The province of Alicante offers its visitors numerous leisure possibilities because of the following:
An enviable Climate, since the Costa Blanca enjoys more than 2,800 hours of sunshine a year and an annual average temperature of 19’3° C, provides this microclimate ideal conditions to enjoy it all year long. Visitors can experience nature, beaches, nautical sports or the street markets:
Protected Natural Areas: these are various natural surroundings where visitors can enjoy the landscapes that the province of Alicante has to offer:
Marjal de Pego-Oliva Natural Reserve
Las Lagunas de la Mata-Torrevieja Natural Park
El Fondo Natural Park
Las Salinas de Santa Pola Natural Park
Montgo Natural Park
Penyal d’lfacb Natural Park
Sierra Gelada L’Alfas del Pi
Sierra Mariola Natural Park
Carrascar de la Font Roja Natural Park
Raco de Sant Bonaventura-Canalons
Clot de Galvany
Arenal de l’Almorx
Els Arcs
La Pilarica – Sierra Callosa
Molino del Agua Park
Els Plantadets
Les Sorts
Solana del Benicadell
Street Markets: the taste for these types of open air shops is very popular in the Mediterranean area and is undoubtedly favoured by the climate. These are made of small stands that are installed on certain days and sell a variety of new and used articles sold at lower prices than conventional shopping centres. They attract those visitors that are not typically used to them. Some examples in this area are as follows:
Mondays: Callosa de Ensarria, Denia, Elche, Santa Pola and La Nucia.
Fridays: Alfaz del Pi, Denia, La Nucia and Torrevieja
Saturdays: Alicante, Benisa, Calpe, Elche and Santa Pola
Sundays: Elche (artesania), La Nucia and Benidorm
In any of them, one may find a mirror, a tin toy, a carriage wheel or a postcard from Benidorm beach from early XX century. In the numerous street markets installed weekly in all the municipalities of the Costa Blanca, visitors may come across a desired whim or from an assortment of objects, the perfect souvenir from Spain.
The Province of Alicante offers its visitors a diversified cultural panorama, with a wide infrastructure and range of facilities.
Museum Network, Alicante offers an extensive and diversified range of museums throughout its land. These are museums that cover archaeology to nougats, to shoes and toys:
Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante (Alicante)
Archaeological Museum (Benidorm)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Callosa de Segura)
Municipal Museum of Hemp Clothing (Callosa de Segura)
Ethnologic Museum (Cocentaina)
Benlliure Museum (Crevillente)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Crevillente)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Denia)
Regional Ethnographic Marine Museum (Denia)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Elche)
Contemporary Art Museum (Elche)
Footwear Museum (Elda)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Elda)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Guardamar del Segura)
Ethnologic Museum (Ibi)
Joguina Valencian Museum (Ibi)
Municipal Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum (Javea)
Nougat (Turron) Museum (Jijona)
Azorin House-Museum (Monovar)
Modernist House-Museum (Novelda)
Miguel Hernandez House (Orihuela)
Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art (Orihuela)
University of Alicante Museum (San Vicente del Raspeig)
Archaeological and Fishing Museum (Santa Pola)
Tabarca Museum (Tabarca Island)
Botijo Museum (Villena)
Municipal Archaeological Museum (Villena)
Festivals and Trade Fairs in Alicante
Fair of Contemporary Theatre Authors (2nd part of November)
Contemporary Music Festival (2nd part of September)
International Puppetry Festival (December 1 through 10)
International Guitar Course (July 17 through 21)
Alicante on Scene (first part of September, at the Teatro Principal)
Castle Nights (July and August, Santa Barbara Castle)
Musical Evenings (Saturdays in July and August, 23:00, Barrio Santa Cruz)
Medieval Market (June 28 through July 2, streets around Alicante’s City Hall)
World Music Concerts (October 3 through 7 of 2006, at 20h, in the Morant Park amphitheatre)
Important buildings in the city of Alicante
City Hall (Contemporary)
House of the Insured Lady (Modern -Contemporary)
San Fernando Castle (Contemporary)
Santa Barbara Castle (Medieval Christian -Modern – Contemporary)
San Nicolas co-cathedral (Medieval Islamic – Medieval Christian – Modern – Contemporary)
Canon Convent of San Agustin (Modern – Contemporary)
Alicante Provincial Council Offices (Contemporary)
Santa Maria Church (Medieval Islamic – Medieval Christian – Modern – Contemporary)
Fish Market (Modern – Contemporary)
Central Market (Contemporary)
Santa Faz Monastery (Modern – Contemporary)
Gravina Palace (Modern – Contemporary)
Maisonave Palace. Municipal Archives (Late-Roman – Medieval Christian – Modern – Contemporary)
Main Theater (Contemporary)
Excavations
Gothic Market
Llorca Palace. Municipal Archives
Jorge Juan (next to City Hall)
Balsas-Chinchorro Hill
Roman Town in Nations Park
Roman Town Casa Ferrer I Convent
Ramiro Promenade
The Costa Blanca offers one of the most representative cuisines in the Mediterranean because of the various exquisite gastronomic offerings. Without a doubt, rice is one of its most important staples. Rice dishes from Alicante are different from those in Valencia. Some of Alicante’s native rice dishes are:
El caldero: a seafood rice that competes with its own paella. El caldero is popular in Santa Pola and Torrevieja.
El arroz con pata (rice with a hoof):a rich and substantial rice since its main ingredient are veal hoofs.
El arroz con costra (rice with egg crust on top): it is not typical in the coast, but very popular in Elche, the palm tree city.
Bajoques farcides: stuffed peppers typical in Alcoy.
The gastronomy from the Costa Blanca is linked to the sea and to rice and dozens of different rice dishes exist today.
Salted fish occupies a privileged spot in Alicante’s recipe book. They are a good appetizer for any meal, served in the typical presentation known as “montaditos” (little sandwiches). Some examples are:
Salted tuna
Salted cod
Roe
Dried octopus
Anchovies
Melva (Frigate tuna)
We must add an exquisite series of Second Dishes, such as:
Stuffed calamari
Suquet de peix (local bouillabaisse)
Stew from the Huerta
Gazpacho with grouper and shrimp
And to end with deserts, one can select from:
Excellent fruits – oranges, cherries, grapes, loquat, pomegranate, figs-, depending on the time of the year.
Ice creams
Or nougats that have made the name of Alicante famous worldwide, the “hard” one par excellence, made in Jijona.
Regarding the wine cellar, the province of Alicante offers very good Wines. During the last ten years, the Denomination of Origin Alicante has gained respect due to its young fresh white wines and its interesting reds, elaborated in innovative cellars. The vineyards are divided in two well differentiated areas:
The largest one is located along the Vinalopo river banks that extend behind the city of Alicante. In this zone, the Monastrell grape shares the vineyards with other new varieties.
The second, much smaller, zone is La Marina, situated on the northern coast and incorporated into the D.O. in 1987. The smaller Moscatel grape thrives in this hot humid climate.
Next to other emerging wines, the Fondillon, a classic mellow wine from Alicante that has been exported for centuries is now enjoying a come back.
