonso X El Sabio, this indoor market is an unmissable location in the city. Its attractive array of fish, meat, fruit and vegetables and famous tapas attract food lovers. Its 200 stalls are spread over two floors, and the lower floor is partially underground due to the slope of the surrounding streets.