Alicante, Spain

Santa Cruz District

The oldest part of Alicante is located at the foot of Mount Benacantil, whose summit is home to the Santa Barbara Castle. You won’t miss this place if you walk down from the mountain. The Santa Cruz district looks as though it were still in the 13th century. Much has been preserved in its original medieval form: a labyrinth of narrow streets, low, white-stone houses overgrown with flowering plants, with windows and balconies decorated in the Moorish style. Tourists love to stroll here.

Santa Barbara Castle

This castle, more like a fortress, is located on top of Mount Benacantil right in the center of Alicante. It’s a great place to see the city and the sea from a bird’s-eye view (166 meters); here you can also imagine yourself back in the distant 13th century, when the foundation of every city was a fortress with towers, loopholes, and impressive cannons. Funny though it may be, inside Mount Benacantil modern Spaniards built a fast elevator that instantly takes everyone who wants to the top. In addition, you can get to the castle on foot or by car.

Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari

The Cathedral dedicated to the spiritual patron of the city of Alicante, Saint Nicholas of Bari, was built in the Renaissance style by the architect Juan de Herrera. The same architect, who designed the monastery-palace of El Escorial an hour’s drive from Madrid and the facade of the Alcázar Castle in Toledo. The spacious cathedral is crowned with a dome 45 meters high. The interior features marble and tiles of various colors. Among the cathedral’s relics are the remains of the saints and an antique organ from the 11th century. Next to the cathedral is the Old Town-the Santa Cruz district-which has been preserved almost untouched since the Moorish era.

St. Mary's Church

This Catholic church in Gothic style was built in the 15th century in honor of the victory over the Moors directly on the site of a Muslim mosque. For this reason, from an architectural point of view, the temple looks quite unusual: it consists of several halls that were added to the original building over time. Inside, as in most similar structures, there is luxurious décor: paintings, a Rococo-style altar, elaborate ornamental plasterwork, and an organ.

Monastery of the Holy Face

5 kilometers from Alicante (towards Valencia) is the monastery of Saint Lika (Santa Faz), which draws countless pilgrims from all over the world. The aim of the pilgrims is the cloth with the Holy Face of Jesus Christ. According to legend, with this piece of cloth Saint Veronica wiped the bloody sweat from Christ’s face, after which the features of the Saviour’s face were forever imprinted on the fabric. The relic was brought to the monastery of Saint Lika from Rome and is considered miraculous. One of the miracles occurred in 1489, when prayers facing the cloth helped the residents of Alicante to escape an extremely severe drought. There are also two similar relics-in Jaén and in the Vatican.

Esplanade Boulevard, Spain

The city’s symbol is a long promenade made up of six million stones laid in a mosaic. An unusual optical effect creates the impression that you’re not walking along a road, but along waves. Along the boulevard, there are many different cafés and small restaurants with terraces where you can sit and enjoy the lovely views of the sea. For example, the Chocolatería Valor coffee shop, where you can try churros with hot chocolate. At the end of the boulevard, there is a fountain surrounded by giant magnolias. In the central part of the Esplanade, there is an open pavilion shaped like a sea shell. In the summer season, free shows and concerts are held here in the evenings.

Tabarka Island

In the Middle Ages, the island of Tabarka was a refuge for pirates. They say that even now somewhere on the island there are untold treasures hidden by sea raiders. Today, you can take a walk through the local natural sights, try seafood at small restaurants, visit the old church of St. Peter, or climb the ruins of an ancient fortress wall. Tabarka is located 20 kilometers from Alicante. You can get there by boat in an hour and a half. In summer, motorboats depart every 30 minutes; in winter, less often, 2-3 times a day. You can even circle the whole island in just an hour.

Alicante Beaches

San Juan Beach is located in the outskirts of Alicante. Here you’ll find clean sand and moderate waves-making the beach well suited for family holidays with children. Nearby there are cozy bars and restaurants. San Juan is equipped with wooden boardwalks, showers, children’s and sports playgrounds, as well as rental services for umbrellas, sun loungers, and deck chairs. In the center of Alicante lies El Postiguet Beach, which has been awarded a Blue Flag. Enjoy clean white sand, a scenic promenade, and numerous cafeterias. Albufereta Beach is situated in the north-east of Alicante. It is tucked away in a charming 400-meter cove, sheltered from the waves, in a quiet residential area surrounded by apartment buildings. Here you’ll find a children’s and a sports playground, as well as rentals for equipment and catamarans. The beach is marked with a Blue Flag.

Archaeological Museum

The Archaeological Museum is equipped with modern audio-visual technology. Its many exhibitions tell the story of the rich history of the city of Alicante, from the Paleolithic era to the 21st century. One of the most impressive exhibits in the museum is the sculpture of the Iberian Lady Cabeso Lucero, which was created in the Bronze Age and found during archaeological excavations near Alicante. The Lady’s figure is only fifty centimeters tall; she is dressed in a national Iberian outfit and wearing jewelry worn by women in the 4th century BC. In 2004, the Archaeological Museum in Alicante was awarded the title of “Best European Museum”.

Museum of Modern Art

Four floors and four thousand square metres - for lovers of 20th-century art. Works by Dali, Miro, Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall, Julio González and Vasarely are on display here, as well as sculptures by Eusebio Sempere and Juan Francés. Try to find in the museum a painting by the founder of Cubism, Pablo Picasso, “Alicante, View of the Ships” (1895) and see how the Port of Alicante has changed over the past hundred years.

Volvo Ocean Race Museum

Thanks to interactive panels with touchscreen displays, any visitor to this museum can feel like a participant in a sailing regatta, find themselves among the crews of sailors from different countries, and learn about the marine ecosystems of the ocean and seas. Volvo Ocean Race is the world’s most famous sailing regatta, in which yachts of the Volvo 70 class take part. The museum tells the story of this race in detail, from its inception to the present day. Each year, after the conclusion of the next regatta, the exhibition collection is replenished with new trophies.

Alicante Sightseeing Tour

A wonderful old town will be revealed to you, showcasing its sights and unveiling its history. You will visit the unique Alicante district of Santa Cruz, stroll through the city squares that will amaze you with enormous fantastic fig trees up to 3.5 m in diameter, and visit the main boulevard in Alicante - the Explanada of Spain. You will be formally welcomed by the Cathedral of San Nicolás de Bari, built as far back as the 18th century, and the Gothic church (basilica) of Santa María, dating from the 14th century. These and many other sights of Alicante await you during the excursion, and if you wish, at the end of your walk you can visit small Spanish cafés and enjoy the delicious local cuisine, as well as local wine and beer.

For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can get acquainted after booking your cruise in your “Client Personal Account”.